By Yossi Stern for COLlive.com
A member of my family has been battling three bouts of cancer over the last 25 years, recently diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. I have since learned that 8 of her neighbors have died from cancer or are currently battling cancer.
We began to realize that there may be something more than a coincidence, with many neighbors in the area of Empire Blvd. and Albany Avenue in Crown Heights contracting cancer.
Many years ago, there was a dry cleaning service on the south-east corner, which has since closed, that used to clean clothes on the premises.
All six homes adjacent to that cleaners, along Empire Boulevard, has had member(s) of the family that have either died of cancer or is battling cancer.
Many cleaners used a chemical called PERC, it was regulated by the EPA. PERC is a very strong chemical that is effective in cleaning clothes, but the side of effects of being exposed to PERC can be lethal. After many deaths and health issues, the EPA has banned the lethal levels of PERC to be used.
The state of California has recognized nthe damage that PERC has caused and has passed a state law banning it in its entirety by the year 2023.
VIDEO: California cleans up toxic dry cleaning solvents
The problem with PERC is that although it has not been used in years, is has been absorbed into the building and possibly neighboring properties. It may continue to pose a risk of cancer to the homeowners and residents who currently live in the area.
I started to investigate this further and found the following (very tragic) statistics:
1. In the area of Empire and Albany: Nine residents with cancer, five have passed away from cancer, four are currently battling cancer. There was a dry cleaners there.
2. In the area of Kingston and Empire: Two residents with cancer, possibly a third. There was a dry cleaners there.
3. Kingston and President: One person had cancer. There was a dry cleaners there.
These statistics aren’t conclusive, but that is what was so far reported to me. I invite anyone with more knowledge on specific cases to contact me (their information will not be made public without their permission).
I contacted the EPA and they are very interested in hearing our findings and reports of cancer. They said they will study and see if there is a correlation and if so, what steps can be taken to address this matter.
Those of you that know me, know I can be relentless in getting to the bottom of this. My entire mission is to see if we can prevent others from getting cancer from this.
I have teamed up with Geoffrey Davis, 43rd Assembly Democratic District Leader and a local resident, and we will incorporate politicians and community leaders to structure an organized plan.
Together, we hope to collect as many stories, verify them, document their case histories, present these cases to the media, scientists, chemists, the EPA, and other government agencies that monitor hazards waste.
If you are aware of someone who had or has cancer, please send us an email and we will follow up with you. If you want to volunteer with this effort, please also be in touch. My email: [email protected].
Keep in mind, it can very well be, that cancer may not have been contracted due to the PERC. But we need to investigate this and find out without question whether our community is safe or not.
This is a health concern all over the country and beyond, but we are focused only on Crown Heights cases.
May Hashem bless us that we do not hear of any additional stories of cancer. And to all the people who are battling a health issue, may Hashem bless you with an immediate and full recovery.
Read more on the topic:
https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/chemicals/tetrachloroethene/
http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/dry-cleaners-perchloroethylene.page
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tetrachlorethylene-perchloroethylene.html
The dry cleaning chemical perc travels through the AIR. The idea that people might now be at risk from a dry cleaners that closed 20 years ago is silly. And unless all the people are getting the SAME cancers it is NOT a suspected cancer cluster. If a woman gets breast cancer and a man gets prostate cancer they are two entirely DIFFERENT illnesses even if they are neighbors.
There are still dry cleaners in operation at some of the locations mentioned. The comments keep discussing that there “were” dry cleaners at those corners…
Can someone explain what #20 wrote “correlation vs. causation” – it sounds too deep and complex for simple people to understand. And why should this cause the price of hoses to go down in these streets?!
This is Mr.Miller call 9176887597
The next time you notice something strange that involves a small number of houses, and you personally want to recommend they get tested, please write a letter and send it to those concerned. Then they will all get your medical advice. If you post on the internet – some might miss it. In comment #76 you claim to know almost nothing. I quote: “I am announcing that something may be strange, and we are going to look into it. That’s it.” The something is not even strange for sure… it may be strange. Please consider apologizing to collive readers for… Read more »
#70 asks a lot of good questions.
#76 pretends to answer #70 – but it does not answer even one of the questions.
So far I have not seen even one medical authority coming forward to say that the cause of the disease is likely the dry cleaner on the corner that closed 20 years ago.
I would prefer to hear from medical professionals about a disease, than from the EPA – which may be politically motivated.
