Department of Education Claims Toxins in Schools Not Harmful to Students

Summary

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The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regional director, Alan Steinberg, noted that the EPA has been working on PCB exposure for 30 and gave advice to owners and managers of buildings that contain caulk contaminated by PCBs. "If PCBs are found in the caulk, avoid regular touching of the caulk, clean it up properly and safely, and make plans to remove the caulk. When PCB-containing caulk is removed and disposed of, it should be done with care to avoid contamination of surrounding materials such as floors, wood, bricks, mortar or soil," said Steinberg in a statement. He went on to commend various city agencies, including the Department of Education for their rapid response to the issue of PCBs in schools.

The U.S. Congress banned the domestic production of PCBs in 1977 due to the increasing number of scientific studies that showed decreased cognitive ability in children exposed to the chemicals, cancer, asthma, rashes and other negative health effects.

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Extract

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Department of Education Claims Toxins in Schools Not Harmful to Students

Many parents are aware of the health risks posed by lead paint, but there is another toxin pervading New York City public schools. Prompted by a Daily News investigation, th...

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