PCBs and Cancer: Should Parents of New York City Public School Children be Concerned?

With many public schools in New York City being investigated for toxic amounts of PCBs in their light fixtures more parents are becoming concerned about whether or not the toxic amounts of PCBs can cause cancer. These concerns are definitely valid concerns for parents who have children attending the schools where toxic amounts are being found. It is hard as a parent to find out that your child may be being exposed to something everyday while that are at the place they are being sent to learn.

PCBs are still being studied but prior studies done on animals showed connections between over exposure to PCBs over a long period of time and cancer. While these tests were run on animals it is thought that PCBs have similar effects on humans.

It is important that New York City schools replace the light fixtures containing high levels of PCBs in them to keep our kids safe while they are at school.

For additional information about possible health problems caused by long term overexposure to PCBs we suggest you read the following articles:

• PCBs: a Contributor to Many Rapidly Increasing Health Problems and Learning Disabilities
• PCB Health Problem Lawsuits in New York