Testing for Arsenic Levels

At the community meeting last night, several residents asked questions about whether they should be tested for exposure to arsenic.

Here is what the Centers for Disease Control says about arsenic testing:

“There are tests available to measure arsenic in your blood, urine, hair, and fingernails. The urine test is the most reliable test for arsenic exposure within the last few days. Tests on hair and fingernails can measure exposure to high levels of arsenic over the past 6-12 months. These tests can determine if you have been exposed to above-average levels of arsenic. They cannot predict how the arsenic levels in your body will affect your health.”

In the case of Swann Park, the Health Department consulted with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on April 19, within hours after learning of the test results. The Agency did not recommend an immediate urine testing effort. With few people exposed to the park in the couple of days prior to the closure of the park, and the very small chance of substantial soil ingestion, the agency staff were concerned that testing results would not directly reflect exposure to the park and could provide a false sense of safety.

The Health Department also contacted experts at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to review the Swann Park situation. As part of these conversations, all of the experts agreed that urine testing of arsenic would not be helpful or informative.

Most important, all agreed that assessing the risk of the park to city residents does not depend on urine testing.

The best way to assess the risk is to estimate the exposure to the park, and compare that with what’s known about arsenic toxicity. As we discussed at the community meeting last night, ATSDR has begun this effort.

The Health Department also asked ATSDR to make recommendations about whether hair and fingernail testing of arsenic would be worthwhile.

As soon as we hear back, we will post the answer – and arrange testing if advised. If you have questions, please feel free to call your doctor, call the Health Department via 311 or (410 396 4398) or email at bchd@baltimorecity.gov.

Letter from Honeywell

Click here for an April 26 letter to Councilman Reisinger, Dr. Sharfstein, and Connie Brown from Honeywell.

Letters from Health Department

Click here for a copy of Dr. Sharfstein's April 19 letter to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Click here for a copy of Dr. Sharfstein's April 23 letter to MDE Secretary Shari Wilson on the review of neighboring uses of hazardous waste sites in the city.

Information Available Online

The Maryland Department of the Environment has just created a helpful website with many documents related to Swann Park. These include the company documents from the mid-1970s, the recent correspondence that led to the re-testing, and the April 2007 test results.

The website is http://www.mde.state.md.us/CitizensInfoCenter/Health/swannpark.asp

There is also link in the left column of the updates page on the Baltimore City Health Department website.

Meeting for Thursday April 26

We are confirmed for a 5:30 PM Community Meeting this Thursday April 26th at Digital Harbor HS Auditorium. The purpose of the meeting is for staff from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to hear from the community and discuss the Agency's plans for its assessment of the risk to human health of arsenic in the park.

Fishing near Swann Park in the Patapsco River

At the recent community meeting, a question came up about whether it is safe to eat fish caught near the Swann Park area.

Generally, the state has identified the waters of the Baltimore Harbor and the Patapsco as having fish with elevated levels of mercury and other chemicals. The state has established fish consumption guidelines that should be followed by anyone who chooses to continue to use these waterways for fishing.

The Maryland Department of the Environment offers an extensive website on fish consumption in our area, providing guidelines for all citizens, including children and pregnant women. Please see the guidelines online at: http://www.mde.state.md.us/CitizensInfoCenter/FishandShellfish/home/index.asp.

Community Meeting on Swann Park

On April 22, the Mayor and Health Commissioner met with community members at 3 pm at Digital Harbor High School. Also attending were Councilman Reisinger and Delegate McHale. We discussed plans (1) for the Agency for Toxic Releases and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to investigate potential human health concerns from exposure to arsenic and other chemicals at Swann Park; (2) the plan to be put forward by the city and Honeywell with the oversight of the Maryland Department of the Environment to remediate the site; and (3) the investigation to understand who knew about arsenic contamination at the park between 1976 and today. The meeting ended at approximately 5 pm.

ATSDR is assembling its team on Monday. We will schedule an opportunity for the community to provide input into the health review in the near future.

Lead Exposure at Swann Park

The Health Department has posted an information sheet on lead exposure from soil in Swann Park. The factsheet also provides recommendations on reducing the potential for lead and other exposures from soil. [Factsheet]