The high toxicity levels of a known cancer-causing chemical found at the site of a Bedford Park building that housed PS 51, the Bronx New School, until 2011, poses an increased risk for health effects for students, teachers and staff members who attended and worked at the school, according to a new report by the state health department.

The report — which parents of former students, as well as staff and the United Federation of Teachers have pushed for since the building was shuttered in the summer of 2011 — said that the high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), a known carcinogen, found in air samples at PS 51’s former building posed an increased risk of health defects in babies born from adults who worked there and also an increased risk of cancer or immune system problems for students, teachers and staff.

The report characterized the increased risks of birth defects as “moderate” and the increased risk of cancer as “low.” It also acknowledged some “uncertainty” about the results of the assessment because “it was based on very limited indoor air data.”

Still, this is disturbing, if somewhat anticipated, news for staffers and parents of students who attended the school. After the initial notification by the DOE, officials were vague about what kind of health effects could arise from extended exposure to high levels of TCE, which has been linked to cancer and birth defects.

In the aftermath, the DOE was criticized for not notifying the school community promptly.

The Department of Education (DOE) found out about the high levels of TCE in January of 2011, but didn’t inform the school community until July when it announced that the school would be moved as a result of the test results.

One former PS 51 teacher, who ended her pregnancy after five months when she discovered that her baby had a malformed brain and would not survived, sued the Department of Education for not finding out about the toxins earlier.

Earlier this year, Councilman Fernando Cabrera introduced a bill that would require the DOE to give swift notice of environmental assessments made at city schools.

Representative from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) will be on hand tonight to discuss the results of the report at a meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at St. Philip Neri Church in Bedford Park, 3025 Grand Concourse. The health department will present its findings and allow for public comment from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Afterward, DOH representatives will be on hand to discuss issues with individuals one-on-one.

Editor’s note: We’ve included a copy of the Health Consultation report below and you can find it here. The DOH is leaving the report open for public comment until Aug. 9. You can either mail in a public comment form (found at the link) and mailing it to:

New York State Department of Health
Bureau of Environmental Exposure Investigation
Empire State Plaza
Corning Tower Room 1717
Albany, New York 12237
Fax#: (518) 402-7859

Or you can email your comments to documentcomments@health.state.ny.us or call in comments at 518-402-7880.

PS 51 Health Consultation Report