The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today announces an upcoming meeting to gather community input for a public health assessment (PHA) regarding the W.R. Grace site in Acton, near Boston, Mass.

The public meeting and public availability session will take place on Oct. 28 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the meeting room at the Acton Memorial Library, located at 486 Main St. in Acton. ATSDR representatives will be available to provide the community with information about the agency's work at the site and to meet one-on-one with community members who have health concerns possibly related to contaminants from the W.R. Grace site.

Information gathering about community health concerns is part of ATSDR's public health assessment process and data gained during the meeting will be included in the final PHA document. The public health assessment is an evaluation of whether exposures to contaminants from this site might cause harm to individuals.

For more information, community members can contact Environmental Health Scientist Robert Knowles or Community Involvement Specialist Loretta Bush, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative William Sweet also may be contacted at 617-918-1495. Callers should refer to the W.R. Grace site in Acton, Mass.