PEMBROKE, Mass. (AP) – Students will finally return to Bryantville Elementary School on Monday, nearly a month after the school was closed because of an odor that made some children sick.

The school was closed on Dec. 7 after parents complained and its more than 600 students were dispersed among three other Pembroke schools. Health officials now say they have identified and eliminated the odor.

An air quality inspector determined that the smell – variously compared to burnt rubber, rotten eggs and new sneakers – came from a rubber sealant sprayed on the cafeteria ceiling in November to fix a mold problem.

The inspector, who was hired by the Board of Health, detected hazardous vapors that can be harmful if breathed or absorbed into the skin.

Students were exposed to it for one day in November before the cafeteria was sealed off with plastic.

Workers removed the rubber sealant and sanded the ceiling to remove any residue. Further testing showed no dangerous fumes, said Fred Leary, the town’s health inspector.

AP-ES-12-31-04 0809EST