The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released the final version of its public health assessment (PHA) of air exposures to wood treatment chemicals from the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation site in Columbus, Lowndes County, MS.  The PHA focuses on air exposures only and includes new data about these exposures. A future public health assessment will focus on other types of exposure.

In the past, the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation released toxic chemicals into the air, including pentachlorophenol and naphthalene, but all levels measured and predicted were lower than levels known to cause illness.  However, ATSDR scientists also determined that some illnesses are not well studied and concluded that it was possible that some residents could experience temporary irritation when breathing the chemicals in the air.

Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation, Forest Products Division (Kerr-McGee) in Columbus, MS manufactured pressure treated railroad products such as wooden crossties, switch ties, and timbers from approximately 1928-2003. The facility produced treated railroad products that used creosote and creosote coal tar solutions. The facility also used pentachlorophenol for wood treating from 1950 until 1975. Both of these processes exposed people to chemicals in the air.  The wood treatment process exposed people to pentachlorophenol and, to a lesser degree, dioxins.  The creosote process exposed people to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as naphthalene.

In the Public Health Assessment, ATSDR concluded that:

·         From 1950-1975 pentachlorophenol released into the air during the wood treatment process contributed to a low health risk.  Residents should not experience health effects from the airborne exposures.   However, during this time, people across the United States might have ingested pentachlorophenol from their food.  Because of this, residents living near the Kerr McGee plant may have been more vulnerable to the air exposures.

·         Naphthalene released into the air from the creosote process may present the risk of respiratory irritation.  African American children appear to be uniquely susceptible to respiratory effects.

·         Measurements of other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) released from creosote indicate that air exposures are much less than exposures from contact or ingestion.

·         Small amounts of naphthalene are released when rainwater fills the pore spaces in the soil and pushes the vapors out, producing an unpleasant odor.  Most instruments cannot detect naphthalene at these low levels and the odors do not pose a health risk.  However, the odors of these vapors are unpleasant and may distress local residents.

ATSDR provides the following recommendations:

·         Remove any treated wood that may be in the home, regardless of where it was manufactured.

·         Remove or cover soils that have strong odors in order to improve the quality of life for the residents.

The PHA also includes an appendix containing all public comments received during the public comment period and ATSDR’s responses to these comments.  Names of individuals who submitted comments are withheld, but will be subject to release in answer to requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

A copy of the public health assessment is on file at the following repositories:

·         Columbus-Lowndes Library

Main Branch

314 North Seventh Street

Columbus, MS 39701

·         Artesia Public Library

323 Front Street

Artesia, MS 39736

·         Caledonia Public Library

754 Main Street

Caledonia, MS 39740

·         Crawford Public Library

320 Main Street

Crawford, MS 39743

Copies of the public health assessment can also be ordered from:

ATSDR
Records Center
Attn:  Kerr-McGee Site in Columbus, MS
1600 Clifton Road, NE MS F-09
Atlanta, GA 30333

For more information about the Kerr-McGee public health assessment or ATSDR's public health activities in Columbus, MS, please contact CDC Info at 1-800-232-4636 or Greg Zarus, Environmental Health Scientist, at 770-488-0778.

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