HEALTH CONSULTATION
Site Summary
COLONIE SITE
(Aliases: COLONIE INTERIM STORAGE SITE and
FORMERLY NATIONAL LEAD INDUSTRIES)
ALBANY, ALBANY COUNTY, NEW YORK
The 11.2 acre Colonie Site is at 1130 Central Avenue in Colonie, Albany County, New York. It includes the property formerly owned by National Lead (NL) Industries as well as three vicinity properties - a Niagara Mohawk substation, Town of Colonie property, and CSX rail property. The boundary between Colonie and the city of Albany is just south of the site. The former NL property is bounded by a wooded lot on the northwest, Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) railroad tracks on the southwest and south, commercial property on the east, Central Avenue on the northeast, and a Niagara Mohawk electrical substation on the north (USDOE 1995).
At a public meeting held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on July 11, 2001, several community members expressed concern about potential adverse health effects from past operations at the Colonie Site. In response to those concerns, USACE requested that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conduct a health evaluation of potential exposures to the community from past operations.
ATSDR conducted a site visit of the Colonie Site September 9-13, 2002. The purpose of the visit
was to begin collecting information necessary for conducting a public health evaluation. During
the visit, ATSDR staff met with local community groups to discuss community health concerns.
ATSDR staff also met with representatives of the New York State Department of Health, the
New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, Albany County Health
Department, and the New York State
Department of Labor. ATSDR staff met with
representatives from USACE and toured the
Colonie Site. In addition, ATSDR staff were
able to review and copy many documents
related to the site. ATSDR staff attended the
USACE's public meeting on September 12 and
spoke with several members of the community
about their health concerns. In addition, ATSDR
staff attended a community meeting held on
November 21, 2002 discussing a preliminary lead soil sampling plan for properties surrounding
the former NL plant being developed by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)
and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). As a result of
these meetings and a preliminary survey of the available data, ATSDR will evaluate available information to try to answer the following questions in our health evaluation:
History of the Colonie Site
In 1923, the Embossing Company began industrial operations at the present day site manufacturing wood products and toys. In 1927, Magnus Metal Company purchased the property and began operating a brass foundry for manufacturing railroad parts, including brass components cast in sand molds and brass bearing housings with surfaces of babbitt metal (an alloy of lead, copper, and antimony) (USACE 2001b).
In 1937, National Lead Industries purchased the facility and an adjacent lot containing a portion of the former Patroon Lake. NL continued operating the brass foundry and began filling Patroon Lake with casting sand sometime before 1941. After World War II, NL began casting aluminum mainframes for airplanes, and in 1958, the nuclear division of NL began producing items manufactured from uranium and thorium under a license from the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC; this agency was split into the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (civilian programs) and the US Department of Energy (government/military programs)). Operation of the brass foundry was discontinued in 1960 (USACE 2001b).
From 1958 to 1984, NL operations used radioactive materials consisting mostly of depleted uranium (DU), although smaller amounts of thorium and enriched uranium were also used between 1960 and 1972. Operations reduced depleted uranium tetrafluoride to depleted uranium metal which was then made into shielding components, ballast weights, and projectiles. In addition, from 1966 to 1972, NL manufactured fuel from enriched uranium for experimental nuclear reactors (USACE 2001b).
Other processes at NL included an electroplating operation for plating uranium with nickel and cadmium. Chemicals used included: nickel sulfamate, sodium cyanide, ferric chloride, nitric acid, silicate phosphate, iridite (a chromium brightener), cadmium metal, nickel metal, boric acid, and perchloroethylene (PCE). There is little or no information about how or where most of these materials were disposed because there are no disposal records. However, letters from NL to the Atomic Energy Commission indicate that about 55 cubic yards of graphite, slag, refractory, uranium oxide, insoluble oil, metal scrap, and combustible trash were buried in the Patroon Lake in 1961, as per their license. Other chemical wastes and packaged chemicals used at the site included acids, bases, degreasing agents, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cyanide, heavy metals, and asbestos (USACE 2001b).
