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  1. ATSDR > Public Health Assessments & Consultations
PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

U.S. MARINE CORPS CAMP LEJEUNE
ONSLOW COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS EVALUATION

Several health concerns were raised by citizens living at or around MCB Camp Lejeune during one-on-one meetings with ATSDR staff or during meetings with MCB personnel.

1. Is the New River contaminated? Are fish from the river contaminated?

New River fish and shellfish tissue caught at several locations along the river contained low levels of chemical contaminants that currently present no apparent public health hazard. Low levels of pesticides, metals including mercury, PAHs, PCBs, and VOCs have been detected in river sediments or surface water at several locations that would not pose a health hazard to people who recreate on the river. Creeks and tributaries that flow into the New River typically contain higher concentrations of these contaminants. MCB Camp Lejeune has sampled areas along the New River that are near identified contaminated Installation Restoration Program sites. Results of each site's sampling appear in the specific report for each site. New River data has not been compiled in one document. ATSDR has evaluated all available chemical contaminant data for each site and presented our health evaluation in this public health assessment.

Although chemical contaminant data has been collected on the lower portion of the New River at MCB Camp Lejeune contaminated sites, ATSDR is still concerned that no group or agency routinely evaluates New River fish and shellfish for chemical contaminants. Multiple sources of chemical contaminants exit at MCB Camp Lejeune, and it is unknown whether contaminant levels are increasing or decreasing. Shellfish and fish can bioaccumulate and bioconcentrate contaminants present in the New River. Barely detectable levels of contaminants in water or sediment could present a public health hazard to people ingesting fish or shellfish. Certain contaminants build up in the food chain, accumulating in larger and larger amounts as small invertebrates are eaten by small fish, which in turn are eaten by large fish.

ATSDR will continue to discuss possible future sampling options with the NCDEHNR and other federal and local entities to ensure the protection of public health regarding ingestion of New River fish and shellfish.

ATSDR does not evaluate biological contamination that may come from sewage treatment or septic outfalls or discharge points. NCDEHNR Division of Water Quality evaluates biological contamination and issues permits for discharges and shellfish harvesting based on bacterial contaminant levels.

2. A family who used to live on base at the time during which contaminated water was unknowing being used at Tarawa Terrace is concerned that adverse health effects could be or have been caused by swimming in the pool supplied by that water in addition to drinking the contaminated water.

ATSDR reviewed the information available on the outdoor pool in question. Since the pool was located outside and filled no more frequently than once per month during the summer months, evaporation of the volatile organic compounds would have been rapid due to the warm temperature outside and turbulence of the water in the filling process. Additionally, because the pool was outdoors, the vapors were allowed to dissipate quickly into the air and not be trapped in the breathing zone of the swimmers. Therefore, swimming in the outdoor pool supplied with the contaminated water would not have increased the likelihood of any adverse health effects among any of the people exposed.

3. One family reports that their children, who attended the day-care center at Site 2 (1966-1982), suffer from allergies. Could their current allergies be caused by their exposure to pesticides in the past?

ATSDR researched the available scientific literature to determine if there is any correlation between pesticide exposure and general allergies. No link between pesticide exposure and general allergies was identified.

Exposure to the pesticides found at Site 2, DDT and chlordane, could possibly cause a subsequent allergic response to additional exposures to DDT or chlordane, but would not cause general allergies to other substances such as cats, dusts, or grasses. DDT and chlordane have not been used in the United States since the 1970s. If the child is no longer being exposed to DDT and chlordane, then the child would not be expected to currently have allergic responses. Moreover, one would not likely see a sustained reaction over the past 12 years since the time the day-care center was closed.

4. Does groundwater contamination on base pose a threat to the safety of county and community water wells?

No, not at this time. The closest off-base drinking water wells are one-half mile from the base boundary. We have not found that groundwater contamination on-base has moved off-base. In addition, public water wells are routinely tested to ensure safe drinking water.

