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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2014
MEDIA CONTACTS: Carole Trottere, Ryan Mulholland, Sam Marksheid, and Rebecca Cheng | (516) 869-7794
Supervisor Bosworth Calls on PSEG to Alert Residents of Potential Health Risks of ‘Penta’
Port Washington, NY –North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth this week called on PSEG-LI President and COO David Daly to alert the public that individuals who may touch newly-installed utility poles should wash their hands due to the toxic nature of the chemical used to treat the poles. All utility poles are treated with a pentachlorophenol, also called “penta,” a highly-toxic pesticide known to cause health problems, but so far PSEG-LI officials have not taken any steps to educate the public about the potential health risks associated with penta.
Supervisor Bosworth stated in a letter to Daly: “I believe PSEG-Long Island has the responsibility to educate the community, and especially parents of children, with respect to the importance of hand-washing after coming into contact with any of these new poles. PSEG-Long Island should be making a pro-active effort to educate, inform and warn local residents about this potential health hazard…This is a PSEG-Long Island project and the responsibility is with PSEG-Long Island to ensure that the poles you install do not compromise or harm the health and safety of any resident.”
Last week, Supervisor Bosworth reached out to PSEG-LI officials with concerns about the poles, but was told that the utility would not place warning notices on the poles.
Click here to read the letter.