Most people assume that if their home, school, or community posed a serious risk to their health, someone would tell them. They assume the government agencies tasked with public safety are doing their job. They assume the laws meant to protect them are working.

I used to believe that too.

I grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, knowing about PCBs. I knew General Electric dumped PCBs into our soil, water, and air. I was told it was under control. I believed as long as I avoided certain areas or did not touch contaminated soil, I would be fine. Like most people here, I thought it was something that happened in the past, something that was being cleaned up.

Now I know that is not true.

The more I dug, the more I realized there was no one protecting us. Not in the way you would expect. Not in the way that ensures families like mine are safe in their homes, or that schools where children play are free from contamination. The system depends on people like me not asking questions. It depends on a community trusting that the bare minimum is enough.

In August 2024, I decided to start asking questions.

What I Wanted to Know About PCBs in Pittsfield

I emailed the Environmental Protection Agency and MassDEP. I asked basic questions:

• Has anyone tested my property or others nearby to see if PCB-contaminated fill material was used?
• How can I verify if my home is safe?
• What monitoring is happening right now, specifically for vapor-phase PCBs, which we know can move through air and soil?
• Why are long-term health risks not being addressed when families like mine are seeing chronic illness, autoimmune issues, and other unexplained conditions?

In that email I wrote:

“I grew up knowing about PCBs but was under the impression as long as I didn’t touch it I was mostly ok and that it was being dealt with. I now know that is not true, especially as I now realize my chronic illness as a child, leading to IV antibiotics and debilitating mental illness was likely due to being poisoned.”

I also made it clear what was needed, not just for me but for the whole city:

“I kindly request this be offered to everyone in Pittsfield, people here are sick. They are dying and disabled and this is a direct result of GE.”

Weeks passed. No answer. I followed up multiple times. When I finally received a reply, it confirmed what I feared.

The Response: Silence, Deflection, and the Burden Put Back on Me

The EPA told me:

“Unfortunately, EPA does not sample individual homes for PCBs upon request.”

They suggested I contact the Pittsfield Board of Health, who they admitted would have to escalate to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. No mention of any current testing efforts. No concern about the specific health impacts I had raised. They directed me to wait for a public meeting happening two months later to ask questions.

In one of my follow-up emails, I pushed back:

“It’s known that GE distributed PCB-contaminated materials to the community for use as fill for years. Have there been any tests done to check homes and properties for contamination, especially ones that may have used this material? How can I be sure my own property is safe?”

Their answer pointed to investigations done between 1997 and 2006, decades ago. They told me:

“These investigations were thorough and to the best of our knowledge complete.”

But the more I asked, the clearer it became. If you are a homeowner today, you are not provided with clear, current information. The agencies expect you to find “specific and credible evidence” before they take further action.

When I pressed about the health impacts and vapor intrusion, I was brushed off again. Monitoring of PCB vapors—despite clear risks—was not being discussed. The focus remained on outdated soil standards and broad statements about past clean-up work.

Why This Matters for Everyone

The truth is simple. General Electric polluted Pittsfield with PCBs for decades. That contamination did not disappear when the factories closed. It did not disappear after a few clean-up projects. PCBs do not degrade easily. They continue to affect our soil, water, air, and health.

The government agencies tasked with protecting public health are not doing enough to ensure we are safe. They rely on decades-old testing. They place the burden on residents to prove their homes are contaminated. They hope most people will not ask the kinds of questions I asked.

But people in Pittsfield are sick. They are dealing with chronic illness, autoimmune disorders, cancers, and neurological problems. Families have been left in the dark for generations while the true impact of PCB exposure has been minimized or ignored.