To 70, I am announcing that something may be strange, and we are going to look into it. That’s it. Over the course of time a lot of information will be collected, and then sent to govt agencies for analytical purposes. As I have said before, to sit silent while something looks off, in my opinion is wrong. Myself and others definitely feel something may be wrong, and we want the public to know what we are seeing at first glance. If God forbid there is a correlation then people who live in these areas can be aware that something… Read more »
The sorting facilities in Brooklyn of fish, has clouds of smoke from illegal smoking on premises. Ask the Kashrus Mashgichim. Eat fish = get cancer?
Where is your source that the EPA banned it? I don’t see that anywhere. It seems to have been banned in California (that crazy place) but in no other states. There has been plenty of research yet no solid evidence that it actually is carcinogenic. Have you conducted any test to determine whether perc is actually at those locations? Furthermore, how do you determine what the expected rate of cancer is among neighbors over an indeterminate period of time, and whether or not these numbers are an aberration? Shame on collive for publishing something so speculative. Spreading fear without solid… Read more »
Can it possibly be Radon Gas?
https://www.epa.gov/radon
Should we test our basements for Radon???
just wondering..
those that got cancer, how many are obese? how many eat unhealthy food? how many dont exercise? how many smoke?
In my opinion it’s not just the cell towers, it’s the continuous use of the cell phones for talking, texting and snapping pictures all the time that poses the risk up close too! In my opinion, the use negatively affects the entire nervous system, sleep/wake cycle, and the way people communicate and process information and relationships. The constant use lowers immunity. Our high schools, years ago, focused only on the kinds of behaviour teens were getting into from computer and cell phone use rather than present the issue from a health and well-being perspective, I believe a major mistake that… Read more »
The 21 people who are documented. Over how long a period of time is that? You say that young people have been included. Young enough to have gotten the disease after the cleaners was closed? Does the young person have a family history of the disease at a young age? Does one of the parents smoke? And is one case of a young person getting the disease enough to claim there is still a danger – as you are implying by saying this is a warning for people who are considering moving into that block? Have you done your research… Read more »
To 67, to answer you, I am simply collecting data, every cancer story, and highlight where all these cases are, block by block. I will then hand this data over to the EPA and others who are qualified to study what I have found, and make a determination. As for your claim, no young person has caught cancer, unfortunately you are wrong. Before you make statements, please do your research. To #68, our goal is not to assume anything, but rather to collect as many stories of cancer, and deliver these cases to the agencies and organizations that can analyze… Read more »
This is a serious issue which should be investigated. However, there is no data (yet) that the incidence of cancer is higher in CH (or certain blocks of CH) than other places in Brooklyn, New York, or USA in general. The lifetime risk for developing cancer is close to 40% (that’s 2 out of every 5 people). It is important to make sure that the residents of CH are not being exposed to possibly hazardous materials. But it is premature to assume that the cancer incidence in CH is higher than what is seen in the general population.
Each of the areas mentioned by Yossi Stern has to be evaluated separately. Regarding Empire Blvd and Albany, the cleaning store closed around 20 years ago. No young people in that area have gotten the illness. The woman who just passed away came from a family where many individuals including her brother who lived elsewhere also passed away from the sickness. Needs further research before you possul whole areas of the shechunah.
thank you for the information, i will definitely look into it, but keep in mind two things…. none of their data reflects the residents in crown heights and the abnormal amount of concentrated cancer patients within certain areas, and secondly, data is constantly changing due to new studies, new cases, and new research. i hope that we can find answers to all of this and hopefully bring an end to any risk that may be out there.
Due to many members in my family I have been researching cancer since 1998 when my mom was niftar from a non specific cancer. It was too late for her. I myself have had it. My husband , three neighbors. And a grandchild. I researched while I was ill. There is a genetic predisposition to some cancers such as breast cancer. There is chemical cause of cancer such as lng from smoking. There are immuno suppressed cancers due to weakened immune systems such as lymphomas. Skin cancer due to the sun. The number one way that all Drs agree with… Read more »
Just a heads up Yossi – there’s published data on Pubmed analyzing cancer incidences in dry cleaners workers, which subtypes of cancer, as well as published data about proximity to the dry cleaners. if you’re not familiar with pubmed, find a friend who can do the literature search for you/with you.
