Should a Schools Responsibility to Keep Children Safe Include PCB Exposure?

Many schools across New York City have been finding out that their schools contain high levels of PCBs which can be toxic when long term overexposure happens. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found a handful of schools so far that have high levels of PCBs present in them and are continuing to investigate in other public schools throughout New York City. The inspections by the EPA came after the EPA requested that the City of New York replace all light fixtures in public schools to ensure the removal of light fixtures that have been leaking PCBs. The City of New York has been reluctant to do so and does not think it is necessary to replace all the lights which would cost a few million dollars.

When a child attends school you expect the school to keep your child safe from harm and danger. Finding out that dangerously high levels of PCBs are in your child's classroom does not seem to be the safest of environments and then to make matters worse the city is aware of the possible presence of the PCBs and has chosen to not be proactive and replace the lights but rather to figure it is too expensive to replace all the lights and only replace a select few as the EPA's instruction.

It is important to feel safe when your child is attending school and it is hard to do that knowing PCBs can cause serious and dangerous health problems such as cancer, learning disabilities, and many other issues. For additional information about PCBs in school classroms in New York contact Staten Island Child Injury Lawyer Frank J. Dito Jr. at 718-979-4300.