"PRESENTATION TO THE TENNESSEE GOVERNOR'S PANEL
INVESTIGATING THE TSCA INCINERATOR"
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PRESENTATION TO THE
TENNESSEE GOVERNOR'S PANEL
INVESTIGATING THE TSCA INCINERATOR
JUNE 26, 1997
BY THE COALITION FOR A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
AN INDEPENDENT AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE TSCAI IS IMPERATIVE
o To ensure the health of ETTP site employees, area residents, and the
environment
o To cultivate trust of DOE
o To attract new industries and jobs to the Oak Ridge area
o To determine whether it is the best option for waste treatment
o To ensure it is operating safely
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
THE TSCAI HAS A HISTORY OF APPARENT IMPROPRIETY
o The design and the EIS process; the need for an SEIS
o The trial burn vs. waste being burned today
o The permit
o Skipping characterization of waste from reliable customers
o Residues going to a sanitary landfill
o An "experimental" facility operating continuously with changes in feedstock
o Unmonitored releases from the TRV
o Claims of no continuous emissions monitoring technology although one such
technology was developed by Y-12
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
RECENT EVENTS NECESSITATE INVESTIGATION
o Air toxics and combustion research
o New technologies
o Out-of-state waste
o Health concerns
o Incineration and health effects research
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
CHE'S VISION OF THE PANEL'S MISSION
o Monitor continuously all emissions independently: do not rely on DOE's
monitors
o Compare the design and operation to other hazardous and radioactive waste
incinerators
o Obtain the latest air toxics and combustion research
o Obtain the latest data on the health effects of incineration
o Obtain the latest data on health effects of multiple toxicities
o Compare the trial burn and permit to current activities
o Obtain data on state-of-the-art hazardous and radioactive waste treatment
options
o Provide ample opportunities for workers and residents in the planning,
execution and reporting of the panel's activities
o Review and assess the effectiveness of the EPA's and the state's roles
and responsibilities of regulation and oversight
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
WHAT IS THE COALITION FOR A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT?
An educational and support group of Oak Ridge area employees of DOE and its
contractors, residents, and concerned citizens who since November 1995 have
been looking for answers to their illnesses. In spite of illness and
disabilities,
we have managed to stay together and become organized.
PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL INVESTIGATING THE TSCA
INCINERATOR-JUNE 26, 1997
THE COALITION FOR A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT'S (CHE) MISSION IS TO
o Provide support to its members in all aspects of managing the problems
associated with declined health, loss of employment, and retaliation;
o Educate its members, the public, and its legislative representatives;
o Establish liaisons with other organizations interested in similar issues
and work those issues;
o Monitor conduct of local industry where it relates to health, safety and
the environment;
o Alert public officials, citizens and the media to unsafe and unhealthy
industrial practices;
o Research environmental health, occupational medicine, and legal issues; and
o Dedicate its efforts to reversing environmental degradation in the
central east Tennessee area.
WHY IS CHE INVOLVED?
RECENT HISTORY OF EXPOSURE RELATED ILLNESSES
o Health concerns first reported to LMES VP in March 1995
o Throughout 1995, employees filed medical incident reports (MIRs) related
to exposures
o In fall of 1995, an employee went to the Union and requested a NIOSH
review, which was denied
o In January 1996, a group of employees submitted a request for a NIOSH
Health Hazard Evaluation
o NIOSH conducted an inadequate and limited study, yet claimed conclusive
results
o LMES conducted air sampling tests; however, the University of Alabama
pointed out many technical problems and errors
o Employees wrote hundreds of letters to DOE and LMES management, Governor
Sundquist, and representatives
RECENT HISTORY OF EXPOSURE RELATED ILLNESSES (continued)
o In response to the numerous MIRs, LMES began sending employees to
Vanderbilt (VU) for evaluation
o Employees were not given a choice of three physicians as required by
Workman's Compensation
o VU did a limited review of employees and concluded that there was no
occupational exposure, thereby denying employees rights under worker
compensation laws
o LMES established a Working Group to address employee health concerns
o The Working Group made recommendations to LMES management which were
never acted upon. [Note: Before the NIOSH study was completed. LMES
announced plans to conduct some testing for cyanide exposure. The state
purpose was to establish acceptable reference ranges. Ironically Dr.
Edelman (VU) who had previously insisted that spot samples were worthless,
now insisted on spot samples instead of the 24-hour samples we had
requested. We feel that it is significant that LMES refused to sample
spouses and children of effected employees. NIOSH concluded all testing
was unnecessary.]
o Local physicians began refusing to test and treat employees
o One employee was refused access to a company physician at K-25 Health
Services, and K-25 Health Services refused to enter exposure documentation
into her file
RECENT HISTORY OF EXPOSURE RELATED ILLNESSES (continued)
o At the request of employees and under pressure from DOE HQ, LMES finally
brought in outside physicians in October 1996 to evaluate employee health
problems-so far, we have received little feedback related to their
examinations other than to order testing for some.
o Many sick workers have NOT filed MIRs because they are afraid-the U.S.
Department of Labor has, in fact, determined that LMES did retaliate
against one worker who raised health and safety concerns
WHY IS CHE INVOLVED?
SYMPTOMS
o Immune and auto-immune disorders
o Cardiopulmonary dysfunction
o Vision and hearing loss
o Neurological problems
o Gastrointestinal problems
o Reproductive problems
o Chronic pain
o Chronic fatigue
Note: Symptoms encompass all bodily systems. When viewed individually,
they may appear to be vague, non-specific or unexplainable, particularly to
those unfamiliar with toxicology. When viewed over the entire group, one
sees amazing consistency and similarity. We live in different towns and
the only unifying factor is working is the same place or living nearby.
