State Department Of Health Conducts Cancer Study At Frank P. Long

BELLPORT, NY - An evaluation by the New York State Department of Health this month revealed that there was no evidence of cancer cluster at a Bellport school. The department of health conducted the study after several local residents expressed concern that an unusually high number of school employees at Frank P. Long Intermediate School were diagnosed with cancer, according to the report. The school, located on Brookhaven Avenue, sits about a mile from the Town of Brookhaven landfill on Horseblock Road. Several residents filed a lawsuit against the town claiming that they did not protect locals from the "noxious odors" and that the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit suffered from a variety of health issues including cancer, Newsday reports.

The department of health first confirmed 31 out of the 38 reported cancer diagnoses in school employees, including 11 cases of breast cancer. Then the study compared the number and types of cancer in the area to what is expected in a similar population over the same time period. The study looked for an unusually high number of cases of the same type of cancer, two or more cases of rare cancer, cancers that occurred at an unusual age for that type, multiple cancers occurring in a short amount of time and the length of time between the first exposure to a cancer-causing substance and the the cancer diagnosis.

"We did not find a statistically significant difference between the observed and expected number of cases for all cancers combined or for individual types of cancer," the study reads.

The report states that after looking into the confirmed cancer cases, the number and pattern of cancer diagnoses "do not appear unusual."

Click here to read the full report.

"The Brookhaven landfill is one of the most technologically advanced and regulated waste management facilities in New York, and is monitored continuously by the Town and NYS DEC, providing an environmentally safe location for the disposal of incinerated household garbage," Town of Brookhaven spokesperson Jack Krieger said in a statement. "We work diligently every day to operate our facility safely and efficiently, and this report reinforces that our efforts there have been successful."

The South Country Central School District also conducted their own investigation, by testing the indoor/outdoor air quality and ground water well at the school. In addition the district conducted radon testing and heavy metals testing. All testing came back normal. The district stated they replaced all the windows and doors, upgraded the HVAC system and renovated the courtyard in the school.

"The health and safety of our students and staff is the highest priority of our district," a message from the school district reads.

The Bellport Teachers' Association also released a statement in response to the results of the study:

Over the past several years, members of the Bellport Teachers Association have devoted much time and effort advocating for students and staff at Frank P. Long Intermediate School. Although the recent report released by the NYS Department of Health indicates there is not a cancer cluster in the school, it does not alter the fact that students and staff have been diagnosed with serious illnesses. We acknowledge the amount of work the Department of Health put into this cancer review and appreciate their willingness to present the findings to the Frank P. Long staff. We understand the difficulty in proving cancer clusters, however, cancer is only one of the illnesses diagnosed at Frank P. Long. As a union, we will continue to advocate in the interest for our students and staff, past and present.