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Chemical site fears trigger health study
By KATHERINE GAZELLA
© St. Petersburg Times, TARPON SPRINGS -- Prodded by concerns from residents and a government watchdog, a federal agency is planning a wide-reaching study of the effects the former Stauffer Chemical plant had on the environment and, perhaps, on the health of students, workers and neighbors.
The report could include health studies of the former students who attended Gulfside Elementary School from 1978 to 1981, the year the plant closed, and former Stauffer workers. The agency will decide whether to do the health study after determining how many of the workers and students can be identified and found, said Dr. Henry Falk, assistant administrator of the agency. "There is concern here in the community," Falk said. "What I do hope is that the effort over the next year will address some of those concerns." The announcement that the agency will study air and water, and possibly the people who may have been exposed to contaminants, validates concerns expressed by residents and the agency's watchdog. "I'm disappointed that it's going to take a year, but I'm very pleased that they're going to do a thorough look," said Mary Mosley, a longtime activist from Tarpon Springs. The agency's decision to do a new health assessment came after a scathing report released in January by a watchdog for the agency. Ombudsman Ronnie Wilson said in a 196-page report that public health officials previously did not consider all the information available and downplayed the risks posed by Stauffer. "I'm very pleased," Wilson said Monday. "It's far-reaching, it's progressive, it's systematic." Rep. Mike Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs, who had requested the ombudsman's participation, said Monday he is pleased about the agency's plan but wishes it would not take a year to complete. A health study on students and former workers is one step closer to happening, but it is not a sure thing. First, agency officials will have to determine whether such studies would be feasible, Falk said. Officials think there are 2,567 former Stauffer employees, perhaps 2,000 of whom might still be alive, and 3,000 people who attended Gulfside Elementary from 1978 to 1981. There is no set number of people needed for the studies, Falk said, but the agency needs to find a large percentage for the results to be statistically valid. Former students and workers can contact PerStephanie Thompson toll free at the agency, 1-888-422-8737. Marilyn Satinoff's two sons attended the school during that time, and she has taught at Gulfside since 1981. The Palm Harbor resident hopes the agency decides to test former students and staff members. "They're both married, and they both want to have kids. I'm concerned," Satinoff, 54, said of her sons. "I'm worried about my health, too." Stauffer Management Co. president Brian Spiller said that health studies are unnecessary and that he doubts the agency will find enough people to make one worthwhile. He said he doesn't think there are any long-term health effects on students or workers, and he pointed out that 80 percent of Stauffer workers were employed there for a year or less. "You now have another year that these people are concerned," he said. Spiller said he was "disappointed but not surprised" that the agency plans to study the issues related to Stauffer. The agency also plans to examine whether asbestos used at the plant affected the surrounding community. The agency will work with the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate what kind of waste was buried in drums on the Stauffer site. In a bow to residents' requests, the agency will review radiation exposure and will determine whether additional radiation monitoring is needed to address concerns about slag, a rock-like byproduct of the production of elemental phosphorus. Along with being dumped on Stauffer's property, slag was used in construction of nearby roads, driveways and some home foundations. The agency also will look at: Air monitoring data to find out if students and residents were affected by air emissions from the plant. Whether residential wells could be affected by contaminants. Surface water, sediment and fish sampling data to determine the impact of contaminants dumped into Meyer's Cove on the Anclote River. Whether military maneuvers and munitions manufacturing ever took place at the site. Stauffer management has said this did not occur. Whether sinkholes could result in the contamination of drinking water. Concern over sinkholes was a major reason that the EPA last year withdrew its cleanup plan and announced further studies. Whether uranium extraction or recovery was ever conducted at the site. EPA, Stauffer management and the Department of Energy have said there is no evidence that this happened.
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The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry announced Monday it will produce a new public health assessment by next summer that discusses the impact of the phosphorus-processing plant, which is now a Superfund site.
