PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

ICG ISELIN RAILROAD YARD
JACKSON, MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE



CONCLUSIONS

  1. The ICG Iselin Railroad Yard site is categorized by ATSDR as a no apparent public health hazard based on data reviewed to date by ATSDR. However, although the site is bordered by a residential area and the Washington-Douglas Elementary School, no surface soil samples (0"-3") were collected from the residential yards or the school property.

  2. ATSDR has identified on-site and off-site completed exposure pathways. On-site workers, visitors/trespassers, and area residents may have been or become exposed to contaminants in ambient air; on-site and off-site soils; and on-site and off-site surface waters and sediments from the intermittent tributary and Jones Creek.


ATSDR has provided a toxicological evaluation of contaminants reported to be present at the site. Based upon that evaluation, ATSDR believes that adverse non-carcinogenic health effects did not occur.

For those contaminants with known carcinogenic endpoints, ATSDR believes that there would be no increased risk of developing cancer from those exposures.

  • Groundwater poses a potential pathway.

  • The population surrounding the site is relatively small. In addition, due to cessation of the railyard operations, it would be difficult to identify the affected or potentially affected former railyard population.

  • ATSDR has reviewed and provided a response to community health concerns voiced during the public availability sessions held on January 19, 1994.

  • ATSDR has provided a response to questions received on the September 30, 1996, public comment release of the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard public health assessment.

The data needs include the following:
  1. Sampling of off-site surface soil (residential yards and area of the Washington-Douglas Elementary where children play), drinking water (at tap), and private wells (if any), as well as sampling of municipal water and on-site groundwater (while the JUD South Well Field wells are in operation) are needed to get a better idea of extent of site-related contamination and impact of pumping on direction of groundwater flow.

  2. Information regarding work practices and duration of employment for former railyard workers. Should appropriate information become available, ATSDR will evaluate these potential exposures.

  3. Information regarding work practices of current on-site employees and their potential for contact with contaminated on-site media.

  4. Additional toxicological and/or epidemiological data are needed for carbazole, dibenzofuran, 2-methylnaphthalene, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, and 2-hexanone in order to determine appropriate adverse health outcomes, if any.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Cease/Reduce Exposure Recommendations

  1. Further measures need to be taken to restrict access to the site in order to prevent exposures to contaminated soils, sediment, and surface water.

  2. ATSDR recommends testing or surveying of persons currently working at the railyard (employees of Williams Steel) to get an idea of their current health status and health concerns. In addition, steps need to be taken to reduce employee exposure to contaminated media.

Site/Area Characterization Recommendations

  1. Additional sampling is required in order to have a more accurate idea of what compounds are present in soils (especially VOCs in areas currently being used for on site operations and metals in surface soil on residential and public properties near the north border of the site) and private well water (if any).

Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) Recommendations

In accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, data and information developed in the Public Health Assessment for the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard National Priorities List site in Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee, have been evaluated to determine if follow-up actions may be indicated.

    The data and information developed in the public health assessment for the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard National Priorities List site have been evaluated by the ATSDR Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP)for appropriate public health actions. HARP has determined that the exposed populations need assistance in understanding their potential for exposure and in assessing any possible adverse health effects in their community. ATSDR's Division of Health Education (DHE) will evaluate and prioritize the site for an environmental health education program in the community near the site. HARP has reviewed health concerns expressed by the community. ATSDR's Division of Health Studies (DHS) has determined that currently available health outcome data are not sufficient enough to make an appropriate health recommendation at this time. Since information more specific to the potentially effected community is needed in order to determine more appropriate follow-up heath actions, HARP recommends that a review of health statistics for the community living near the site be conducted by the state. Once appropriate health outcome data have been reviewed and evaluated by ATSDR, the HARP will make appropriate recommendations for additional follow-up health activities.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

The Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) for the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard site contains a description of action taken and planned by ATSDR and/or other government agencies in the vicinity of the site subsequent to the completion of this public health assessment. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this public health assessment not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.

