ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

Agency Releases Final Report on Evaluation of Arsenic Soil Cleanup Level At Anaconda Company Smelter Site

For Immediate Release: October 31, 2007

ATLANTA – The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released the final report today regarding the safety and effectiveness of cleanup actions at the Anaconda Company smelter site in Anaconda, MT.

ATSDR evaluated the cleanup level for arsenic in residential soil, responded to community questions about the decisions made to establish the cleanup level for arsenic in residential soil, and determined the public health impact of using the cleanup level in the community. The final health consultation includes comments received from the public on a draft document released in June 2007 and ATSDR's responses to these comments.

ATSDR concluded:

• The 1996 risk assessment prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses reasonable assumptions for estimating the human health risk to arsenic at the Anaconda site.
• Long-term exposure to the soil at the EPA's residential clean up level is not expected to result in adverse health effects for resident children or adults.
• Children who eat large amounts of soil, known as soil pica behavior, could experience adverse health effects if they ate soil containing arsenic. Areas of the site containing soil with arsenic at levels high enough to cause adverse health effects when eaten could remain, even after cleanup.
• Activities, such as excavation, that disturb the soil surface could increase risk of adverse health effects and may require further evaluation.

ATSDR recommended:

• EPA and ARCO should continue cleanup of residential properties.
• The Community Protective Measures Plan should include education of parents about risks associated with soil pica behavior in children.
• Measures to protect against potential recontamination of residential surface soils with arsenic-contaminated subsurface soils.

The entire report will be available at the Hearst Free Library located at 401 Main Street in Anaconda, and it can also be viewed at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/PHA/index.asp.

Members of the community who have questions about this health consultation may contact Jill Dyken, Environmental Health Scientist, toll-free at 1-800-CDC-INFO or Dan Strausbaugh, Regional Representative at 406-457-5007.

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 with ATSDR staff by calling the NCEH/ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.