What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Oregon Department of Human Services today announced the release of the initial draft of the public health assessment for the Portland Harbor Superfund site in Portland, Oregon. This document is a preliminary assessment for the site and will be followed by a more thorough assessment when additional data is available.
ATSDR and ODHS conducted the public health assessment of the Portland Harbor site after the site was added to EPA's National Priorities-or Superfund-List (NPL) in December 2000. The site was added to the NPL after investigators documented that sediment in the Willamette River contained elevated levels of arsenic, mercury, several pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), several semivolatile organic compounds, and tributyltin.
ATSDR reviewed available data and determined that it is not possible to fully evaluate the public health implications at this time because the data is not sufficient to reach definite conclusions. However, existing data does indicate possible health risks from exposures and the need for additional information about the site. Specifically:
The most important potential pathway for exposure to hazardous substances related to the site is from the consumption of fish and other edible aquatic organisms from the lower Willamette River. Gaps in the information available make it impossible to evaluate the public health consequences of this pathway at this time. To conduct a more complete assessment of this risk, more information is needed about contaminant concentrations in fish and other edible organisms in the lower Willamette River and about consumption practices.
ATSDR's evaluation of available sediment data indicates that exposure to hazardous substances in sediment should not make people sick. However, information on sediment from the river is incomplete, and additional information is needed on dioxin, PCBs, DDT, and related pesticides.
You may obtain a copy of the draft public health assessment by contacting the ATSDR Information Center toll free at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-3787). Callers should refer to the "Portland Harbor site in Portland, Oregon." For additional information contact John Crellin, ATSDR senior environmental epidemiologist, at (404) 498-0441.
When: The closing date for comments to this draft is February 19, 2002. Members of the public are encouraged to send their written comments concerning the initial draft public health assessment to:
Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E-56
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
Background: ATSDR is a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ATSDR's mission is to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment. The Oregon Department of Human Services is working with ATSDR as part of a cooperative agreement program.
Under the Superfund legislation, ATSDR is tasked with conducting a public health assessment on each site proposed for EPA's National Priorities List.
In preparing public health assessments, ATSDR health assessors and health assessors from state health departments working under cooperative agreement programs with ATSDR rely on various sources of information. These sources may include: environmental data, health data and reports of community concerns. Environmental data detail the chemicals at a site and indicate their potential pathways to reach humans. Health data can include reports of injury, disease, or death in the community, as well as information on the known health effects of chemicals at the site. Reports of community concerns document the public's descriptions of how the site affects their health and quality of life.
Following completion of the comment period for the initial draft of the public health assessment, ATSDR will review the comments received along with any new data related to the site and prepare the document as a draft for public comment.
For More Information: Community members who would like more information on the procedures or content of the document, should contact John Crellin, ATSDR senior environmental epidemiologist, at (404) 498-0441 or toll free at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Portland Harbor site in Portland, Oregon." ATSDR Regional Representative Karen Larson also may be called for information at (206) 553-6978 in Seattle.
For human health questions related to the harbor assessment, contact Kenneth Kauffman, Oregon Department of Human Services, at (503) 731-4015. Members of the news media are requested to make an appointment to interview ATSDR staff. Phone Mike Groutt or John Florence, in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs, at (404) 498-0070.