The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced today the release of its health consultation for the Central Landfill site in Providence, Rhode Island.

ATSDR prepared the health consultation in response to a request from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM). RI DEM asked ATSDR to evaluate air sampling data to determine if emissions from the landfill and the New England Ecological Development Corporation's facility at the site present a public health hazard.

An ATSDR health consultation provides advice on specific public health issues related to actual or potential exposure to hazardous substances. ATSDR prepares about 1,000 health consultations every year. Most of the requests come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments.

The public health consultation will be available for public review on or about June 27, 2000, at the following repository:

Marion J. Mohr Library
1 Memorial Avenue
Johnston, RI 02919
Telephone: (401) 231-4980

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this health consultation should contact ATSDR Health Assessor Peter Kowalski, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Central Landfill site" when asking to speak with a Health Assessor in the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. The ATSDR Regional Representative, William Sweet, also may be called for information at (617) 918-1490 in Boston.