At yesterday’s press conference in Greenport, County, State and Federal officials alluded to the presence of a drum of PCBs having been consumed in the intense fire at TCI of NY in Ghent. This finding was presented as a relief. However, late tonight the Albany Times-Union posted the results of its interviews with health experts, one of whom indicates that one drum would be plenty to raise serious concerns.
Former Broome County health commissioner Dr. Arnold J. Schecter, now of the University of Texas School of Public Health, points out that “furans and dioxin are more dangerous than PCBs,” and raises the questions: “Were they formed; what was the amount; and did they get into people or
food, or are they likely to get into people or food?”
Being an open-minded scientist, Schecter acknowledges the possibility that there could be either “no problem at all,” or “the other extreme,” but is paraphrased by Odato as stating that “one drum of PCBs, if it converts to dibenzofurans, would be a public health concern.”Schecter continues in the article by James Odato: "What you'll
want to know is what toxic chemicals were present; does the company
have a list and how much? Where were the toxic chemicals
likely to have spread. ... What precautions are being taken to make
sure animals and the food supply have not been contaminated.”
The entire article can be read at this link:
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Questions-remain-on-toxic-soot-3758856.php
People downwind also deserve to know whether any of the other materials, such as mineral oil, propane, et al. were contaminated with PCBs or other hazardous substances, as can be the case with fluids removed from certain types of transformers. This would increase the total volume of dangerous material that may have burned.Check back soon for some harder information, gleaned from official sources and others, on what TCI was handling at their Ghent location.
