The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is seeking public comment on a health consultation released today for the Tie Plant community in Grenada, MS.

ATSDR evaluated past, present and future exposures to 2 classes of chemicals in the soil of 31 residential yards in the Tie Plant community.

The federal public health agency concluded that:

• Long term exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil of all 31 yards sampled pose little risk of skin or stomach cancers. Non-cancer adverse health effects are not expected from short or long term PAH soil exposures at these locations.
• Long term exposure to dioxins in the Tie Plant yard with the highest dioxin soil concentration is a public health hazard due to a slightly increased cancer risk. Non-cancer adverse health effects are not expected from dioxin soil exposures.

The three sampled yards with the highest PAH concentrations will be remediated to decrease exposures to contaminants in yard and drainage area soils. ATSDR adds the following recommendations:

• The yard with the highest dioxin concentration should also be remediated.

Although soil contaminant concentrations for other Tie Plant yards are below levels of public health concern, residents should keep dirt from getting into their homes and bodies by following the recommendations outlined in Appendix B of the health consultation. These recommendations include

• wash and peel all fruits and vegetables;
• wipe shoes on doormat or remove them before going inside;
• don’t eat food, chew gum or smoke when working in the yard;
• damp mop floors and damp dust counters and furniture regularly;
• wash dogs regularly;
• wash children’s toys regularly; and
• wash children’s hands and feet after they have been playing outside.

To read the health consultation visit: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/HCPHA.asp?State=MS

Copies of the health consultation can be reviewed during regular hours at the Elizabeth Jones Library, 1050 Fairfield Avenue, Grenada, MS, 38902.   

ATSDR will accept public comments on this health consultation until October 18, 2012.  
Comments on the document must be made in writing and those received during the public comment period will be addressed in the final version. Comments (without the names of persons who submitted them) and ATSDR’s responses to the comments will appear in an appendix to the final health consultation. Names of those who submit comments will be subject to release should requests be made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Send comments to: ATSDRRecordsCenter@cdc.gov, or mail to:

ATSDR Records Center
Attn: Rolanda Morrison
Re: Koppers, Inc. / Beazer East, Inc., Tie Plant Facility – Grenada, MS
4770 Buford Highway, NE (MS F-09)
Atlanta, Georgia 30341

For more information about ATSDR’s work in Grenada, MS visit http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/HCPHA.asp?State=MS or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the potential for adverse human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.