NCD980602163_19971001_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Closing the Gap newsletter - Environmental Injustice - Landfill Prompts Concern in NC-OCR

OCTOBER 1997 A newsletter from the Office of Minority Health
Office of Minority Health Public Health Service U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Environmental Injustice?
Landfill Prompts Concern in North Carolina
For Massenberg Kearney, the
worst part about living less
than half a mile from a toxic waste
landfill is the uncertainty. He knows
that it can take years for the harmful
effects of toxic waste exposure to show
up. And as far as he knows, it's not
clear how much, if at all, his health is at
risk.
"There's nothing I can really put
my hands on," he said. "When I have
health problems or when a lot of my
animals die, I do wonder if it has
anything to do with the landfill."
Fifteen years have passed since the
state of North Carolina constructed the
landfill in Warren County. Not
everyone there is concerned about it.
But then there are those like Mr.
Kearney who have questions: Is the
landfill leaking? Is the health of my
family in danger? What is the state
doing to clean up the site? And why
did the state choose my community to
contain hazardous waste?
The answers vary depending on
who you ask, and therein lies a
significant source of the frustration and
confusion among some Warren
County residents.
"Sometimes it seems like we're in
the same place we were in 1982," said
Kearney, referring to when he marched
in protests of the landfill.
The controversy began in 1978
when oil contaminated with toxic
chemicals called polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) was illegally dumped
along more than 200 miles of
road shoulders in 14 counties in North
Carolina. State officials chose a site near
the town of Afton to contain the more
than 6,000 truckloads of toxic soil.
Afton has a population of approxi-
mately 1600 and is 85 percent African
American. The town is located at the
southern end of Warren County, also
mostly African American, and one of
the poorest counties in North Carolina.
Some believe these characteristics led
Warren County to become the final
choice as the disposal site.
"When community members don't
have a lot of political and economic
resources, it makes it harderto fight
back," said Ken Ferruccio, a community
activist who lives near the landfill and
had a major role in the protests. "The
state was trying to follow the path of
the least resistance."
But from the state's perspective,
the site near Afton was chosen because
it was the most environmentally
suitable. "We looked at 93 sites in 13
counties, and considered several factors
in making a decision, such as the soil
characteristics of the area and the
population density-the site that would
affect the least amount of people," said
Bill Meyer, director of the Division of
Waste Management for North
Carolina's Department of Environ-
ment, Health, and Natural Resources.
Public concern about the landfill
turned into organized protest in
September of 1982, and the environ-
mental justice movement advanced to a
national level. Led by leading civil rights
groups, all kinds of people-Whites,
African Americans, Hispanics, Asians,
and Native Americans-participated in
six weeks of protests that involved
marching and blocking the roads to the
landfill. The protests resulted in more
than 550 arrests, attracting the attention
of the national media and Congress.
At the request of Walter Fauntroy,
former District of Columbia delegate
and then chairman of the Congres-
sional Black Caucus, the U.S. General
Accounting Office conducted an
investigation in 1983 that confirmed a
suspected pattern. Three out of four
disposal sites in the Southeastern
United States were located in mostly
poor, African American communities.
"When community
members don't have
political and economic
resources, it makes it
harder to fight back."
Despite the protests in Warren
County, the landfill was completed,
which came as no surprise to residents.
"We knew the trucks would be rolling
in," said Deborah Ferruccio, Ken's wife.
"We blocked those roads to make a
point, and to make the state think twice
about putting other dumps here." It
marked the first time people were
arrested over the siting of a landfill.
(contd. on next page)
(contd. from previous page)
"It's a gross injustice any time a toxic
waste facility is put in a community that
is already destitute," according to Dollie
Burwell. She has lived four miles from
the landfill since 1972 and also had a
major role in the protests.
"Not only do we wonder about our
health," she said, "but the landfill has
had a negative impact on the value of
our land." Many people have worked
hard to cultivate land, only to find that
the landfill has devalued their property.
That kind of blow can be devastating.
