The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) announced today the release of the final version of its public health assessment for the Brick Township Investigation (also known as the Brick Township Autism Investigation), for Brick Township, New Jersey.
ATSDR prepared the health assessment as part of a joint effort with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in response to community concerns about the number of autism cases in Brick Township. ATSDR was asked to look for possible environmental explanations. The public health assessment addresses hazardous chemicals in the environment for three areas: the municipal drinking water supply; a swimming area along the Metedeconk River; and the Brick Township landfill. After a thorough examination of data for each of these areas, ATSDR researchers concluded that, while chemicals may have been found, neither children nor pregnant women were exposed to levels which would be likely to cause adverse health effects.
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 also identify other activities that might be needed to better understand the health effects associated with the site. Public health assessments also make recommendations to other government agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and state and local health and environmental departments, concerning actions to protect public health.
The final version of the public health assessment will be available for public review on or about December 12, 2000, at the following repository:
Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library
301 Chambers Bridge Road
Brick, New Jersey 08723
Telephone: (732) 477-4513 |
Comments received during the public comment period have been logged and are now part of the administrative record for the health assessment. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses have been included in an appendix to the final document.
Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of this public health assessment should contact ATSDR Environmental Scientist Robert Knowles or Community Involvement Specialist Lafreta Dalton, toll free, at 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the "Brick Township Investigation" when asking to speak with someone in the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. The ATSDR Regional Representative, Tom Mignone, also may be called for information at (732) 906-6931 in Edison, New Jersey.