And yet another disturbing environmental crime played out in the news today. Something I find more disturbing than the scores of immediate/emergency environmental spills plaguing our nation’s drinking water supply; that is the chronic problem of knowingly exposing our children to toxins. I don’t know about you all… but as an environmental investigator with a science background, I was taken-back by this mornings report delivered by Maria Shriver on the TODAY Show about the PCBs remaining in our nations schools. Last time I checked it was 2014… I thought that Lead, Asbestos and PCBs where abated and under control… well sadly nothing could be further from the truth. In recent years, the USEPA has learned that caulk and other buliding material containing potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was used in many buildings, including schools, in the 1950s through the 1970s. Most schools and buildings built after 1979 do not contain PCBs. The USEPA has developed “new” guidance for school administrators and building managers with important information about managing PCBs in building materials and tools to help minimize possible exposure. SPIN…through the USEPA “PCB Regional Coordinators”, the agency will assist communities in identifying potential problems and, if necessary, developing plans for PCB testing and removal…unless you really want them to do something…well then you’re on your own. Just ask Malibu High School parents. The “Action Level” is 50 ppm… levels in found in Malibu High are as high as 370,000 ppm. PPM means part per million… so 370,000 parts in 1,000,000… that is over one-third raw PCBs. This is freaking scary… If your kids go to a school built before 1979… it time for answers. No excuses.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 02:04:34 +0000