ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

Potential Exposure to Pearl Harbor Naval Complex-Related Contaminants
Pose No Apparent Public Health Hazard Says ATSDR Report

Public may comment on the public health assessment through September 19

 

For Immediate Release: August 19, 2005

ATLANTA - A report released by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) concludes that, based on existing environmental information, the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex (PHNC) and surrounding community have not been exposed to PHNC-related contaminants at levels considered harmful to human health. However, ATSDR encourages local residents to follow the established Hawaii Department of Public Health advisory not to eat fish or crabs from Pearl Harbor.

For the report, called a public health assessment, ATSDR toured PHNC and met with PHNC and community representatives. ATSDR reviewed available environmental information on investigations, sampling results and cleanup actions performed by PHNC. ATSDR also determined possible contamination sources, pathways of contaminant migration, and the potential for human exposure to contaminants.

ATSDR identified, evaluated and gave conclusions on five public health issues related to potential exposure to environmental contaminants from PHNC. They are:

• Four sites where people could come in contact with contaminants in surface soil: Pearl City Peninsula landfill, Waipahu ash landfill, the former pesticide mixing area, and Waipio Peninsula transformer W-11. ATSDR concludes that incidental, short-term exposures to the contaminants found at these sites did not in the past, and does not now, pose a human health threat.
• Two sites where contaminants were detected in shallow groundwater: Ewa Junction Fuel Drumming Facility and the Red Hill Oily Waste Disposal Facility. ATSDR concludes that contaminants spilled or released had reached the shallow groundwater. However, the water is not suitable or used for drinking water, and the contaminants have not reached, and are unlikely to reach, the deeper aquifer used to supply drinking water.
• One site that could have exposed people to airborne contaminants: Aiea Laundry. ATSDR concludes that low levels of dry cleaning solvents and fuel used and released into the air at the laundry do not pose a past, current, or potential future health hazard for the staff, students and members of a nearby church and school.
• The safety of eating fish and crabs that come from Pearl Harbor. ATSDR concludes that the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations are elevated and supports the Hawaii Department of Health advisory to avoid eating fish and shellfish from Pearl Harbor.
• Incidental exposure to Pearl Harbor sediments. ATSDR concludes that the contaminant concentration levels in the sediment were too low to be of concern to anyone who may unintentionally ingest small amounts of Pearl Harbor sediments or touch the sediments.

The public health assessment can be viewed at:

Aiea Public Library
99-143 Moanalua Road
Aiea, HI 96701

Pearl City Public Library
1138 Waimano Home Rd
Pearl City, HI 96782

Comments on the public health consultation must be made in writing and received by September 19, 2005. Mail comments to

Records Center, ATSDR
ATTN: PHNC Study
1600 Clifton Road, N.E. (MS E-60)
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged in to ATSDR's administrative record for the 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 public health consultation. Names of those who submit comments, however, will be subject to release to requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

To request a copy of the public health assessment or for more information, community members may contact ATSDR staff Environmental Health Scientist Sue Neurath or Health Communication Specialist La Freta Dalton, toll-free, at 1-888-422-8737. ATSDR Regional Representative Gwen Eng may also be contacted at 415-947-4317. Callers should refer to PHNC study in Hawaii.

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. The agency also determines how hazardous a site is and recommends actions that need to be taken to safeguard people's health. Established by Congress in 1980 under the Superfund law, ATSDR conducts public health assessments and consultations at each of the sites on the EPA National Priorities List, as well as other sites when petitioned.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, ATSDR is staffed by health professionals including environmental health scientists, epidemiologists, physicians, toxicologists, engineers and public health educators.

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Members of the news media can request an interview by calling the NCEH/ATSDR Office of Communication at 770-488-0700.