Submitted by fraaankie485 t3_z1v9hg in newjersey
Irlydidnthaveachoice t1_ixdzrhu wrote
Reply to comment by fraaankie485 in Colonia High School soil and air tested again in continuing cancer probe by fraaankie485
The concern is a cancer cluster folks developing a unique form of cancer. They conducted a radiation survey which came back negative. A parent tested material and soil at the school which came back positive for PCBs and pesticides both of which "are not sources of the ionizing radiation most associated with the occurrence of primary brain tumors". - from the linked article.
I do not understand the mentality that the government must be lying. How does it benefit the mayor to learn a school has an environmental threat to his constituents and his action is to cover it up? The amount of people involved for that to be pulled off is just laughable.
Is there ever a point were you stop and think that maybe the school is not the issue.
Unfortunately, I fear we are past that point and fear mongering has taken over. The only thing the residents will accept is demolishing the school and building another even though it does not provide an answer to your concern, why are folks developing a unique cancer.
Probably upwards of half a billion dollars and it does not stop or answer the question of why there is a cancer cluster some folks have developed a similar form of cancer.
I say this as a parent and someone that works in environmental consulting.
Edit: public officials have determined Colonia was not a true cancer cluster.
fraaankie485 OP t1_ixe4n4i wrote
As a resident of Woodbridge, hearing and seeing the news when this first hit was on everyone’s lips. Once the rounds of testing came back, it was basically said that there was no need for anymore testing. But no answers. The mayor at one point wouldn’t even take messages about this. He hid from it for a brief moment. But people kept pushing. And they have to continue to push for better answers.
I’m not saying he covered anything up. I’m saying he didn’t want anymore testing because of the National exposure. What mayor wants to deal with this? I’m sure none but they have to step up to the plate. He never stepped up and did the bare minimum.
He lives only a short slip from the school, his biggest concern his political image. His daughter never went to the HS because she was enrolled in a private school so this issue doesn’t affect him directly since his child or himself or wife never attended the school. But people want clear and consistent answers and unfortunately the residents and patients and victims aren’t getting the answers. Spend all the money they want to get it, but when it comes down to it, he wants it swept under the rug and to move on.
angusshangus t1_ixeyhem wrote
Isn’t it more of a BOE responsibility? The mayor doesn’t typically have much say over the schools.
fraaankie485 OP t1_ixez2ys wrote
Normally yes. But in Woodbridge BOE elected, many are Mayor Mac Team so he has a hand in BOE doings. “Column A Mac’s Team”
Irlydidnthaveachoice t1_ixfwn22 wrote
Your fallacy is you will not accept the results. You want there to a a neatly package answer but in all likelihood that is just not going to happen. This is not some fiction novel that conveniently starts with tragedy and ends with a satisfying conclusion.
1 in 3 people get cancer and 1 in 5 die from it. The exact cause can often be evasive because cancer is not responsive as a light switch, it can take years or decades to be found.
Regarding the additional testing, > That kind of follow-up could have the opposite effect, said Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey’s commissioner of environmental protection, and send “the wrong message” that the suspicions deserved any more resources than what had already been invested.
> One month later, Mayor McCormac echoed this sentiment to me: “It’s frustrating that people who hoped that there was no radiation on the site now are upset that there’s not,” he said. “They asked us to do this, and we did it. We did exactly what they wanted.”
The Township did not hid from this. They did exactly what needed to be done. The issue is folks have a predetermined narrative. The school is toxic and we will not stopping testing until that is proven true.
> When the state health department calculated the number of brain and other nervous system tumors that would be expected among the cohort of students and staff from 1968 to 2021, it concluded it could be up to 120 individuals — just slightly under Mr. Lupiano’s count of about 125 (though he believes his tally is an undercount). At least one epidemiologist I spoke to for this article told me that, just glancing at the numbers, he wasn’t surprised that public officials have determined Colonia was not a true cluster.
Yimpa_aum t1_ixgfiqv wrote
“The issue is folks have a predetermined narrative.”
—
So are you claiming that science and government is above that? C’mon, give me a break.
We are all in this together; I’d prefer we all learn from each other rather than fighting. This is an opportunity to advance science and possibly create better policies in government regarding toxic chemicals - that is, if the new investigation does find new concerns.
Yimpa_aum t1_ixgfqcm wrote
I say “new concerns” because there is proof that this school has had concerns as early as this past summer:
zincink t1_ixy96pe wrote
We aren’t far away from toxic Linden and air travels. The schools are old and years ago they always had roofing issues. The incinerator burning medical waste and lots of other questionable things they ship in for decades doesn’t help either. “The Bayway Refinery in Linden alone in 2012 dumped 2,084,440 pounds of toxins including ethylene glycol, lead and lead compounds, sec-butyl alcohol, and toluene into the Morses Creek watershed, which feeds the Arthur Kill. All of these toxins cause either cancer, developmental or reproductive problems”.
Linenoise77 t1_ixfne2e wrote
Yeah, i'm not saying there isn't something going on there, but centering on the school because "people who got it went there" seems silly. Those people also probably spent considerable time at other places in the immediate area. The places we regularly hung out and goofed around with in HS were the same places people had done the same at for decades.
If the numbers are that out of wack compared to the general pop and you ruled out the low hanging fruit in the school, its time to look at other places, or admit its just a statistical anomaly, not keep doubling down on the easy answer.
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