WHY IS CHE INVOLVED?
MEDICAL INFORMATION
o Over 50 (probably more now) people have filed medical incident reports
o Over 150 people have contacted The Coalition for a Healthy Environment
expressing health concerns-not all are employees
o Elevated urine thiocyanate levels-these levels drop to zero or near zero
when workers are off-site
o Elevated blood cyanide levels
o Evidence of metals exposure has been found in hair, blood, and urine.
These metals are the same ones found in abundance on the ORR and in the
feedstock of TSCAI.
SOURCES OF POTENTIAL EXPOSURE ON THE OAK RIDGE RESERVATION
The following are a FEW examples that all is NOT well and safe in Oak Ridge.
o Metals in the Clinch River exceed state water quality criteria, although
this information is not posted
- mercury levels for fish and aquatic life
- arsenic levels for human recreation
o Uranium hexafluoride cylinders stored at K-25 are leaking as documented
by DNFSB
o The K-25 Main plant is contaminated and this contamination is migrating
as acknowledged by DOE
o Neither LMES nor DOE have provided data to show that the incinerator is
not a health hazard-lack of monitoring ensures that emissions remain unknown
o Sludge from the City of Oak Ridge sewage treatment plant contains metals
and radionuclides; this sludge is disposed of on the ORR. This activity
was awarded a pollution prevention award by DOE this year.
o Sediment containing mercury from East Fork Poplar Creek was used as fill
under schools and the Civic Center
WHY IS CHE INVOLVED?
OUR MEDICAL DILEMMA
o There is evidence of environmentally-induced disease clustering in Oak
Ridge and no rigorous clinical studies have ever been done. Most studies
involved documenting off-site releases, were directed by company officials,
or did not include physicians.
o Few physicians have any experience with clinical toxicology-none in
Knoxville or Oak Ridge area and none in LMES insurance providers' networks
o Requests to LMES for workers compensation benefits have been denied
o Some physicians have refused to test employees for toxins and have
refused to refer employees to appropriate specialists
o Local physicians cannot diagnose and treat the unexplained illnesses, and
many have dismissed them as psychological disorders
o LMES's insurance providers refuse to honor referrals to physicians with
experience in toxicology, hence effectively denying treatment to sick
workers and rendering their insurance virtually useless. [Because LMES is
self insured, all decisions and policy pronouncements by the insurance
providers are being directed by LMES.]
o Employees have had a very difficult time obtaining a copy of the LMES
agreement with insurance providers. There are two providers and only one
contract has been provided and only after many requests over several months.
Note: Documents recently declassified significantly alter the risk
assessment models that are the foundations of the standards used to define
operational parameters.
THE SOLUTION
HEALTH
o Independent and confidential medical evaluation, monitoring, and
treatment funded by LMES or DOE
o Comprehensive testing, e.g. wider testing of Oak Ridge employees and
residents and comparative sampling of spouses of children (particularly
those who do not come into Oak Ridge) of affected employees. This would
help to determine whether ETTP is the major source of contamination.
o Uninterrupted medical coverage for affected workers' lifetimes
ENVIRONMENT
o Thorough and independent evaluation of the K-25 Site and environs to
identify, contain, and monitor ALL the hazards that endanger the citizens
of Tennessee
o Aggressive and thorough clean-up of Oak Ridge and environs
THE SOLUTION continued
INSTITUTIONAL
o Ensure prompt and thorough compliance with Worker's Compensation laws.
o Institute a moratorium on leasing of any K-25 facility until such
investigation and mitigation are complete.
o Ensure that the DNFSB follows up on its findings and that DOE addresses
those findings.
o Require DOE to aggressively de classify documents (particularly those
pertaining to health) and to STOP the destruction of classified documents.
o Require DOE to act on the recommendations of the ATSDR and EPA regarding
hazardous waste incinerators.
o Require DOE to have a moratorium on leasing of any ETTP facility until
investigation and mitigation are complete.
o Require EPA to enforce the Federal regulations impacting the hazardous
industries in the Oak Ridge area.
ALL WE REALLY WANT IS
o To get well and, for some of us, to return to the work force.
o To get some answers.
When someone has cancer or needs a knee operation, everyone understands
family, friends, doctors,
insurance companies. We acknowledge that what we have is politically
incorrect. It is also indescribably
frustrating and occasionally depressing to fight these barriers daily.
WE WONDER DAILY WHETHER
o Will we ever get treatment?
o Will we ever get well?
o Will we see health effects later in life?
o Will we ever be able to work again?
o Does America care?
"Medical and public awareness of environmental illnesses has grown over the
past twenty years.
Several research centers around the world have published in peer-reviewed
journals on the ill-
health effects of environmental factors. Experiments investigating the
combined effects of
multiple low-dose exposures to chemicals have revealed the multi-system
dysfunction that
environmental physicians have been describing for years."
Adrienne Buffaloe, MD
New York City
You have been asked by the Governor to serve the State of Tennessee and ALL
of its citizens.
"To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or
measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.
Donald A. Adams
"A scientist...shouldn't be asked to judge the economic and moral value of
his work. All we should ask the scientist to do is find the truth--and
then not keep it from anyone."
Arthur Kornberg
San Francisco Examiner and Chronicle
December 19, 1971