ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR Report Finds TSCA Incinerator Poses No Public Health Hazard

For Immediate Release: February 3, 2006

ATLANTA -Continued operation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Incinerator at the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation in Roane County, Tenn., does not present a public health hazard to nearby residents, says a public health assessment released by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

The public health assessment previously was made available to the public for review and comment. The final version includes public and peer review comments and ATSDR’s responses to these comments.

The public health assessment was designed to determine whether the health of local residents has been harmed by contaminants released by the TSCA Incinerator. ATSDR found the TSCA Incinerator has a highly sophisticated design that currently surpasses the requirements of multiple state and federal regulations intended to protect human health and the environment. The TSCA Incinerator does release trace levels of contaminant into the environment. However, the amounts released are far below levels associated with health effects. Continued operation of the TSCA Incinerator is not expected to cause harmful exposures because numerous safeguards, pollution controls and strict permitting requirements are in place to prevent unsafe operating conditions from occurring. Therefore, the public health assessment concludes that the TSCA Incinerator is not a public health hazard.

The assessment also responded to specific community health concerns about the TSCA Incinerator and made recommendations to help ensure the incinerator continues to operate safely in the future.

 The assessment is available at the following locations:

Oak Ridge Public Library
Civic Center
Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Harriman Public Library
1 Waldon Ave.
Harriman, Tenn.

Kingston City Library
1004 Bradford Way
Kingston, Tenn.

Roane State Community College
276 Patton Lane
Harriman, Tenn.

Rockwood Public Library
117 N. Front Ave.
Rockwood, Tenn.

Department of Energy Information Center
475 Oak Ridge Turnpike
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
865-241-4780

The public health assessment, “TSCA Incinerator,” and a summary, “Do Releases From the TSCA Incinerator Affect the Health of People Living Nearby?,” are available on ATSDR’s Oak Ridge Reservation Public Health Web site at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.

The Oak Ridge Field Office is now closed. Members of the community who have questions about this public health assessment or ATSDR activities at the Oak Ridge Reservation may contact Environmental Health Scientist Jack Hanley or Health Communication Specialist Marilyn Palmer Horton, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737.

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.