Lawyers' Suit Aims To Speed Up PCB Removal Effort In Public Schools
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A lawsuit has been filed against the Department of Education and the School Construction Authority to expedite the removal of polychlorinated biphenyls from city schools.
The suit was filed by New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) on behalf of the organization New York Communities for Change.
The suit alleges that thousands of light fixtures across the city are leaking highly toxic PCBs in violation of federal law and endangering the health of students.
Last year, several schools were found to have elevated levels of the toxic material.
A DOE spokesperson said department officials believe their plan to remove PCBs from 754 school buildings is aggressive, environmentally responsible and will cause minimal disruption to classes.
PCBs were once used as insulation but were banned in the 1970s.