PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
NATIONAL ELECTRIC COIL/COOPER INDUSTRIES
DAYHOIT, HARLAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY
ATSDR considers the NEC site to be a past public health hazard. Changes in work practices, connections to a municipal water source, removal actions, and other activities have helped reduce human exposure to hazardous chemicals at the site. A health hazard existed because of human exposure to groundwater and surface soil contaminants in the past; past potential human exposure to contaminated sediments; past potential human exposure to air contaminants; and past on-site worker exposure to solvents at levels of public health concern. Exposed populations include residents of the Holiday Mobile Home Park, local well users, and NEC employees. Contaminants of concern include VOCs, PCBs, and heavy metals.
ATSDR considers the National Electric Coil (NEC) NPL site to be adequately characterized with respect to environmental contamination, except for the air pathway. Groundwater, off-site surface soil, and sediment contamination were further characterized during the Remedial Investigation. Fish were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Monitoring of air and water effluent continues to be conducted during the pump and treat process.
Based on PCB concentrations in edible portions of fish, there would be an increased risk of cancer for anyone eating for 70 years one meal a month or more of rock bass, golden redhorse, or channel catfish caught in the Cumberland River near the site. Data suggest that several sources of PCBs, not just the NEC site, contribute to levels in fish.
ATSDR currently considers the NEC site to be an indeterminate public health hazard. Additional information on air emissions from the air stripper is needed to evaluate if health effects are possible. Specifically, an off-site downwind air monitoring station is needed as well as modeling of air emissions.
Many community members expressed health concerns to ATSDR during an April 1992 site visit.
Those concerns were discussed in the previous section (Community Health Concerns Evaluation).
ATSDR previously recommended that soil in the Mobile Home Park be analyzed for barium, lead, and other metals as well as PCBs, and dioxin/furan concentrations. Additional sampling for these contaminants has been done and an evaluation provided in this document. Low concentrations of PCBs and dioxin/furans were found in the Mobile Home Park but not at levels of health concern. Limited areas of elevated lead concentrations were also detected. ATSDR also previously recommended that a fish tissue study be conducted for edible portions of the fish. ATSDR is recommending a fish advisory as stated in the second recommendation in this section.
Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) Recommendations
The information and data developed in the National Electric Coil/Cooper Industries Public Health Assessment have been evaluated by the ATSDR Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) for appropriate followup with respect to health activities. Because exposures to contaminants at levels of public health concern have occurred in the past and because community members have expressed concerns about contaminant exposures, the Panel determined that educational programs for both the community and health professionals are indicated. The educational programs will focus on adverse health effects associated with exposure to lead (especially in children), vinyl chloride, PCBs, and organic solvents. The health education program for the community also will address other health concerns stated by citizens.
HARP had determined that a biological indicators of exposure study was indicated to evaluate whether children who live in the Holiday Mobile Home Park have been exposed to lead. HARP specifically determined that blood lead testing was indicated. The panel determined that the children should be tested for PCBs if soil sampling indicated contamination.
Finally, HARP determined that a disease and symptom prevalence study of the community around the site should be considered.
Soil in the Holiday Mobile Home Park was sampled for lead and PCBs in August 1993.
The above HARP determinations, made in June 1992, indicate that the children should be
tested for PCBs if soil sampling indicates contamination. Soil sampling conducted during
the remedial investigation did not indicate PCB or lead contamination of the Holiday
Mobile Home Park at levels at which significant exposure could occur. However, fish tissue
data were collected in 1993 and indicated fish as a source of PCBs. Since there are multiple
sources of PCBs (soil and fish), a biological indicators of exposure study for PCBs is still
recommended. However, since lead is cleared from the blood in a few months and the soil
concentrations in the mobile home park are not significant, a biological indicators of
exposure study for lead is no longer indicated.
This Public Health Action Plan for the NEC site contains the actions planned by ATSDR, EPA, and the State of Kentucky to protect human health and the environment from hazardous substances. The recommendations made in the previous section will be addressed in this Public Health Action Plan. On September 30, 1992, EPA finalized a Record of Decision (ROD) on "interim" remedial action for the NEC site (34). The selected remedy contains actions that were also recommended by ATSDR in this Public Health Assessment and are specified below. Additionally, EPA has conducted a Remedial Investigation at the NEC site. The actions taken and to be implemented by federal and state agencies are listed below.
Actions Taken:
1. ATSDR returned to the Dayhoit community on March 30, 1993 to present the conclusions of the public health assessment and answer any questions, including health concerns.
2. ATSDR provided some health education to local physicians. We distributed Case Studies in Environmental Medicine for trichloroethylene (TCE), polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs), and dioxin at the Daniel Boone Clinic (35). A program called "Medical Evaluation of Workers and Nearby Residents Living Near the National Electric Coil/Cooper Site in Dayhoit" was presented on March 8, 1994 at the Harland County Hospital, Harlan, Kentucky. Approximately 18 doctors, nurses and hospital administrators attended the presentation.
3. EPA sampled surface soil at the Holiday Mobile Home Park and fish in the Cumberland River during the Remedial Investigation. ATSDR's evaluation of this data is provided in this document.
4. ATSDR has contacted the Kentucky Department of Health concerning sampling for fecal coliforms. ATSDR suggests that this issue be taken up by local health officials and citizens who wish to pursue it.
5. The pump and treat system or groundwater/air stripper system is operating. This system will reduce the migration of the groundwater contaminant plume in the bedrock aquifer (34).
The containment of groundwater contamination will reduce the chance that additional water wells will be affected. The ultimate goal will be to return groundwater to within drinking water standards. Contamination in the shallow aquifer will be addressed by EPA's final remedy selection (34).
EPA is monitoring vinyl chloride, TCE, and cis-1,2-DCE emissions from the air stripper. Ambient air monitoring is being performed at the fenceline separating NEC and the Holiday Mobile Home Park, at the mobile home park and on-site at the stack pipe exit point. Treated groundwater from the air stripping tower is being discharged to the Cumberland River in accordance with Kentucky Pollutant Discharge Elimination System requirements. If air or groundwater emissions exceed performance standards, groundwater pumping will cease until EPA adds control measures to achieve the performance standards (34).
6. EPA is currently modeling air emissions from the air stripper using local meteorological data. They will be examining the action levels for possible revision (36).
Actions Planned:
1. ATSDR will contact the Kentucky Department of Health to discuss the recommendation for a fish advisory.
2. With respect to remaining HARP determinations, ATSDR will encourage state government or universities to conduct a disease and symptom prevalence study and a biological indicators of exposure study for PCBs.
3. ATSDR will review air emissions, groundwater, and other environmental data as they become available and will alter this Public Health Action Plan as appropriate for the protection of public health and the environment.
4. Air and water effluent discharged to the environment during the air stripping process will continue to be monitored by EPA (34).
Laura Barr
Environmental Health Scientist
Environmental Science Section
Remedial Programs Branch
Stephanie Prausnitz
Environmental Health Scientist
Health Science Section
Remedial Programs Branch
Dr. Fred Rosenberg
Medical Officer
Division of Health Education
Regional Representative:
Carl Blair
Public Health Advisor
EPA Region IV
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