ATSDR will collaborate with the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies to pursue the implementation of the recommendations outlined in this public health assessment. The public health actions to be implemented are as follows:

A. Actions Undertaken

  1. ATSDR held public availability sessions on January 19, 1994 to learn about the community's site-related concerns.

  2. HARP has reviewed health concerns expressed by the community and available health outcome data sources in order to determine appropriate follow-up health activities.

  3. ATSDR made the public comment release version of this public health assessment available to the community surrounding the site. The document was released on September 30, 1996. Comments from the public were accepted until November 21, 1996. Comments received were addressed in this final release version of the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard public health assessment.

B. Actions Planned

  1. ATSDR will continue to collaborate with the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies to pursue the implementation of the recommendations outlined in this public health assessment.

  2. This final release version of the PHAP will be evaluated annually unless additional information warrants more frequent evaluation. New environmental, toxicological, or health outcome data may determine the need for additional actions at the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard site.

PREPARERS OF REPORT

Déborah A. Boling
Environmental Health Scientist
Superfund Site Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
ATSDR Regional Representative:
Robert E. Safay
Public Health Advisor
Region IV

REFERENCES

  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, Atlanta, Georgia. Hazard ranking system documentation record, ICG Iselin Railroad Yard Site, 1992.

  2. RMT. Remedial Investigation Report. Iselin Rail Yard Site. February 1994.

  3. McKinney, M.J., Environmental Engineer, Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, Letters to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Water Quality Control Board, August 7, 1975 and February 7, 1980. Subject: Violation of NPDES maximum criteria for chromium. 1 page each.

  4. Broshears, R.E., S.F. Connell, and N.L. Short. 1990. A Pilot Study for Delineation of Areas Contributing Water to Well Fields in Jackson, Tennessee. Water-Resources Investigation Report. 89-4201. US Geological Survey.

  5. RMT. Supplemental Remedial Investigation Report. Iselin Rail Yard Site, Jackson, Tennessee. May 1996.

  6. Information from the Jackson area Chamber of Commerce. 1990.

  7. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1991. Census of Population and Housing, 1990: Summary Tape File 1B (Tennessee) [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.

  8. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1991. Census of Population and Housing, 1990: Summary Tape File 1A (Tennessee) [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.

  9. State of Tennessee, Department of Environment and Conservation. Memorandum to Déborah Boling from Andy Binford concerning the ICG Iselin Railroad Yard Public Health Assessment. June 18, 1996.

  10. EPA. Toxic Chemical Release Inventory. Washington, D.C.: National Library of Medicine, 1987-1991.

  11. EPA. Chemical Releases and Their Chemical Risks. A Citizen's Guide to Risk Screening. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1989.

  12. Agency< for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Public health assessment guidance manual. Atlanta: ATSDR, March 1992; DHHS, (PHS).

  13. EPA. Exposure Factors Handbook. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, July 1989, EPA Document No. 600/8-89/043.

  14. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for 2-hexanone. Atlanta: ATSDR, September 1992; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-91/18.

  15. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for naphthalene. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, August 1995.

  16. Micromedex, Inc. Tomes Integrated Index. CD-ROM, Vol 30. New York: Micromedex, 1996.

  17. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for aldrin/dieldrin. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, April 1993; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-92/01.

  18. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for methylene chloride. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, April 1993; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-92/13.

  19. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for tetrachloroethylene. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR; DHHS publication.

  20. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, August 1995.

  21. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for aluminum. Atlanta: ATSDR, July 1992; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-91/01.

  22. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for arsenic. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, April 1993; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-92/02.

  23. Shacklette, HT, JG Boerngen. Element concentrations in soils and other surficial material of the conterminous United States. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1270. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984.

  24. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for cadmium. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, April 1993; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-92/06.

  25. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for chromium. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, April 1993; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-92/08.

  26. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for copper. Atlanta: ATSDR, December 1990; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-90/08.

  27. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for lead. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, April 1993; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-92/12.

  28. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for manganese. Atlanta: ATSDR, July 1992; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-91/19.

  29. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for mercury. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, May 1994; DHHS publication no. (PHS)TP-93/10.

  30. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for nickel. (update) Atlanta: ATSDR, August 1995; DHHS publication.


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Page last reviewed: May 12, 2010
Content source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry