Officials Outraged By New Test Results Of PCBs In Schools
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New test results prompted public officials today to call on the Department of Education to test all schools for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Officials in Downtown Manhattan today said that parent-led testing of caulk at six city schools around the city turned up toxic levels of PCBs.
The chemical was found in window caulk and lighting installed between 1950 and 1978. Congress banned PCBs in the late 1970s but did not call for their removal.
One official said the time for excuses is over.
"Short-term exposure causes the nervous, reproductive, immune systems to be impacted negatively and I cannot believe that we are mentioning symptoms like this when we're talking about our children and our educators," said Manhattan Councilwoman Inez Barron. "Appropriate action is necessary today, not tomorrow. Forget about the pilot programs and forget about the studies. We need our schools tested today."
Dangeroulsy high levels caused the closure of some classrooms at two schools on Staten Island last week.
The Department of Education said it will review the latest report.