PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
AGRICO CHEMICAL CO.
PENSACOLA, ESCAMBIA, FLORIDA
Based on the information currently available, we classify this site as a public health hazard. Specific reasons for this classification are as follows:
1. Arsenic, fluoride and lead are present on the site at levels that could result in chronic health effects such as skin irritation, mottling of teeth, decreased intelligence scores, and hearing impairment. On-site workers and trespassers may have been exposed to these contaminants.
2. The number and location of warning signs is inadequate to warn the public and to meet the requirements of sections 403.704 and 403.7255, Florida Statutes, and FDEP Rule 17-736.
3. Future remediation work could create contaminated dust and expose remediation workers and nearby residents.
4. Groundwater contamination from the site has recently reached Bayou Texar, an environmentally sensitive estuary. Although the level of contamination is not currently of health concern, these levels could increase in the future.
5. The number of on-site surface water samples is insufficient to characterize the extent and nature of contamination of this medium.
6. Off-site exposure to site-related contaminants is possible. However, of the contaminants of concern, only PAHs, fluoride and lead have been analyzed for in off-site surface soil; thus, there is insufficient information to characterize the extent and nature of contamination in this medium.
7. Fluoride is present in the soil on the abandoned on-site baseball field at a level that, if ingested, could result in mottling of teeth, especially in young children. Children and adults using the ballfield may have been exposed to this contaminant.
Cease/Reduce Exposure Recommendations
1. Maintain site security to reduce the risk of exposure to trespassers and the nearby community. EPA should maintain security at this site and provide future remediation workers with appropriate protective equipment while on site.
2. Install warning signs indicating the area is a hazardous waste site. EPA should install additional warning signs as specified in FDEP Rule 17-736 to warn the public that the area is a hazardous waste site.
3. Suppress dust formation by implementing optimal dust control measures and conduct air monitoring during remediation. EPA should suppress dust formation and conduct air monitoring during remediation for worker protection and to ensure that air-borne contamination generated by remediation operations and machinery is not transported off the site.
4. Conduct periodic surface and pore water sampling of Bayou Texar. EPA should periodically sample Bayou Texar to ensure that any increases in contaminants entering the bayou are discovered in a timely manner. If increased contaminant levels are found, it may be necessary to sample fish and shellfish to determine if these organisms have become contaminated.
Site Characterization Recommendations
1. Conduct additional wastewater pond sampling. If standing water is present in the wastewater pond, EPA should analyze a minimum of six samples for all contaminants of concern to characterize the current condition of on-site surface water.
2. Analyze additional off-site surface soil samples. EPA should analyze a minimum of eight off-site surface soil (depth 0-3 inches) samples for all contaminants of concern. Areas to sample should include the southernmost off-site baseball field and the area immediately off-site to the west of the site. If contaminants are found at a level of health concern, additional sampling may be necessary to characterize the extent of contamination.
Public Education Recommendations
1. Provide health education to help residents near the site understand their potential for exposure and possible health risks. ATSDR and Florida HRS should provide health education information to community members whose children used the now-abandoned on-site baseball field to inform them of the possible health effects from exposure to site-related contaminants.
Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) Recommendations
The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended, requires ATSDR to perform public health actions needed at hazardous waste sites. To determine if public health actions are needed, ATSDR's Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) has evaluated the data and information developed in the Agrico Chemical Co. Public Health Assessment.
The Panel has determined that no further public health actions are needed at this site.
If additional information becomes available indicating exposure at levels of concern, ATSDR will evaluate that information to determine what actions, if any, are necessary.
This section describes what ATSDR and/or Florida HRS will do at the Agrico Chemical Co. site after the completion of this public health assessment report. The purpose of a Public Health Action Plan is to ensure that any existing health hazards are reduced and any future health hazards are prevented. ATSDR and/or Florida HRS will do the following:
1. Florida HRS will develop educational materials to inform community members whose children used the now-abandoned on-site baseball field of the possible health effects from their exposure.
2. The Escambia County Parks Department and administration officials of the East Brent Baptist Church in Pensacola will assist Florida HRS in the distribution of these materials.
3. The Escambia County Public Health Unit will provide consultation to those individuals who require additional information or assistance.
4. ATSDR will assist Florida HRS in the development of these educational materials to ensure that the information is accurate and reflects the most recent scientific findings and agency guidelines.
ATSDR and/or Florida HRS will reevaluate the Public Health Action Plan when new environmental, toxicological, or health outcome data are available.
Bruce J. Tuovila
Environmental Specialist
Office of Environmental Toxicology
Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
E. Randall Merchant
Biological Administrator
Office of Environmental Toxicology
Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
H. Joseph Sekerke, Jr., PhD.
Biological Scientist
Office of Environmental Toxicology
Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
ATSDR Technical Project Officer:
Richard R. Kauffman, M.S.