To answer if it is more dangerous working in a dry cleaners, I can assume working with chemicals carries risk. There are precautions by HUD, EPA, OSHA and other agencies that have laws and regulations when handling chemicals of this nature. Further it’s important to understand that originally (many years ago) the industry was exceptionally dangerous and through trial and error they (the govt and local municipalities) have enforced laws to address the hazards, and every number of years, the rules get stronger.. case in point, California had enough with the risk of PERC and banned it completely by the… Read more »
Yossi,
Great work!
But us there something we can buy to test our homes for traces of PERC?
House prices on that block HAS already dropped. Two houses are for sale well below the market prices of a few weeks ago.
If the chemicals from a dry cleaner is cancerous, wouldn’t the dry cleaners all be unhealthy and most at risk ?
Thank you Yossi Stern. And to the parents giving kids phones and letting them sleep with their phones next to their beds – STOP. You’re exposing them to radiation overload!
How would making people – who either live or are thinking of living in the area – aware of a possible threat be ‘not helping’. If he doesn’t offer a solution does that negate the importance of letting people know so they can make the choice to stay or move there, or keep away? Wouldn’t you as a responsible adult want to know?
This afternoon, I had a good and productive meeting with our district leader Geoffrey Davis, and we are scheduled to start tomorrow to knock on doors and meeting with many residents and homeowners in crown heights, and begin interviewing them for this project. If you would like to volunteer, please email me [email protected]
Its nice to see how we can collaborate for the greater good of all.
Yashaar Koach!
California, for example, in December 2007 passed a law that will outlaw the use of PERC in that state by the year 2023. The California law also requires removal of all dry cleaning machines 15 years old or older by July 1, 2010. As of July, no PERC machines may be used in buildings shared with California residences.
Radiation – from cell phone or cell towers (and perhaps other things) cause a hardening, a clumping together of the red blood cells, so they dont flow so smoothly, thus reducing the oxygen getting into the blood – and machla cannot go where there is very good oxidation. I have seen a video of the microsopic flow of red blood cells when affected by radiation and you can see the clumping (and hardening) caused by the presence of the radiation influence. Bottom line – we as a community should be a thousand times more educated about this particular subject. In… Read more »
I am wondering for people who actually work at cleaners … seems to be a deadly job for them 🙁
Thank you Yossi for bringing this to our attention. It is my sincere hope that you are not just trying to spread fear, but that you have a very practical and real reason for bringing this up in the way that you did on collive. I would like to point out to all readers, and to Yossi as well, Life and death is in Hashem’s hands. I am assuming that you Yossi and your family are Gd fearing people who learn Torah and do mitzvos. We cannot ignore the fact that everything in the life of a Jew must be… Read more »
Dry cleaners (and hairdressers and funeral homes) use this chemical that also seeps through walls and spreads from building to building and that is highly carcinogenic. Any new preschool in the vicinity of one of these establishments (or if there was one of them prior) has to test the levels to ensure it’s safe for the children
To 44, I reached out to some of the cleaners, as you know some of them do not clean on premises. I will continue to speak with them and assure them, I am not looking to destroy anyone’s business, I am concerned about the health of the surrounding areas to the cleaners. This project is more focused with EPA and other govt bodies that govern toxic waste, and not on the onus of the business or landlord. Remember, cleaners had to and have to comply with strict inspections by EPA while operating machines using perc. So my issue is more… Read more »
And he also passed away from yene macular at the age of 69 in the 1980
Thank you District Leader Geoffrey Davis & Yossi Stern
To 40, I received several stories of cancer in 675 empire. To 41, as I continue this project, I will definitely share the progress and an outcome.
According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk of developing cancer is approximately 40% (see their website: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/lifetime-probability-of-developing-or-dying-from-cancer.html )
So, some of the questions that need to be asked include what is the incidence (will need to know how many people are living in these areas of concern and not developing cancer) and will need to know the incidence of cancer on other parts of the neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods to get a sense as to whether what you are noticing is a true anomaly or just a reflection of health trends for the general population.
To 41, I thought hard and long about taking on this project, and publicizing it. There is a lot that can be gained by my decision to make this public. 1. For the residents that already live at these hot spots, they can get checked out for any symptoms and monitor their health more frequently, and God forbid should they develop something, with awareness and checkups it can be treated. 2. to those thinking of moving near a dry cleaners, they can now make a more educated decision whether to move there or not. And again, perc may not be… Read more »
Moving out is not realistic for most families, especially if they own their homes. It is an obvious solution in a perfect world… if it was a perfect world, however, there wouldn’t be cancer patients. Yossi, I will bet that very few people had any idea about these cleaners. One question: what about the health of their workers?
