The County of Blackford has experienced alarming statistics in cancer and other serious health ailments cases in recent history. For 2003-2007, Blackford County’s cancer rate was higher than any other County in Indiana, and it is still within the top percentile. In 2009, Blackford County Concerned Citizens (BCCC) formed when local residents that have grown up and/or lived in Blackford County most of their lives aimed to address the high rates of cancer and neurologic diseases cases within Blackford County. Their primary mission is “to improve the quality of life of Blackford County’s residents by reducing the incidence of diseases, primarily through citizen action, and advocating to have diseases investigated.”
In 2014, the BCCC partnered with the Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) and other environmental specialist organizations to evaluate if there’s a link between existing contamination and the serious illnesses. That’s where EnviroForensics stepped in. Alongside EnviroForensics, Pine Environmental Services, Inc., SCS Environmental Contractors, Inc. and Envision Laboratories, Inc. generously donated their time and resources to help the BCCC and HEC with these investigations.
The HEC reports that Blackford County has a long history of industrial operations that produced hazardous waste, such as lead oxide and arsenic, which could be a contributing factor to current health concerns among its residents. In the 1900s, there were glass factories that used arsenic and lead oxide in their process. Lead oxide was used to enhance the look and make the glass easier to melt. Arsenic helped clear the glass of bubbles and discoloration. However, both lead oxide and arsenic are toxic heavy metals that are harmful to human body nervous system, especially young children. Arsenic is a known carcinogen; exposure is often associated with an increased risk of cancer of the lung, bladder, kidney and skin. Some studies have suggested that it also has an association with colon, prostate and liver cancers.
Since there were no handling or waste disposal regulations for materials containing these toxins in the early 20th century, hazardous materials and waste often were haphazardly discarded, resulting in contaminated soil. The toxins typically concentrated near the ground surface where chances of human exposure through direct contact is most likely.
During the HEC study, EnviroForensics assisted in evaluating historical resources to identify the precise locations of these historical industrial operations. HEC identified numerous old glass factories and gained access for testing soils at three (3) locations for the presence of lead and arsenic. EnviroForensics devised a Sampling and Analysis Plan that included collecting up to twenty, 2-foot long soil cores per Site for analysis of lead and arsenic. On April 17, 2015, Darci Thomas and Michele Murday of EnviroForensics spent the day at the three (3) Blackford County locations collecting soil cores, and geocoding each sample location by GPS. The sampling was completed courtesy of SCS Environmental Contractors, Inc. using a track-mounted direct-push coring machine. A total of 42 soil cores were collected and brought back to the EnviroForensics warehouse for preparation to be analyzed with an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument, courtesy of Pine Environmental Services, Inc. The following week, as a quality control measure, 16 soil samples were selected for laboratory analysis of lead and arsenic by Envision Laboratories, Inc., per U.S. EPA SW-846 Method 6010B. All data was recorded on spreadsheets and maps were produced for each property with all corresponding sample locations. All of the raw data was then provided to HEC for further analysis and consideration.
HEC presented preliminary findings to the BCCC at a local meeting on April 25, 2015. In June, HEC released further results in a press release, reporting that soil samples from Montpelier and Hartford City’s Southside Elementary School contained about the same levels of arsenic and lead as soil generally does in that part of Indiana. But, “A few deposits of arsenic and lead were found at Hartford City’s baseball field, high enough to exceed Indiana’s residential standard, but well within the standard for recreational fields.”
“Dr. Indra Frank, environmental health project director with the Hoosier Environmental Council, said that while levels are acceptable according to state standards, they are high enough to exercise caution when at the baseball fields. Dr. Frank recommends parents do a few simple things to limit exposure to the soil:
· Don’t let children get the soil in their mouths
· After spending time there, wash your hands and children’s hands
· Wash clothes that have soil on them (like baseball uniforms)
· Leave shoes that have been to the site at the door, don’t wear them into your home
“Dr. Frank indicated that while sports are fine at the site, the Hartford City property that has the Babe Ruth field should not be used for housing or growing food crops in the future unless the soil is remediated. Additional soil tests are planned to better define the locations of the heavy metals.”
In an interview with EnviroForensics, Dr. Frank says residential sites near the baseball fields should also be tested, and she thanked EnviroForensics for what she called “a tremendous service to Blackford County.”
EnviroForensics is honored to have been asked to be part of such an important study, and we look forward to continued participation in support of HEC and the people of Blackford County, Indiana.
