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There is 1 comment on New Bedford Harbor Identified as Major Source of Airborne PCBs

  1. Dear Wendy & Madeline,
    Thank you for investing your time, scientific expertise, and energy on NB’s airbourn PCB problem.
    I truly enjoyed “working through” this situation with you at our various meetings, Seeing scientists at work has been a wonderful experience for me. When I was teaching, I loved helping 4th graders develop and report about science experiments. For me, seeing how you work validated my efforts, and helped me appreciate even more how wonderful science is.

    As I recall, the levels of airbourn PCB contamination around my home were found to be significant; it’s always good to know what one is up against. Fortunately for me, I haven’t noticed any health affects to date (5/8/19). I’m now 77 years old —- time will tell! I moved to NB in 1969, love living here, and am truly grateful for the helpful community support I find here at every turn!

    I can’t help thinking that stopping the dredging is the answer to this problem, since, as I understand it, PCB’s (molecules?) attach themselves to dense substances, like mud, escaping into the air only during such an activity as dredging.

    However, dredging the harbor is important for a variety of purposes, so I’m assuming it will continue.

    Therefore, The remedy to airbourn PCBs remains a challenge for us all.

    Hopefully other communities will be wiser about how they manage their industrial waste products.

    Wishing you all the best,
    Emily Johns
    New Bedford, MA

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