Report: No health risks near NBTHS
Residents say assessment is not sufficient regarding effects of contamination
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer
There is "no apparent public health risk" at the North Brunswick Township High School and its surrounding areas associated with the soil contamination found in 2003, according to a preliminary public health assessment.

Last Thursday, township officials and representatives from the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services and the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry held a meeting to discuss the remediation project that resulted from the expansion of the high school in 2003. The primary concern for the school, Veterans Park, Judd Elementary School, a PSE&G easement and six nearby residences was arsenic in surface soil, lead in settled dust and tetrachloroethylene (TCE) in groundwater.

In July 2003, waste material consisting of pharmaceutical and laboratory wastes, glass vials, bottles and an unidentified dark brown material were uncovered near and within the Oval area of the high school, which is where the current auditorium sits. It is believed that the site was used as a municipal dump between the 1940s and 1960s. Approximately 9,200 cubic yards of waste materials and soil were excavated and removed, according to the report.

Since that time, officials said 54 soil samples and 18 interior surface samples were taken from the high school, and 10 interior surface samples were collected from Judd, with follow-up tests conducted. The high school perimeter and football field, as well as the neighboring park and residences at block 143, lots 94.01 and 95.01 were also examined.

Although remediation is still needed at Veterans Park and efforts will continue to oversee and limit any possible groundwater and vapor contamination, the report states that there are no cancer or noncancer health risks associated with the project.

Glenn Pulliam, an occupational health consultant for the state Department of Health & Senior Services, said that arsenic, lead and TCE were identified as the main contaminants, but that by calculating an exposure dose while considering one's body weight, age and ingestion rate, the noted areas have a low level of susceptibility for children through age 10. Pulliam also said that levels of arsenic found at Judd and the high school do not exceed the cleanup criteria as established by the state, and that evaluators took into account a 30-year exposure rate, and therefore "noncancer health effects are not expected."

In regard to lead affecting children, Pulliam again said the levels found were below maximum levels set forth by the state, and that there is a "less than 1 percent probability" that the lead will cause elevated blood lead levels in children up to 7 years old.

Referring to cancer statistics, Pulliam said the National Cancer Institute expects 46 percent of men and 38 percent of women to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifespan. However, he said the lifetime excess cancer risk from the contamination, in addition to the cancer institute's risk, is a "low increased risk," meaning that one to 100 people per million people in the population would expect to develop cancer from the contaminations at the sites. He said the cumulative excess cancer risk for all of the concerned properties would be at the low increased risk level for children and adults, based on the state's Cancer Epidemiology Program through 2001.

"There is an increased risk but the focus is what is the increased risk?" Pulliam said, agreeing with a resident that even just one more cancer case would be considered an increased risk. Yet, he noted that if the normal risk is 46 out of 1 million, one excess case would be a 46.00001 increased risk.

"The likelihood of seeing any increased cancer risk is very low," he said.

A question was brought forth regarding a lawsuit filed against the township in which a resident claimed an injury due to arsenic exposure. Although township Business Administrator Robert Lombard said the case was settled, he called it a "business decision" and said that an agreement of confidentiality was included in the settlement.

Overall, residents who attended the meeting were not satisfied with the report, claiming insufficient data. One parent claimed his son "lived in the dirt" for 18 years as an athlete and developed a brain tumor, although he is not positive there is a correlation.Astudent noted that the epidemiology report is only calculated through 2001, but statistics may have changed through 2008. Another person mentioned that the cancer rates should be evaluated specific to the area surrounding the high school and not broadened out to the general population, since any health effects will involve North Brunswick.

Also, residents are concerned that there could have been inhalation of chemicals since the investigation and remediation phase began, and that sites that have not been remediated, such as the high school perimeter, the overused football field and Judd school, could have contaminants in the soil that become disturbed and loosened as time goes on. One parent is concerned that no additional testing was done at Judd before the current expansion and renovation project began.

"There is no reason for us to believe any dumping occurred in the Veterans Park area or the high school area that was over toward Judd Elementary," said Pulliam, saying that areas surrounding The Oval were tested until no evidence of more contaminants were found, about a 700- foot radius from the original site. Pulliam also said Judd had about nine samples collected originally which all came in well below state standards.

Gloria Hunsberger, of the Kleinfelder environmental firm, said that the Department of Environmental Protection extended surface soil samples beyond the area of contamination, but since the levels were below the state cleanup criteria, there was no necessity to look beyond that boundary.

"There were detectable levels of lead and arsenic, but they were below the residential cleanup criteria which is a stringent cleanup criteria the state has," she said. "We collected a number of samples, and as you get near the areas behind the high school, we did additional samples along that area, and we weren't getting levels of arsenic or lead above state health standards."

However, Pulliam said he will bring any questions back to the preparers of the study and have additional information after the public comment period is completed.

In the near future, monitoring wells will be monitored at various locations on the properties and an exploratory pilot treatment to neutralize any TCE in the groundwater will begin this month. In the meantime, representatives said there are diagnostic medical tests available at physicians' offices to test for lead and arsenic exposure. Copies of the report are available at the business administrator's office or the municipal clerk's office at 710 Hermann Road, the Board of Education on Old Georges Road, and the library at 880 Hermann Road. Public comment will be open through Feb. 29. For more information contact Lombard at (732) 247- 0922, ext. 435, or at RLombard@northbrunswickonline. com.