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ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
ATSDR Releases Final Public Health Assessment for
the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Kentucky

For Immediate Release: June 10, 2002

What: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today announced the release of the final Public Health Assessment for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Paducah, Kentucky.

Following an evaluation of available relevant information, ATSDR concluded that, under existing conditions and normal operations, this site poses no apparent public health hazard for the surrounding community from current (1990-present) exposures to groundwater, surface water, soil and sediment, biota, or air. No apparent public health hazard means that people might be exposed to contaminated environmental media (e.g., air, water, soil) near the site, but this exposure is not expected to cause any adverse health effects.

ATSDR determined that a future urgent public health hazard could result from the rupture or destruction of one, or more, depleted uranium cylinders during a transportation accident involving fire, a plane crash, severe weather, or other natural disaster. Although such incidents are unlikely, they must be recognized as possible.

ATSDR determined that historical groundwater exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) and lead is a public health hazard for children who routinely drink water from any of four residential wells.

ATSDR determined that past and potential future exposures to vinyl chloride from groundwater, and uranium and hydrogen fluoride from acute air exposures, are an indeterminate public health hazard, because existing information is insufficient to make any other determination. However, ATSDR concluded that past long-term (chronic) exposures to airborne uranium and hydrogen fluoride were below levels of public health concern.

Among ATSDR's recommendations included in the public health assessment are the following:

• Continue to ship depleted uranium to and from the site in transport cylinders or overpacks approved for transport by the appropriate regulatory authorities.
• Prevent installation of new wells in areas of the contaminated groundwater plume, and prevent future use of existing contaminated wells by disconnecting, dismantling, or plugging the wells.
• Encourage residents who are concerned about the possibility of lead in their drinking water to have their water tested.
• Continue groundwater monitoring, including areas possibly affected by the contamination plumes, and areas near Little Bayou Creek, Bayou Creek, and the North-South Diversion Ditch.
• Continue to monitor the McNairy Aquifer wells to detect possible migration of contaminants from the Regional Gravel Aquifer, unless monitoring wells are found to be a conduit for vertical migration of contaminants.
• Ensure that detection limits for degradation products of trichloroethylene (TCE), such as vinyl chloride, in groundwater analyses are sensitive enough to determine whether concentrations exceed accepted health-based guidelines.
• Continue to restrict access to Little Bayou Creek, the outfalls, and the North- South Diversion Ditch.
• Continue to monitor biota to ensure that it is safe to consume.
• Develop a spatially and statistically consistent soil-sampling program to assess accumulation of airborne contaminants in residential areas.

Where: The public health assessment is available for public review at the following repositories:

Requests for a copy of the public health assessment should be sent to the following address:

Background: ATSDR public health assessments report information about hazardous substances in the environment and evaluate whether exposure to those substances in the past, present or future could be harmful to people in the area. They identify health studies or other activities that might be needed and make recommendations to other

government agencies, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency and state and local health and environmental departments, regarding actions to protect public health.

For More Information:Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content of the public health assessment should contact Carol Connell, ATSDR health assessor, toll free, at 1-888-42ATSDR (1-888-422-8737). Callers should refer to the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

Members of the news media are requested to make an appointment to interview ATSDR staff. Phone John Florence or Kathy Skipper, ATSDR Office of Policy and External Affairs, at (404) 498-0070.

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This page last updated on July 11, 2002
For more information, contact ATSDR at:
1-888-422-8737 or e-mail: atsdric@cdc.gov(public inquiries)
(404) 498-0080 or e-mail: atsdmediainquiries@cdc.gov (news media)

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