ATSDR - Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa

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ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR Issues Health Consultation for Public Comment on Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa

Finding is no apparent public health hazard

For Immediate Release: August 25, 2003

ATLANTA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today is announcing the finding of its public health consultation that exposure to beryllium and depleted uranium, if any occurred, at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP) in Middletown, Des Moines County, Iowa, was not at levels significant enough to cause a public health hazard. The agency therefore places the IAAAP site in the no apparent public health hazard category.

The document will be available for public review and comment at local repositories through Oct. 3, 2003.

The health consultation looks at the environmental pathway for beryllium and depleted uranium as well as the "take-home" pathway for exposure to beryllium by friends and family members of IAAAP employees.

The health consultation notes that changing and showering facilities were available for employees and procedures were in place to minimize or eliminate the potential off-site migration of beryllium dust.

ATSDR welcomes comments from members of the community. The document will be available for review and comment at the following three repositories:

Lee County Health Department
2218 Avenue H
Fort Madison, Iowa

Burlington Public Library
501 N. Fourth St.
Burlington, Iowa

Danville Public Library
105 W. Shepard
Danville, Iowa

Comments on the public health consultation must be made in writing. Mail comments to

Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Rd., NE (MS E-60)
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged in to ATSDR's administrative record for this health consultation. Comments received, without the names of individuals 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, however, will be subject to release for requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the public health consultation may contact Environmental Health Scientist Katherine Hanks or Senior Health Physicist Paul Charp, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Shawn Blackshear also may be contacted at 913-551-1311. Callers should refer to the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant site in Middletown, Iowa.

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Members of the news media may request an interview with ATSDR staff by calling Elaine McEachern in the ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs at 770-488-0700.

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Updated by R. Searfoss August 27, 2003
For more information, contact ATSDR at:
770-488-0700 or e-mail (news media)