Superfund Site Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
ATSDR Regional Representative:
Bob Safay
Regional Services
Office of the Assistant Administrator
CERTIFICATION
This Agrico Chemical Company Public Health Assessment was prepared by the Florida
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services under a cooperative agreement with the Agency
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is in accordance with approved
methodology and procedures existing at the time the public health assessment was begun.
Richard R. Kauffman, M.S.
Technical Project Officer
Superfund Site Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation (DHAC)
ATSDR
The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this public health
assessment, and concurs with its findings.
Richard Gillig
for Robert C. Williams, P.E., DEE
Director, DHAC, ATSDR
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Syracuse Research Corporation under subcontract to Clement International Corporation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-91-08. ATSDR. 1992b. Toxicological Profile for Manganese and Compounds. Clement International Corp.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-91/19. ATSDR. 1992c. Toxicological Profile for Vanadium and Compounds. Clement International Corp.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-91/29. ATSDR. 1993a. Toxicological Profile for Fluorides, Hydrogen Fluoride, and Fluorine. Clement International Corp.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-91/17. ATSDR. 1993b. Toxicological Profile for Arsenic. Clement International Corp.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-92/02. ATSDR. 1993c. Toxicological Profile for Chromium. Clement International Corp.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-92/08. ATSDR. 1993d. Toxicological Profile for Lead. Clement International Corp.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR/TP-92/12. BOC. 1992. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC, 1990 Census Data Files. Bornschein RL, Succop PA, Krafft KM, Clark S, Peace B, Hammond PB. 1986. Exterior Surface Dust Lead, Interior House Dust Lead and Childhood Lead Exposure in an Urban Environment. In: Hemphill D, ed. Trace Substances in Environmental Health. Columbia, (MO): University of Missouri, 322-32. Entrix, Inc. 1993. Bayou Texar Study: Phase I Report, Sediment and Porewater Sampling and Analysis, May 6, 1993. EPA. 1983. Hazardous Waste Site Investigation, Agrico Chemical Company Site, Pensacola, Florida. Environmental Services Division, Region IV, US-EPA, October 18, 1983. EPA. 1986. Air Quality Criteria for Lead. Research Triangle Park (NC): Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, EPA report no. EPA/600/8-83/028aF. EPA. 1992. Record of Decision, Operable Unit 1, Agrico Chemical NPL Site, Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, Atlanta, Georgia, September 29, 1992. EPA. 1993. Consent Decree, United States of America v. Agrico Chemical Company, February 18, 1993. Geraghty & Miller, Inc. 1992a. Final Phase I Remedial Investigation, Agrico Chemical Site, Pensacola, Florida. Geraghty & Miller, Inc. 1992b. Final Phase II Remedial Investigation, Agrico Chemical Site, Pensacola, Florida. Geraghty & Miller, Inc. 1992c. Final Feasibility Study, Agrico Chemical Site, Pensacola, Florida. Goldberg P. 1994. Telephone conversation (February 9) with Bruce Tuovila, Florida HRS Office of Toxicology regarding use of fluoride as contaminant tracer for off-site surface soil sampling at the Agrico Chemical Co. site. EPA, Atlanta, GA. Hammond R. 1994. Personal communication with Bruce Tuovila regarding cancer incidence in the 32503 and 32505 zip code areas. February 1994. Laughlin NK, Bowman RE, Levin ED, et al. 1983. Neurobehavioral consequences of early exposure to lead in rhesus monkeys: Effects on cognitive behaviors. In: Clarkson TW, Nordberg GF, Sager PR, eds. Reproductive and developmental toxicity of metals. New York, NY: Plenum Press, 497-515. Rice DC. 1985. Chronic low-lead exposure from birth produces deficits in discrimination reversal in monkeys. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 77:201-210. Rice DC and Karpinski KF. 1988. Lifetime low-level lead exposure produces deficits in delayed alternation in adult monkeys. Neurotoxicol Teratol 10:207-214. Watts GB, KL Busen, JM Wilson, and WH Colona, III. 1988. Groundwater Investigation Report No. 88-08, Agrico Chemical Company, Escambia County. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee, Florida, July 1988. Watts GB and G Wiegand. 1989. Supplementary Contamination Report, Agrico Chemical Company, Escambia County. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee, Florida, August 1989. Woodward-Clyde Consultants. 1993. Technical Memorandum, Off-Site Monitoring Well Installation and Ground Water Sampling: Agrico Chemicals Site, Pensacola Florida, November 1993.
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