MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Parents whose kids attend a Mooresville day care said staff members never warned them their kids were playing on top of and near coal ash. In response to WCNC Charlotte's "Buried" investigation, the day care is taking steps to address concerns, including moving forward with environmental testing.
As WCNC Charlotte recently exposed, Tutor Time of Mooresville is built over and around 100,000 tons of coal ash. The coal-burning byproduct's ingredients include carcinogens, one of which is radioactive.
"It was never mentioned," a Tutor Time parent said Tuesday. "There was no disclosure."
She is one of two parents who reached out to WCNC Charlotte following our investigation.
"I am shocked with these new findings," another parent, who previously moved her child to another day care, said. "They have minimized it to parents who have questioned the claims and some have pulled their kids."
WCNC Charlotte agreed to protect both parents' identities, as both said they are afraid of retaliation.
Less than a week after WCNC Charlotte's first report, Tutor Time took action. Crews spent hours outside the day care on Monday, adding dirt, turf and mesh fencing in the playground area, covering sections of exposed coal ash pointed out by WCNC Charlotte.
"The safety of our families and staff is our top priority," the day care's corporate office told WCNC Charlotte in a new email statement Tuesday. "We are working closely with environmental agencies to ensure that our school remains in compliance with all regulations, and we are committed to continuing to be a responsible employer for our staff and trustworthy service provider for the children in our care and their families."
To protect the public and limit potential exposure, coal ash is supposed to be buried at least a foot-and-a-half underground, but during one of several visits to Tutor Time, WCNC Charlotte noticed what looked like exposed coal ash along that fence line where kids played every day. WCNC Charlotte's drone also spotted the sections of apparent ash. WCNC Charlotte alerted Tutor Time and state regulators to the findings.
Despite Tutor Time's efforts to repair sections of the playground, advocates said it's not nearly enough.
Duke University assistant professor Dr. Julia Kravchenko previously told WCNC Charlotte the only way to truly protect the kids from long-term exposure is to eliminate the risk completely.
"I don't think it's safe," she previously said. "These layers of coal ash should be removed."
Duke Energy legally sold coal ash that came from its nearby Marshall Steam Station as cheap fill dirt for construction projects in and around Mooresville decades ago. Since then, the utility company has repeatedly downplayed the potential for harm, even as experts and scientists warn of the dangers. Although coal ash contains toxic ingredients, including arsenic and radium, Duke Energy maintains it isn't toxic.
Tutor Time of Mooresville previously refused to reveal whether the day care had notified parents about the potential risk to their kids' health. While grateful for the initial action, one of the mothers who reached out to WCNC Charlotte said she's considering moving her toddler to a new day care. She said she's nervous this may only be a short-term fix.
"(I'm) very afraid," she said. "If I could take him out today and afford to be out of work and keep him with me, absolutely [I would]."
She also said she's eager to find out the results of a recent WCNC Charlotte soil sample nearby. A Duke University scientist is analyzing the coal ash samples for heavy metals and radiation.
Tutor Time of Mooresville is testing its property as well. In an alert sent to parents on August 1, and obtained Thursday by WCNC Charlotte, the day care detailed its additional efforts.
"In light of the recent media reports surrounding the possible presence of coal ash on our premises, we'd like to reiterate our commitment to the health and safety of each child in our care," the alert said. "Even though there is no indication that any of our students or staff have been exposed to coal ash, we are acting in accordance with feedback from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and conducting remediation work along the perimeter of our playground fencing next week. In addition, out of an abundance of caution, we are conducting testing on our premises via an environmental testing agency. The testing will take 3-6 weeks, after which time we will follow up with you directly regarding the test results and any additional work that may need to be completed at that time. We appreciate your continued trust in our school."
In prior a statement to WCNC Charlotte, Tutor Time said the day care had "no reason to believe that our facility poses any health or safety risk to our students and staff."
The Environmental Protection Agency is considering a federal investigation of coal ash contamination in Mooresville amid recent concerns.
Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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