ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR Releases Report on
Potential Exposure to Elmendorf Air Force Base-Related Contaminants

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2007

ATLANTA – A report released by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) concludes that, overall, the communities surrounding Elmendorf Air Force Base (EAFB) in Anchorage, Alaska, have not been exposed to base-related contaminants at levels considered harmful to human health.

For the report, called a public health assessment, ATSDR examined environmental data, sampling results and the clean-up process performed by EAFB. ATSDR also identified possible contamination sources, pathways of contaminant migration, and the potential for human exposure to contaminants.

ATSDR evaluated and focused on the following EAFB environmental health and safety issues:

• Landfill 04 - Instability of the upper area of the landfill due to erosion is a potential safety hazard to those who enter the area.
  
  
• On-base drinking water - Some contaminants, which might include perchlorate released from munitions, could filter into the groundwater. Due to its potential presence, ATSDR recommends that EAFB add perchlorate to the list chemicals for which it tests when sampling drinking-water wells.
  
  
• On-base community gardens- Due to the proximity of the gardens to the flight line, ATSDR recommends people wash all produce before consumption.
  
  
• Landfill 02 and 03 - Freezing and thawing increases exposure potential to buried contaminants for residents living in nearby on-base housing because once-buried material might to rise to the surface. ATSDR recommends EAFB conduct surface soil and soil gas sampling at the landfills.
  
  

The public health assessment can be viewed at:

Elmendorf NPL Information Repository
Alaska Resource Library & Information Services
University of Alaska-Anchorage Consortium Library
3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK
(907) 272-7547

Elmendorf Air Force Base Library
3rd Wing, Service Squadron
10480 22nd St.
Elmendorf, AK
(907) 272-7547

To request a copy of the public health assessment or for more information, community members may call ATSDR Environmental Health Scientist Charles Grosse at 404-498-0370, or ATSDR Regional Representative Richard Robinson at 206-553-5114 or, toll-free, at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should refer to the Elmendorf AFB public health assessment.

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.