The postal workers’ union is criticizing the decision not to shut down the Wallingford postal sorting center when it is retested for anthrax Sunday.

The union said the retesting procedure could stir up spores and put workers on duty at risk.

The decision to retest came after a state epidemiologist revealed several weeks ago that testing last year had turned up 3 million anthrax spores at the facility.

“The specialists — will be wearing biohazard suits for their personal protection, while our members are expected to work without any protection except for the plastic warning tape barrier outlining the testing areas,” said John Dirzius, the president of the American Postal Workers Union in Connecticut.

The union also took postal service management to task for not disclosing the level of anthrax contamination on automated mail processing machines.

Postal Service spokesman Jim Cari said the postal employees should not be at risk.

The initial testing was ordered after the death of Ottilie Lundgren, the 94-year-old Oxford woman who died of inhalation anthrax in November.

–Associated Press