Map to Monitor Cancer Incidences & Environmental Facilities in Your Area

Coping with cancer online is nothing new—for years, sites like www.CaringBridge.com have allowed victims of serious health events to share their stories and struggles with friends and family.

But a new, state-run Web site is taking a broader and more proactive approach to dealing with cancer—like mapping out instances of cancer and linking them to nearby environmental facilities.

The online resource is tied to legislation put forth by Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Mamaroneck) that requires both the New York Department of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to study the connection between cancer and environmental factors.

The mapping system is comprehensive, taking into account oil storage, water discharge, hazardous waste and pesticide facilities. Relevant facilities in Larchmont and Mamaroneck are listed below:

The Village of Larchmont

-Consolidated Edison (classified as "Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators")

-Giacomo Sunoco Service (Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators)

-John Deere Landscapers (Commercial Pesticide Sellers)

-Larchmont Facilities and Sanitary Sewer Overflow Retention Facilities (Chemical Bulk)

The Village and Town of Mamaroneck

-Mamaroneck Wastewater Treatment Plant (Chemical Bulk)

-ITT Sealectro (State Superfund Site)

-Mamaroneck Taylor's Lane Composting (State Superfund Site)

-Former EMCA Site (State Superfund Site)

-Recycling Industries Corp. (Solid Waste Facilities)

-Two Consolidated Edison facilities (Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators)

-Camotone Inc. (Large Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators)

-Blood Bros Auto Wreckers Inc (Vehicle Dismantlers)

Users can also search the Web site's map by cases of cancer. The map specifies a particular area—generally a group of approximately 1,000 residents—and displays the number of people diagnosed with cancer in the region. The site then breaks down the incidences by types of cancer.

The data is based on a five-year cancer count carried out from 2003-2007. Per every thousand residents, there are approximately twenty cases of cancer.

Over the coming months, the Department of Health will begin an in-depth study of the connections between cancer cases and environmental facilities.

"The Department of Health is beginning the analysis over the summer," said Debra Lagapa, director of communication for Sen. Oppenheimer. "The Department expects rolling results—it will look at a cluster, evaluate if the connection needs to be explored further, and then move on."

In a recent press release from Oppenheimer, the senator noted the project will ease public fears in addition to identifying potentially harmful areas. In the release, Oppenheimer also warned residents not to make quick assumptions.

"It is important that the public not jump to any conclusion about higher than expected incidences of cancer in locations close to an environmental facility," she wrote. Oppenheimer noted non-environmental factors, such as nursing homes or neighborhoods with an older demographic, might influence the data.