Kaunti ya Blackford imekuwa na takwimu za kutisha katika saratani na magonjwa mengine makubwa ya afya katika historia ya hivi karibuni. Katika kipindi cha mwaka 2003-2007, kiwango cha saratani katika Kaunti ya Blackford kilikuwa juu kuliko katika Kaunti nyingine yoyote ya Indiana, na bado kilikuwa katika asilimia ya juu. Blackford County Concerned Citizens (BCCC) ni shirika la kijamii la wananchi wa Blackford County, ambalo limekuwa likijitahidi kuondoa idadi kubwa ya magonjwa ya kansa na magonjwa ya neva katika eneo hilo. "Kazi ya BCC ni ""kuongeza ubora wa maisha ya wakazi wa Kaunti ya Blackford kwa kupunguza maambukizi ya magonjwa, hasa kupitia hatua za raia, na kutetea kuwa na magonjwa kuchunguzwa."" - Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) na mashirika mengine ya wataalamu wa mazingira ili kutathmini ikiwa kuna uhusiano kati ya uchafuzi wa mazingira na magonjwa makubwa." Hapo ndipo EnviroForensics ilipochukua hatua. Pamoja na EnviroForensics, Pine Environmental Services, Inc., SCS Environmental Contractors, Inc. na Envision Laboratories, Inc. kwa ukarimu walichangia wakati wao na rasilimali kusaidia BCCI na HEC na uchunguzi huu. HEC inaripoti kwamba Kaunti ya Blackford ina historia ndefu ya shughuli za viwanda ambazo zilitokeza taka hatari, kama vile oksidi ya risasi na arseniki, ambayo inaweza kuwa sababu ya wasiwasi wa sasa wa afya kati ya wakazi wake. Katika miaka ya 1900, viwanda vya kioo vilitumia arseniki na oxide ya risasi katika mchakato wao. Oksidi ya risasi ilitumiwa kuboresha sura ya kioo hicho na kuifanya iwe rahisi kuyeyuka. Arseniki ilisaidia kuondoa vifusi na mabadiliko ya rangi kwenye glasi. Oxide ya risasi na arseniki ni metali nzito zenye sumu ambazo ni hatari kwa mfumo wa neva wa mwili wa binadamu, hasa kwa watoto wadogo. Arsenic ni carcinogen inayojulikana; mfiduo mara nyingi huhusishwa na hatari iliyoongezeka ya kansa ya mapafu, kibofu cha mkojo, figo na ngozi. Uchunguzi fulani umedokeza kwamba pia inahusiana na kansa ya utumbo mzito, ya tezi-kibofu, na ya ini. Kwa kuwa hakukuwa na kanuni za utunzaji au kutupa taka kwa vifaa vyenye sumu hizi mwanzoni mwa karne ya 20, vifaa hatari na taka mara nyingi zilitupwa kwa nasibu, na kusababisha udongo uliosababishwa na uchafuzi. Kwa kawaida sumu hizo huhifadhiwa karibu na uso wa ardhi ambapo uwezekano wa mtu kuambukizwa kwa kuwasiliana moja kwa moja ni mkubwa zaidi. Katika utafiti wa HEC, EnviroForensics ilisaidia katika kutathmini rasilimali za kihistoria ili kutambua maeneo sahihi ya shughuli hizi za kihistoria za viwanda. HEC iligundua viwanda vingi vya zamani vya kioo na kupata upatikanaji wa kuchunguza udongo katika maeneo matatu kwa uwepo wa risasi na arseniki. EnviroForensics ilibuni Mpango wa Sampuli na Uchambuzi ambao ulijumuisha kukusanya hadi vipande vya udongo vya mita mbili kwa kila tovuti kwa uchambuzi wa risasi na arseniki. Darcy Thomas na Michele Murdaugh wa EnviroForensics walifanya kazi katika maeneo matatu ya Kaunti ya Blackford, wakikusanya nyuklia za udongo na kuweka nambari ya kila eneo la sampuli kwa GPS. Mfano huo ulikamilishwa kwa heshima ya SCS Environmental Contractors, Inc. kwa kutumia mashine ya kusukuma moja kwa moja ya reli. Kwa jumla, vipande 42 vya udongo vilikusanywa na kupelekwa kwenye ghala la EnviroForensics kwa ajili ya kutayarishwa kwa kuchambuliwa na chombo cha X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), kwa heshima ya Pine Environmental Services, Inc. Kwa mfano, katika uchunguzi wa maabara ya Envision, sampuli 16 za udongo zilitolewa kwa ajili ya uchunguzi wa maabara ya risasi na arseniki, kulingana na kanuni ya EPA SW-846 (Mafunzo 6010B). Takwimu zote zilirekodiwa kwenye karatasi na ramani zilitengenezwa kwa kila mali na maeneo yote ya sampuli inayolingana. Takwimu zote za awali zilitolewa kwa HEC kwa uchambuzi zaidi na kuzingatia. HEC ilitoa matokeo ya awali kwa BCC katika mkutano wa ndani Aprili 25, 2015. HEC ilitoa matokeo zaidi katika taarifa ya vyombo vya habari, ikiripoti kwamba sampuli za udongo kutoka Montpelier na Hartford City's Southside Elementary School zilikuwa na viwango sawa vya arseniki na risasi kama udongo unavyofanya kwa ujumla katika sehemu hiyo ya Indiana. Lakini, <unk>Maeneo machache ya arseniki na risasi yalipatikana katika uwanja wa besiboli wa Hartford City, ya juu vya kutosha kupita kiwango cha makazi cha Indiana, lakini ndani ya kiwango cha uwanja wa burudani.<unk> <unk>Dakt. "Indra Frank, mkurugenzi wa mradi wa afya ya mazingira na Halmashauri ya Mazingira ya Hoosier, alisema kwamba wakati viwango ni kukubalika kulingana na viwango vya serikali, ni vya juu vya kutosha kuwa makini wakati wa uwanja wa baseball. """ "Mwanamke huyo aliwaambia wazazi wa watoto wake ""wasiruhusu watoto wako kupata udongo kinywani mwao, baada ya kutumia muda huko, osha mikono yako na mikono ya watoto wako, safisha nguo zilizo na udongo (kama mavazi ya besiboli) na kuacha viatu ambavyo vimekuwa kwenye tovuti mlangoni, usivaa nyumbani kwako.""" "Mwanamke huyo alisema, ""Hata kama michezo iko vizuri katika eneo hilo, mali ya mji wa Hartford ambayo ina uwanja wa Babe Ruth haipaswi kutumiwa kwa ajili ya makazi au kukuza mazao ya chakula katika siku zijazo isipokuwa udongo utasafishwa.""" "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika taarifa ya EnviroForensics, ""EnviroForensics inafurahi kuwa na jukumu la kusaidia HEC na watu wa Kaunti ya Blackford, Indiana."""