Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist, recently spoke with Meg Baker of CBS2. Al told her that twenty years ago, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The memory and the flashbacks have never fully disappeared.
Throughout the years he began to hear of others with brain tumors who either had attended or worked at Colonia High School in Woodbridge, NJ.
But last August his sister told him that she had stage 4 glioblastoma. Then, only a few hours later, Al’s wife was told she also had a brain tumor. Al’s sister died a month ago.
Al posted a request on Facebook asking alumni of Colonia High School who graduated between 1975 and 1995 to search for others with the disease. The response was overwhelming. Al received sixty-five reports of brain tumors.
The Environmental Link
Al explained that the only known environmental link to primary tumors in the brain is ionizing radiation. He emphasized that the radiation emanates from the soil. But he notes that construction of the school began in 1967. As far as the local officials know, it stood on virgin soil.
However, the mayor of Woodbridge, John McCormick, reminded those involved that fill was brought to the site during construction. Unfortunately, the town does not have records dating back fifty-five years related to the project.
Mayor McCormick has contacted the Environmental Protection Agency, the Health Department, and the Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. The administration said it will review any findings by the agencies or Woodbridge.
The Superintendent of Woodbridge schools is Dr. Joseph Massimino. He expressed his concern about the safety and health of Colonia high school students. Dr. Massimino said that his family has been lifelong residents of Woodbridge and their well-being is also of concern to him. He is waiting for the environmental agencies to give him instructions about how to proceed.
In the meantime, Dr. Massimino intends to send a message to parents with an update on the current status of research efforts.
Dr. Massimino and the other officials have emphasized to the residents of Woodbridge that their efforts are still preliminary and not yet official.