In February 1980, the New York State Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order barring NL from operating the facility because of its airborne releases of uranium compounds. In May 1980, the judicial order was amended to allow limited operation at the plant. This order also required the company to begin an independent investigation assessing all adverse environmental conditions in onsite soil and on the off-site vicinity properties that may have been caused by airborne discharges from the plant. Teledyne Isotopes was hired to perform a radiological survey of the NL property and surrounding properties. In 1984, NL was closed by state officials because continuing airborne releases exceeded state standards (USACE 2001b).
Remediation at the Colonie Site
After the closure of the NL plant in 1984, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy (USDOE) to remediate the property under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The Secretary of Energy accepted an offer from NL to donate the land, buildings, and equipment to expedite the cleanup (USACE 2001b). From 1984 to 1997, the Colonie Site was managed by USDOE. Between 1984 and 1988, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) performed radiological surveys of 219 individual properties surrounding the former NL property. Of these, 56 vicinity properties were contaminated with concentrations of radioactive material exceeding 35 picocuries per gram (pCi/g) for uranium-238 (U-238). Fifty-three of the 56 vicinity properties were cleaned up between 1984 and 1988 by removal of DU contaminated soil, typically concentrated in the upper 2 inches (USDOE 1995). The waste soil was held in interim storage on the Colonie Site within an onsite building. In 1995, this material was bagged and shipped to an offsite disposal facility (USACE 2001a). An Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis, finalized by USDOE in 1995, outlined the remediation of the former NL property and the remaining three vicinity properties.
By Congressional action in 1997, USACE assumed control of the Colonie Site and the responsibility for the remaining cleanup activities. USACE has remediated one of the three vicinity properties and major portions of the Colonie Site proper. USACE plans to complete the soil remedial work in June 2004. USACE is still evaluating groundwater.
In 1984, ORNL determined that radioactive contaminants were deposited onto off-site residential properties from on-site air releases at NL when the plant was operational. From 1984 to 1988, 219 properties were sampled for radioactive contaminants, including U-238, and 53 were remediated to less than 35 pCi/g of U-238. However, none of the properties were analyzed for lead that may have also been deposited from air releases. Soil removal at properties contaminated with DU would likely have removed lead contaminated soil as well, but lead contamination could remain at properties that were not cleaned up. Currently, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) are developing a preliminary lead soil sampling plan for the areas surrounding the former NL plant. Because children are especially sensitive to the effects of lead, ATSDR recommends that information about children living in nearby properties, such as age and length of residence, be collected during the sampling efforts. ATSDR will review the data collected from the NYSDOH/NYSDEC sampling to determine if lead levels present a public health concern.
Many of the homes in the residential areas surrounding NL were built before 1950 and could have both interior and exterior lead paint, which has been shown to be a major contributor to lead poisoning in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that states develop a plan to find children who may be exposed to lead and have their blood tested for lead. They make basic recommendations for states to follow. These include testing children at ages 1 and 2. Children who are 3 to 6 years old should be tested if they have never been tested for lead before and they receive services from public assistance programs for the poor such as Medicaid or the Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); if they live in a building or frequently visit a house built before 1950; if they visit a home (house or apartment) built before 1978 that has been recently remodeled; or if they have a brother, sister, or playmate who has had lead poisoning (ATSDR 1999). ATSDR recommends that parents concerned about their children's exposure to lead follow CDC's guidelines and have their children's blood lead levels tested by their physician.
Between 1984 and 1988, DOE remediated DU contaminated soil at 53 vicinity properties, including both commercial and residential properties. Prior to remediation there may have been a public health impact from contact with the soil. ATSDR will review data, including the sampling results for DU in soils at these vicinity properties, to determine whether illness or disease in people who were exposed to the soil would be expected.
