For Immediate Release: May 16, 2008

ATLANTA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will hold a public information session in Savannah for community members living near the International Paper Savannah Complex to discuss the findings of a recently completed health consultation. The public information session will take place

Thursday, May 29, 2008, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
at the
Moses Jackson Community Center
1410 Richards Street
Savannah,GA 31419

ATSDR received a petition from residents living near the International Paper Company in Savannah, GA, expressing concern about chemical air emissions and odors from the facility. ATSDR scientists developed a public health consultation evaluating the possible exposure of area residents to air pollutants released from industrial operations at the International Paper Company (IP), Savannah Complex. A public health consultation is an ATSDR document that examines environmental substances, exposure pathways, and community concerns at sites to determine whether people could be harmed by coming into contact with those substances. ATSDR based the health consultation on available air data and an evaluation of the air pathway.

ATSDR will also hold a media availability session before the public information session from 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM on May 29 at the Moses Jackson Community Center.

Representatives of the media can request an interview by calling the NCEH/ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.

Community members who have questions about the public availability session may contact ATSDR staff Loretta Asbury, Health Communication Specialist at 770-488-0718 or Bob Safay, Senior Regional Representative in Atlanta at 404-562-1782.

ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the human health effects of exposure to environmental substances.

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Members of the news media can request an interview by calling the NCEH/ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.