By Ron Fonger
Flint - The state of Michigan (click here) says a Flint chemical company with a permit to discharge into the Flint River appears to be responsible for contaminated stormwater or groundwater that has found its way into the city’s storm sewer system.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued a violation notice on Sept. 21 to Lockhart Chemical Company after testing of groundwater and storm sewers in and around the plant on James P. Cole Boulevard showed elevated levels of PFAS, 1,4-dioxane, arsenic, vinyl chloride, and other chemicals....
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued a violation notice on Sept. 21 to Lockhart Chemical Company after testing of groundwater and storm sewers in and around the plant on James P. Cole Boulevard showed elevated levels of PFAS, 1,4-dioxane, arsenic, vinyl chloride, and other chemicals....
As a public health analyst, I have studied the harm caused by these chemicals. I am one of hundreds of scientists who are calling for a comprehensive, effective plan to manage the entire class of PFAS to protect public health while safer alternatives are developed.
Typically, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assesses chemicals for potential harm, it examines one substance at a time. That approach isn’t working for PFAS, given the sheer number of them and the fact that manufacturers commonly replace toxic substances with “regrettable substitutes” – similar, lesser-known chemicals that also threaten human health and the environment....
1,4-Dioxane
...1,4-Dioxane (click here) is a likely contaminant at many sites contaminated with
certain chlorinated solvents (particularly 1,1,1-trichloroethane [TCA])
because of its widespread use as a stabilizer for chlorinated solvents
(EPA 2013a; Mohr 2001). Historically, the main use (90 percent) of 1,4-
dioxane was as a stabilizer of chlorinated solvents such as TCA
(ATSDR 2012). Use of TCA was phased out under the 1995 Montreal
Protocol and the use of 1,4-dioxane as a solvent stabilizer was
terminated (ECJRC 2002; NTP 2016). Lack of recent reports for other
previously reported uses suggest that many other industrial, commercial
and consumer uses were also stopped...
Arsenic
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the environment that can enter the food supply through soil, water or air. Arsenic levels in the environment are generally low but can vary depending on the natural geological makeup of local areas. For example, volcanic eruptions can bring arsenic from the earth’s interior to the surface. Contamination from mining, fracking, coal-fired power plants, arsenic-treated lumber, and arsenic-containing pesticides also contribute to increased levels of arsenic in certain locations....
Vinyl Choloride
Vinyl chloride (click here) is a colorless gas that burns easily. It does not occur naturally and must be produced industrially for its commercial uses. Vinyl chloride is used primarily to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC); PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials. Vinyl chloride is also produced as a combustion product in tobacco smoke.
How are people exposed to vinyl chloride?
Workers at facilities where vinyl chloride is produced or used may be exposed primarily through inhalation. The general population may be exposed by inhaling contaminated air or tobacco smoke. In the environment, the highest levels of vinyl chloride are found in air around factories that produce vinyl products. If a water supply is contaminated, vinyl chloride can enter household air when the water is used for showering, cooking, or laundry
.
Which cancers are associated with exposure to vinyl chloride?
Vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer (hepatic angiosarcoma), as well as brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia.
Which cancers are associated with exposure to vinyl chloride?
Vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer (hepatic angiosarcoma), as well as brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia.
How can exposures be reduced?
The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration provides information about exposure limits to vinyl chloride....
The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration provides information about exposure limits to vinyl chloride....
Other Chemicals
Benton Harbor — Michigan on Wednesday (click here) urged residents of Benton Harbor to use bottled water for cooking and drinking, a major shift in response to elevated levels of lead.
The state has been making free bottled water and filters available in the southwestern Michigan city. But the announcement is the first time that authorities recommended that residents in the predominantly Black and mostly low income city reduce their use of tap water.
More than 15,000 cases will be delivered in the days ahead, the state said.
"We’ve listened to the community’s concerns and out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending that residents use bottled water for cooking, drinking and brushing teeth," said Elizabeth Hertel, director of the state health department.
The state last month said it would go door-to-door to distribute filters and show people how to install them. But in its latest statement, the state said the federal government is studying how effective the filters are in reducing lead in drinking water.