ATSDR does recommend that MCB Camp Lejeune continue to test for groundwater contamination on base. If monitoring shows that the contaminated groundwater is moving toward on- or off-base drinking water supplies, measures should be taken to ensure that people do not come in contact with the contaminants. If the contaminated groundwater is moving toward areas where the groundwater use is unknown, we recommend that a thorough well survey be conducted of those areas. However, we do not think it is likely that off-base wells will become contaminated. The typical groundwater flow direction is toward the regional waterways (creeks, the New River, and the Atlantic Ocean) and away from off-base wells.

MCB Camp Lejeune is cleaning up the groundwater near the Hadnot Point Industrial Area by pumping the water and treating it. Treating the water while it is inside the base should also reduce the possibility of groundwater contamination migrating off-base.

5. In 1991, the following concern was raised. Would rashes and illnesses reported by workers while installing a fence around the Rifle Range Chemical Dump (Site 69) be attributable to exposure to hazardous chemicals?

ATSDR cannot make a health determination about these cases because more specific information would be needed since there are so many causes of rashes (contact dermititis) and non-descriptive illnesses. However, because these employees were installing a fence, they probably had contact with surface and subsurface soil. Soil sampling has been conducted at this site. Subsurface contaminant concentrations of PCBs or other chemicals may be at levels that could have caused skin irritation. However, no long-term adverse health effects are likely to result from worker exposures that occurred while building a fence because that type of exposure would be for only a short period of time. Nonetheless, all workers should take precautions to wear personal protective clothing while working with contaminated media, as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

6. Are children attending an elementary school near the Rifle Range Chemical Dump (Site 69) being exposed to contaminants in the environment that will result in adverse health effects?

It is unlikely that soil contaminants from Site 69 are migrating at this time because the wastes are buried. Also, the site is fenced. The school is located far enough away (2 miles) that dust from clean-up operations would not present a public health problem. However, ATSDR recommends that MCB Camp Lejeune use appropriate measures (e.g., dust control procedures and air monitoring) during any site cleanup.

7. Officer wives were concerned about the number of miscarriages in their neighborhood and whether or not contaminants present in their housing area could be a contributing factor.

ATSDR contacted the base hospital and state regarding the number of miscarriages in the officer housing area. The number of miscarriages identified in the housing area do not appear to be unusual for the age, educational level, and number of people as compared with the number for the state. Furthermore, no contaminants have been detected in the housing area. ATSDR put the officer wives in contact with the base hospital obstetrician to discuss their concerns.

8. Officers' wives were concerned about small vials of white powder that their children found along the banks of the New River and brought home.

The base environmental group send the vials to the laboratory to have the white powder analyzed. Results show the white powder to be calcium hypochlorite typically used to kill bacteria in drinking water. Although these glass vials are not currently in use and no one who was contacted had knowledge of the history or use of the vials, base personnel speculate that because the vials are so small that they may have been part of a personal survival kit used by marine trainees to treat (sterilize) water in the field.

9. Could illnesses reported by two workers on Storage Lots 201 and 203 (Site 6) be related to exposure?

We would need to have additional information before we could answer this question. In particular, we would need to know what types of illnesses these workers were reporting, the setting in which the illnesses occurred; the workers' occupations, ages, and sexes; and their clinical symptoms. Further, we would have to know the substances to which they were exposed. Without all this information, ATSDR cannot determine if any health problems that developed in the workers are attributable to exposures.

10. What will be done with contaminated soils and water found on base when they are removed from the base?

Remedial investigations are still under way for some of the sites on the base. These investigations must be complete before a decision is made on what will be done with contaminated soils and materials. Federal and state agencies will consider alternative clean-up plans and will ask the public for its opinion on them.




PREPARERS OF REPORT



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APPENDICES

The following appendices were not available in electronic format for conversion to HTML at the time of preparation of this document. To obtain a hard copy of the document, please contact:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Attn: Chief, Program Evaluation, Records, and Information Services Branch,
MS E-56
1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333



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