ATSDR Releases Final Public Health Consultation On Air Sampling Results for PCBs Around Solutia Inc. Property in Anniston, Ala.

Calhoun County, Anniston, Alabama

Thursday, January 08, 2004

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released its final public health consultation on air sampling for PCBs around the Solutia Inc. property in Anniston, Ala.

ATSDR concluded that community members who reside near the facility are likely exposed to PCBs via inhalation. Because of the limited air sampling data in residential areas, the magnitude of these exposures cannot be determined; therefore, community member PCB exposures via inhalation pose an indeterminate health hazard. Also, PCBs present in the ambient air, both on and off the perimeter of the Solutia property, are at higher levels than those found in large urban areas of the United States.

Air sampling data in areas where current Solutia employees work are not available for review. The existing ambient air PCB data suggest that it is possible that current Solutia Inc. workers may be exposed to PCBs while on the Solutia property. In addition, until the source(s) of PCBs is/are found, potential PCB exposures to Anniston-area workers involved in soil excavation activities pose an indeterminate health hazard.

On the basis of its conclusions, ATSDR recommends that periodic air samplings for PCBs be conducted in residential areas surrounding the Solutia facility to better determine community exposures. ATSDR also recommends that current employees at this facility not be exposed to PCBs above occupational guidelines. Conducting personal and/or area air sampling at various locations on the facility property during various activities would assist in determining if occupational exposures to PCBs are occurring.

Further, ATSDR recommends that until the sources of contamination are better characterized, environmental testing (e.g., of soil and air) for PCBs should be conducted prior to soil excavation activities in the Anniston area to ensure that occupational exposures do not occur above recommended guidelines.

As part of ongoing environmental data evaluation, ATSDR evaluated air-sampling data collected by Solutia and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA sample results showed that PCBs were found in the air about one-half mile from the Solutia property. The EPA samples collected one mile away and further from the Solutia property did not show PCB levels higher than the levels found in most urban areas.

ATSDR is working closely with EPA, the state of Alabama, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to determine the best approaches for future sampling.

The public health consultation is now available for public review. The consultation contains public comments gathered following publication of the draft document, as well as ATSDR responses. The final public health consultation can be viewed at the following repositories:

Anniston Public Library
108 E. 10th St.
Anniston, Ala. 36202

Bethel Baptist Church
520 E. 6th St.
Anniston, Ala. 36207

Carver Library
722 W. 14th St.
Anniston, Ala. 36201

Community Against Pollution Headquarters
Outreach Office
1521 Cobb Ave.
Anniston, Ala. 36201

First Missionary Baptist Church
1100 Pine Grove Rd.
Anniston, Ala. 36201

Seventeenth Street Baptist Church
801 W. 17th St.
Anniston, Ala. 36201

Sweet Valley/Cobbtown Environmental Justice Task Force
7733 Highway 78 West
Eastaboga, Ala. 36260

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Community Relations Center for the Anniston site
1514 W. 10th St.
Anniston, Ala. 36201

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the public health consultation may contact Lynn Wilder, environmental health scientist, or Loretta Bush, community involvement specialist, toll free at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Bob Safay also may be contacted at 404-562-1782. Callers should refer to the Anniston Solutia PCB site in Anniston, Ala.

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