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DPH to monitor PCB-related cancer cases
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Posted on Nov 14 2000
The Department of Public Health will establish a disease surveillance system which will monitor cancer cases on the island specifically in Tanapag village.
Tanapag residents claim that many villagers have died of cancer which they said may be due to high levels of contamination with polychlorinated biphenyl.
Toxicologist Scot Sudweeks said the Agency for Substances and Disease Registry may be able to assist in looking for financial and technical support to DPH.
“We will be working with public health to find answers to the question: Are there more cancer illnesses in Tanapag than any other place? It may be difficult but we will find a way to do that. We don’t have records right now and we have no way of finding out because there is no data registry,” he said.
ATSDR will also be providing training on public health education in the community. During last week’s meeting with Tanapag residents, ATSDR representatives made a commitment to help the community in looking for answers to the health problems in the village.
Dr. Robert Johnson and Mr. Sudweeks have revealed that PCB level of exposure among Tanapag residents was very low and would not cause any health problems.
Some 17 people in the village were found to have high levels of PCB contamination out of more than 1,000 who underwent blood testing and general medical check-up.
A public health assessment report will be made by ATSDR about the PCB exposure in Tanapag to be released early 2001. Dr. Farhana Habib, medical director of the Commonwealth Health Center, and Dr. Richard Brostrom met with each resident last week explaining the results of the PCB test.
Meanwhile, cleanup of Cemetery 2 in Tanapag which has high levels of PCB contamination in soil is currently ongoing and expected to be completed next month. A number of areas in the village which have high levels of PCB will also be included in the cleanup.
Treatment of soil is expected to begin early 2001 using the low indirect thermal desorption process. (LFR)