Cell towers are extremely dangerous and emit high frequency of radiation. There is a meter you can buy to measure the amount of raise and see if a given location is dangerous or not.
I grew up on the block with these neighbors. Some of my earliest memories of walking to and from the school bus stop was walking by the corner building and feeling that gust of hot air from the vents that would hit you as you walked by. Although the store front entry was on albany ave the air vents were on empire blvd blowing directly at the houses that this post is referring to. To the commentator who said only 9 people on a block that has quite a few buildings on the block is not that many..my response..1. Tenants… Read more »
Yossi Stern, you obviously have everyone’s best interests in mind and want to prevent any more cases of illness in our community chas vesholom. However, may I suggest that publicising an article like this is detrimental? Pinpointing specific dangerous ‘hotspots’ while offering little solution will be damaging to people’s mentality and emotional state. Let’s not forget that there is a lot of evidence that fear of disease causes disease… chas vesholom. What do people gain from reading this? They can’t exactly pack up shop and move elsewhere overnight, or even start avoiding walking past those areas – people have thriving… Read more »
I was wondering if several cases were in an apt building as the building may have a common cause. Was 701 empire or 695 empire involved i wonder?
Personally my family has lived on that block bc he rebbe gave them a Bracha to live there , so no we will not run away , however we where unfortunately affected by this unfortunate thing ….. with hashem help there will b no more of this Tzoros and everyone will b healthy , thank you for trying to take a stand and making our neighborhood a safer and healthier place
I have a cery close friend who works for a big company in the field of radiation. She studies this stuff. She says that radiation from cel phines cannot cause cancer as the waves are too big. Similarly radio waves etc
As far as the perc yes something to look into
California, for example, in December 2007 passed a law that will outlaw the use of PERC in that state by the year 2023. The California law also requires removal of all dry cleaning machines 15 years old or older by July 1, 2010. As of July, no PERC machines may be used in buildings shared with California residences.
For doing something productive with your concerns for the common good.
People, be aware that chemicals can be extremely dangerous, especially for babies and children. Please stop spraying your house with junk chemicals. A little water and vinegar or lemon is very effective, much safer and very inexpensive also.
May we all be blessed with good health and arichus yamim.
Correlation isn’t necessarily a definitive proof of causation but correlations are often incitive of causation. For example, there is a great correlation between obesity and early death. And I’ll go out on a limb and say it is causation.
As I Researched it years ago – the human body is not protected Against the frequency Signals And Radiation That is being Delivered for cell phones and cordless phones, and is therefore being affected by the radiation, and those People which are more Prone Thoards Developing cancer, so the radiation Develops it by them Very Quickly. Also Most Microwave ovens leak Radiation – so Stay far away ore go in to another room when the Microwave oven is operating. Also it’s smart and advisable for people which are interested in being healthy and alive – to Stay Far Away From… Read more »
This book came recommended to me by a frum rofeh yedid (an MD) which gives natural remedies that she herself uses when she has yene machla years ago:
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fear-Cancer-Again-Prevent/dp/075731550X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498444575&sr=8-1&keywords=never+fear+cancer+again
And it only cost 7.70 🙂
You use fancy words and try to confuse by making fun of a serious issue. This is no laffing matter. Yet you wrote that we would laugh at people getting sick from eating cornflakes. You wrote that they get sick from shopping at a certain store – which store do you mean? That is not a proper thing to write about a neiborhood store.
Does this mean that house prices on Empire Blvd will be plummeting to affordable levels? Just sayin’.
I always wondered if it was a potential hazard to have a bakery where Gombos is. That used to be a dry cleaner.
I heard about it years ago from ppl living at 706 e pkwy. I hope it’s dealt with asap!
706 Eastern Parkway has the most concentration of radiation in all of Brooklyn. It is a grave danger to walk by that area . There are some well known community members that lived there that studied the terribly high rate of death in the building Hashem Yerachem. It is a tragedy of epic proportions. People wake up. This landlord along with other landlords such as the one further down Brooklyn Ave… have no mercy on jewish life.
Has any of the dry cleaner owners gotten cancer?or the people who work in the cleaners?
