|
State officials discuss Bedford
contamination
Hoosier Times -
11/7
BEDFORD — More
than half of nearly 200 Bedford residents surveyed by state health
officials feel they've been exposed to PCBs.
With that figure
in mind, officials hosted a health education seminar at Parkview
Elementary School Wednesday night for concerned residents.
Over 50 people
turned out, listening carefully to a brief history of how PCBs
were used in U.S. manufacturing plants, health problems that can
result from exposure to the chemicals and how to protect
themselves against exposure.
Bedford's GM
Powertrain plant used PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, in
hydraulic fluid from 1965 to 1972. The chemicals, which don't
readily break down in the environment, have been linked to skin
and liver ailments and may cause cancer.
Last year, GM
agreed to investigate PCB levels on and around its property and in
nearby Bailey's Branch and Pleasant Run Creek and subsequently
found high levels on plant property, in fish in the creeks, and in
sediment near the waterways.
Thirty county
residents have since sued GM, claiming their property was polluted
by PCBs.
During
Wednesday's seminar, residents jumped at the chance to ask
questions.
Several detailed
their specific symptoms, questioning if those symptoms could be
signs of PCB exposure, while others asked if soil samples would be
done near their homes.
One man asked who
would be held responsible for allowing the area to be polluted by
PCBs, while another man who proclaimed himself healthy called the
entire seminar a "scare tactic."
Health officials
offered lists of contact numbers, and encouraged residents to link
up with the proper person or agency to answer their questions.
"We're here
to advocate for you," said Barbara Gibson, a health education
consultant with the state health department. "We're here to
address your questions so this can move forward in a positive
way."
NOTICE: In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C., section 107, some material is provided without
permission from the copyright owner, only for purposes of
criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair
use" provisions of federal copyright laws. These materials
may not be distributed further, except for "fair use,"
without permission of the copyright owner.
|