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ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR Begins Medical Evaluation of Workers of the Stauffer
Chemical Co. in Tarpon Springs, Fla.

For Immediate Release: October 4, 2004

ATLANTA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will begin offering a medical evaluation Oct. 5, to former workers of the Stauffer Chemical Co. in Tarpon Springs, Fla. The medical evaluation will include a physical exam, a lung function test, chest x-rays and an exit consultation with a doctor. The federal public health agency is taking the action in response to community concerns about the health of former Stauffer workers.

People who worked five or more years in phosphate ore processing or elemental phosphorus production at the Tarpon Springs plant are eligible for the medical testing. The testing is voluntary and ATSDR will pay for this one-time evaluation. More Information

Testing will begin Oct. 5, 2004, and conclude Jan. 31, 2005. The medical evaluation will be done at Occupational Health Service of Helen Ellis Clinic, 2280 U.S. Highway 19, Holiday, Fla. Testing will be offered on Tuesday of each week and an appointment is necessary.

ATSDR mailed a letter of invitation to eligible former workers in September 2004. ATSDR was not able to locate current addresses for all eligible former Stauffer workers. Therefore, ATSDR encourages those eligible former workers who did not receive a letter of invitation to contact ATSDR Project Coordinator Steve Inserra toll-free at 1-888-422-8737, Ext. 0564.

Test results will be kept confidential to the extent allowed by law. ATSDR will share overall project findings at a public meeting and in a summary report when the medical evaluation project is completed.

Stauffer Chemical Co. produced elemental phosphorus at the Tarpon Springs plant from 1947 through 1981. Based on ATSDR's review of occupational exposure data from the Tarpon Springs plant, the agency concluded that some former Stauffer workers were exposed to workplace respiratory irritants and toxics at levels that could cause breathing problems. As a result of these findings, the recommendations of scientific experts made in 2003 and community concerns, ATSDR is conducting the medical testing for former Stauffer workers.

Community members seeking information about the worker eligibility requirement for the medical evaluation may contact ATSDR Epidemiologist and Project Coordinator Steve Inserra or Community Involvement Specialist LaFreta Dalton toll-free at 1-888-422-8737. ATSDR Regional Representative Carl Blair also may be contacted at 404-562-1786.

ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances.

Established by Congress in 1980 under the Superfund law, ATSDR conducts public health assessments at each of the sites on the EPA National Priorities List, as well as other sites when petitioned. Headquartered in Atlanta, ATSDR is staffed by more than 400 health professionals including epidemiologists, physicians, toxicologists, engineers and public health educators.

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Members of the news media can request an interview with ATSDR staff by calling the ATSDR Office of Communication at 404-498-0070.


Back to ATSDR Home page

Updated by R. Searfoss October 7, 2004
For more information, contact ATSDR at:
1-888-422-8737 or e-mail (public inquiries)
404-498-0080 or e-mail (news media)


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