NL operated a chip burner to dispose of unused DU from 1958 to1984. During this time period, NL's emissions exceeded state standards. People in the community surrounding NL may have been exposed to this contamination. ATSDR is currently looking for information and data related to the use of the chip burner and the levels of emissions. ATSDR reviewed records at the NYSDEC, NYSDOH, and the New York State Department of Labor, and the Albany County Department of Health. ATSDR found limited data of uranium stack emissions from the former NL plant during 1979-1984. ATSDR is currently in the process of accessing records at the New York State Office of the Attorney General. If relevant information is available, ATSDR will review the data to determine if past exposures to air emissions could have resulted in adverse health effects. ATSDR will also look at the combined exposure to DU from soil and air emissions.
The groundwater below the Colonie Site was contaminated with VOCs by operations at the NL plant. USACE is currently remediating the groundwater. Sampling in off-site monitoring wells indicates the migration of groundwater contaminated at low levels. In July and August of 2002, USACE sampled the indoor air of five residences adjacent to the Colonie Site to determine if VOCs detected in groundwater originating from the Colonie Site had affected indoor air quality of those homes. The results indicate that currently there is no impact to indoor air quality from contaminated groundwater. USACE is planning a second round of air sampling in the same residences during the winter months when contaminant concentrations in indoor air may potentially be higher. ATSDR will review the results from the second round of air sampling as well as groundwater sampling results to determine the likelihood of indoor air contamination and if adverse health effects could be expected if there is exposure.
ATSDR is working with USACE, community groups, and state and local agencies to identify any remaining hazards.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ATSDR'S PUBLIC HEALTH EVALUATION
Is a public health evaluation the same thing as a medical exam or a community health study?
No, a public health evaluation is not the same thing as a medical exam or a community health study. An ATSDR public health evaluation reviews available information about hazardous substances at a site and evaluates whether exposure to them might cause any harm to people.
Public health evaluations consider–
Who can I contact if I have questions?
You can contact ATSDR's toll-free information line at: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Please mention that you are calling about the Colonie Site.
More information about ATSDR can be found on the internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
[ATSDR] Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 1999b. Toxicological profile for lead. Atlanta: US Department of Health and Human Services. July.
[USACE] US Army Corps of Engineers. 2001a. Proposed action memorandum for soil removal at the Colonie Site, Colonie, NY. June.
[USACE] US Army Corps of Engineers. 2001b. Letter to Arthur Block from Stuart Piken concerning the Colonie Site. New York, New York. July 25.
[USDOE] US Department of Energy. 1995. Engineering evaluation and cost analysis (EE/CA) for the Colonie Site. Oak Ridge. September.
Initial site visit: September 9-13, 2002
USACE Public meeting: September 12, 2002
Community meeting: November 21, 2002
Mr. Aaron Mair, Arbor Hill Environmental Justice Corporation
Mr. Rodney Davis, Arbor Hill Environmental Justice Corporation
Mr. Steve Lukowski, Albany County Department of Health
Mr. Ronald Groves, Albany County Department of Health
Ms. Anne Rabe, Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Mr. Tom Ellis, Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Mr. Clifton VanGuilder, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Mr. Paul Merges, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Mr. John Abunaw, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Ms. Barbara Youngberg, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Mr. Paul Patel, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Mr. Kent Johnson, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Ms. Adela Salame-Alfie, New York State Department of Health
Mr. Jerry Collins, New York State Department of Health
Mr. John Sheehan, New York State Department of Health
Mr. Don Miles, New York State Department of Health
Mr. Mike Rivara, New York State Department of Health
Mr. William Varcasio, New York State Department of Labor
Mr. James Moore, US Army Corps of Engineers
Mr. Joe Pierce, US Army Corps of Engineers
Mr. Tony Sheeran, Shaw E&I
Ms. Karol Meyerhoffer, Shaw E&I
Mr. Dave Sendra, Shaw E&I
Mr. Michael White, USACHPPM
Mr. Jim Mullikin, USACHPPM
Carole Hossom
Environmental Health Scientist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Aimee Tucker
Technical Researcher
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Reviewers
Gary Campbell, Ph.D.
Chief, Defense Facilities Section
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Diane Jackson
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Sandra Isaacs
Chief, Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
