ATSDR - Koppers Industries Site in North Little Rock, Ark.

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ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
ATSDR and ADH Issue Public Health Assessment for Review and Comment on Koppers Industries Site in North Little Rock, Ark.

Finding is No Apparent Health Hazard

For Immediate Release: August 6, 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, and the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) today announced they are issuing a public health assessment (PHA) for public review and comment on the Koppers Industries Inc. (KII) site in North Little Rock, Ark.

Under present site conditions and on the basis of available information, ATSDR considers the KII site to be no apparent public health hazard.

The PHA will be available at a local repository from Aug. 7 through Sept. 30.

The Arkansas Department of Health, under a cooperative agreement with ATSDR, prepared the PHA to evaluate the soil, sediment, water and air data provided by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether a public health hazard exists at the KII wood-treatment facility and to recommend appropriate measures to lessen the effects of exposure.

ADH and ATSDR analyzed environmental and toxicologic information to reach the following conclusions about the possible pathways of exposure to contaminants:

Soil: Past, current and future exposures to on-site and off-site soil and sediment contaminants are not expected to result in adverse health effects. The concentrations detected in soils are below levels that would cause adverse health effects.
Groundwater: Although containing site-related chemicals, the groundwater has had limited or no impact because residents in the vicinity use a public water supply as their water source and because all chemicals except zinc were below conservative screening values (levels set to identify those who are not affected by a chemical).
Air: Estimated exposures to site-related chemicals measured in the air are at concentrations below levels that would result in adverse health effects.
Locally grown food: Estimated exposures to site-related chemicals in fruits and vegetables grown in gardens in the vicinity are not expected to result in adverse health effects.

ATSDR and ADH recommend the following three actions:

Periodically monitor soil and sediment in the drainage ditches to verify that contaminants are not moving off the site.
Continue to use the public water supply for a potable water source.
Thoroughly wash garden fruits and vegetables before consumption.

Fact sheets are available from ATSDR to community members who request educational information on the chemicals of concern at the Koppers site. See contact information in last paragraph.

The PHA will be available for review and public comment at the following local repository from Aug. 7 through Sept. 30, 2003:

City of North Little Rock "Layman" Public Library
2801 North Orange St.
North Little Rock

ATSDR welcomes comments concerning this public health assessment. Comments on the PHA must be made in writing. Mail comments to

Chief, Program Evaluation, Records and Information Services Branch
ATSDR
1600 Clifton Road, 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 assessment. 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 PHA. 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 PHA may contact ADH Chief Investigator Lori Simmons at 501-661-2936. ATSDR Regional Representatives Jennifer Lyke or Karl Markiewicz may be contacted at 214-665-8362. ATSDR Environmental Health Scientist Tammie McRae also may be contacted, toll free, at 1-888-422-8737. When calling, please refer to the Koppers Industries site in North Little Rock, Ark.

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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 6, 2003
For more information, contact ATSDR at:
770-488-0700 or e-mail (news media)