PCB Report Public Comment

12/17/2004

Wake County Government officials are urging citizens to quickly comment on a public health assessment report covering toxic PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) contamination from the Ward Transformer site located near Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). Officials are concerned that citizens may not be aware of the recent report by the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR), classifying the Ward site as a public health hazard, or its December 27 public comment deadline.

For more information refer to the ATSDR Public Health Assessment at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.

The Ward Transformer site is an operating transformer recycling facility located near RDU. Between 1964 and 1977, PCBs from the operations contaminated soils on site and in surface water and stream sediments downstream of the site. The Ward site was proposed for the federal Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund National Priority List in 2002 and listed in April 2003. In December 2003, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services issued a fish consumption advisory for Little Brier Creek and Brier Creek Reservoir based on elevated levels of PCBs in sediment and fish samples. Sampling downstream dictated that May 2004 advisories also be issued for Brier Creek and Lake Crabtree, which is a recreational lake and fishery.

2003 advisory
No fish consumption in Brier Creek Reservoir and Little Brier Creek

2004 advisory

Lake Crabtree: no carp and catfish; all other species no more than one meal per month, and no fish consumption in Brier Creek downstream of Brier Creek Reservoir

While Ward is no longer working with PCB-laden materials, the site itself and nearby surface waters and stream sediments are contaminated from past operations, and movement continues with the water flow.

The movement of PCBs downstream from the site may have impacted people eating the fish from contaminated bodies of water over the past 40 years. Most known harmful effects of PCBs result from acute occupational exposure or consuming contaminated fish on a regular basis. Less is known regarding health impacts of long- term, chronic exposure to lower levels, but medical authorities suggest that this could lead to developmental problems in children, reproductive issues, liver problems and cancer.

Sampling is now under way to determine the extent of potential contamination downstream of Lake Crabtree. Weston Solutions, the contractor performing the site work for the EPA, has taken sediment and fish samples from Crabtree Creek to the point where it exits Umstead State Park and all tributaries that enter Lake Crabtree for potential additions to PCB levels found in the lake sediment and fish. The EPA has indicated that a more comprehensive ecological study is needed to determine whether remediation is a potential course of action in waters impacted by the contamination.

Wake County Government is committed to making citizens aware of this situation and how they may be impacted. The Wake County Board of Commissioners has recently set goals that include citizen awareness of services and taking a leadership role in issues concerning urban counties. Input from citizens is an essential element in the EPA Superfund Process and must be encouraged by all the agencies and stakeholders involved.

For more information, contact:

Jeanette Stanley, EPA-N.C. Superfund Section, 919-733-2801, ext. 318 (for historical information)
Nile Testerman, EPA–N.C. Superfund Section, 919-733-2801, ext. 350 (for technical information)
Dr. Luanne Williams, N.C. Dept. of Health & Human Services, 919-715-6429 (for fish consumption advisories)
Dr. Jay Levine- N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 919-513-6397
Dr. David Damsker, Wake County Human Services Epidemiologist, 919-250-4549
Drew Cade, Lake Crabtree County Park Manager, 919-460-3396

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