This might make or break this research…
Thank you Yossi and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. KOL Akovod!!
What are the dangers of living ontop of boiler room? Googled and found nothing.
Lastly, I do not want to wait until ALL have cancer to realize the correlation is the causation. Let’s pray there are no more stories.
Fyi cornflakes are not a known health risk, chemicals, including those from dry cleaning are.
You’re taking on several landlords who may or may not be concerned about their tenants’ lives. A ll residences should be thoroughly inspected for environmental safety before any living creature should be invited to live and pay rent there.
@ correlation vs causation. Your point is warranted, except PERC is known to cause cancer. We are not concluding that these cleaners DID cause the cancer, we want to investigate if in fact it did. Studies are out there that show PERC chemicals have caused cancer. Secondly, to suggest that not everyone has caught cancer is a reason to negate this study is foolish. Thirdly, by suggestion that since (but unknown factually at this point) not everyone near a dry cleaners has caught cancer, I would suggest on the same train of thought, that since many have, it warrants an… Read more »
We can create many correlations, but that does not rise to a level of causation. As example, suppose dozens of people who died or are sick with cancer all ate corn flakes for breakfast, does that lead us to suspect that corn flakes caused cancer?! We would laugh at that suggestion because there are thousands of people who eat corn flakes for breakfast and are fully healthy. In this case too, there are hundreds of people living near the dry cleaners that are not sick. Suppose there are other commonalities with the 9 neighbors, like suppose they all have more… Read more »
The research is crucial, but in the meantime, anyone who seems to be at risk should move! And a campaign should be started to help them relocate. Perhaps start with the families who already ch”v have someone sick, so they don’t ch”v get worse, and no other members get sick as well ch”v. This is pikuach nefesh mamish!! How could we leave ppl. to live in a place that has a reasonable possibility of causing death ch”v?! We must act immediately, and help remove those who are at greatest risk.
I started out knowing about one or two ppl on the same block, then we found out there were nine people from seven homes, all the homes are all next to each other. Over the coming weeks we will send out volunteers to call and knock on doors, and try to get the real picture. I was just informed of two people who passed away on crown street right off of kingston, both from cancer. As this story continues to unfold and information comes in, it is simply heartbreaking! I will be relentless, working with people to get a clear… Read more »
When I read that they are 9 people from the same block it sound frightening. Then I wonder how many other people live on that block?
How does that compare to regional average rates?
Sorry, but that’s what i found in my google research.
For addressing the issue. In montreal I believe there were also many cases in certain vacinities over the years.
To answer some of the comments,,, asbestos is a material that was used in roofing, plaster, insulation, floor tiles and several other building materials. If the asbestos is in “intact condition” and not being disturbed, meaning it is not flaking and falling apart, it won’t pose a risk to your health. It does not mean you should not address it and consider having it covered or removed, but it needs to be in a poor state to cause harm. As well, asbestos is a material you would need to inhale for a very long time, twenty yrs or so, for… Read more »
Thank you very much for your research
Hashem shall help you and your family should know only simchos and happinessואך טוב וחסד ירדפוך כל ימי חייך
I advise making a big stink to get them removed
Maybe it’s from the cell phone towers which are on a lot of buildings in the neighborhood.
If I’m correct 706 Eastern Parkway has a bunch of them on top of the building and a few people died, and they thought it was from the radiation of the tower.
Maybe it has to do with all the cell phone towers attached to the buildings?
One day the penny will drop, as to the possible harm from the
cell towers on the roofs – all over and noticeably diagonally opposite from Oholei Torah .
You are right so many get cancer from this issue the same is will cell towers. There are buildings in ch with many cell towers and the residence are suffering. Also Albany and empire has about 5-7 buildings that’s a lot of people for one corner. Maybe they just got cancer
What about the cell towers on 440 Brooklyn Ave giving off so much radiation
ASBESTOS LINING THE WALLS, OUTLAWED IN EUROPE HAD BEEN FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF YENA MACHLER
706 Eastern Parkway has many residents who have or have had cancer many whom have died or are suffering today
There is also a building on Eastern Parkway that has an very high rate of residents with cancer.
I’ve heard living above boilers can have effect and have seen it happen unfortunately
Thank you for doing this!
Must be looked into very frightening also wondering why is the special needs and autistic rate in crown heights so high its scary is there something in the water?….