What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department Health and Human Services, announced today the availability of the draft public health assessment for theMiddlesex Sampling Plant (MSP), Middlesex, New Jersey.

By sampling on-site and private well water and reviewing existing data, ATSDR determined that soil, sediment and shallow groundwater at the site, as well as soil at certain off-site locations, is contaminated with arsenic, chromium, lead, and radionuclides at concentrations considered to be of health concern.

Based on its evaluation, however, ATSDR determined that no exposures are occurring or are likely to occur in the future, as long as safety precautions are followed during future excavation activities at the site.ATSDR also determined that there might have been past exposures to certain contaminated media associated with the MSP site.

Several measures have been taken to remove contaminants from the structures and surface of the MSP site and from nearby affected properties. Remaining contaminated soils at the site are covered with asphalt and grass, and access is limited. ATSDR concludes that under these conditions the site poses no current public health hazard.

During future remediation efforts, remedial workers must be adequately protected from contaminants associated with the material buried beneath the site. As an additional precautionary measure, ATSDR further recommends that, until the site is fully remediated and free of potential physical hazards, more efforts should be made to secure the site (e.g., fix gaps in gates) from trespassing. As long as workers are protected and trespassing is restricted during remediation, no future public health hazards should occur.

A survey of private wells indicates that approximately 140 private wells are in the vicinity of the MSP site. Recent monitoring of several private wells near the MSP site found some radionuclides and metals in the well water, but at levels below health concern.

When: The draft public health assessment will be available for public review and comment on or about November 21, 2001. The public comment period will run until December 28, 2001.

Where: The health assessment will be available for public review and comment on or about November 21, 2001, at the following repositories:

Written comments should be sent to:

Chief Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, NE (MS E-60)
Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged and become part of the administrative record for the health assessment. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses will be included in an appendix to the final document. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the final health assessment, they are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

Background: ATSDR public health assessments report information about hazardous substances in the environment and evaluate whether exposure to those substances in the past, present or future could harm people in the area. They identify health studies or other activities that might be needed and make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health. Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this public health assessment should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Michael D. Brooks, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Middlesex Sampling Plant" when asking to speak with a health assessor in the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. ATSDR Senior Regional Representative Arthur Block in New York City also may be called for information at (732) 906-6931.