Often overlooked is the psychologi-
cal impact of living near a toxic waste
landfill. Ms. Burwell's daughter, Kim,
who was 10 years old at the time of the
protests, wouldn't go out for recess at
school because she was frightened; she
had heard a rumor that breathing the
air could kill her instantaneously.
The drinking water was also an
issue. Many children at South
Warren Elementary School didn't
want to drink the water for fear of
the PCBs. "Even now, when Kim
comes here to visit, she won't drink the
water," Ms. Burwell said.
Both Mr. Kearney and the
Ferruccios have recently spent at
least $5,000 on water filters because
they wonder about the safety of their
drinking water. "I don't know for sure
that the filtering helps, but it makes me
feel better," Mr. Kearney said. "I do it
because those PCBs are poisonous."
And while worrying about the
water is understandable, there is no
direct evidence that the drinking water
in the area around the landfill is
contaminated with PCBs, according to
Joel Hirschhorn, independent science
advisor to the Joint Warren County I
State PCB Landfill Working Group, of
which Ms. Burwell serves as co-chair.
"Of more concern is contamina-
tion in the air and soil," said Dr.
Hirschhorn, who believes the landfill is
leaking. "We have hard evidence that
there are cracks in the top liner of the
landfill, which is why it's not surprising
that we've found PCB air emissions."
The PCB Landfill Working Group,
made up of local citizens and local and
state officials, recently contacted Region
4 of the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), charging that the landfill
does not comply with federal regula-
tions.
Closing the Gap
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs)
PCBs rank sixth on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)/
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of top 20 hazardous substances. In the past,
PCBs were widely used as coolants, insulating materials, and lubricants in electrical
'equipment such as transformers. The United States stopped making the toxic chemicals in
1977 because of health effects associated with exposure. Routes of exposure to PCBs
include drinking water, contaminated food such as fish, and skin contact to soil and air. It is
widely accepted that PCBs resistance to decomposition in soil and water threatens wildlife.
According to ATSDR, repeated skin contact to PCBs in rabbits caused liver, kidney, and skin
damage; a single large exposure to skin caused death in rabbits. PCBs' effects on humans,
however, are not clear. PCBs are among those substances that are probable carcinogens
based on animal experiments, according to the American Cancer Society. We cannot
definitively say that PCBs cause cancer, said Bail us Walker, professor of environmental
medicine and associate director of Howard University's Cancer Center in Washington, D.C.
"Some PCBs may be a risk factor for cancer."
Alleged violations pertain to ground-
water monitoring and leachate
management.
According to EPA, there is 10 to 15
feet of standing water in the landfill,
which is unacceptable because of the
potential for that water to be released
into the environment. "The county is
in a vulnerable position," Ms. Burwell
said, "because the liner could break
away at any moment." This could be a
dangerous occurrence if the water is
contaminated.
EPA is requiring that the state
upgrade the landfill's leachate removal
system. The agency is also conducting
its own investigation on whether the
landfill is leaking. According to Craig
Brown, an environmental engineer
with EPA, "Monitoring data so far is
insufficient to determine if the landfill
is releasing toxic substances to the
environment."
Both EPA and the state of North
Carolina maintained that the landfill is
"relatively safe." But Dr. Hirschhorn
has another opinion. He called the
landfill "an unsafe situation." How
unsafe, he added, is a tough question.
"In addition to PCBs, we have found
Dioxins in a couple of monitoring
wells near the landfill." Dioxins are
chemicals viewed as even more toxic
thanPCBs.
In Dr. Hirschhorn's view, there are
a couple of choices in this scenario. The
state can use technology to detoxify the
landfill completely and make it safe,
which is what the Working Group is
pushing for. There are technologies
today that did not exist before. Or the
state can take a cheaper route, making
2
some repairs such as putting in a new
top liner or pumping the water out.
Bill Meyer said his team at North
Carolina's division of waste manage-
ment is committed to doing both: "We
plan to make the repairs and we are also
working on selecting a feasible
technology to detoxify the landfill," he
said. "We are getting cost estimates,
and expect it will cost between 20 to 30
million dollars to detoxify the landfill.
Then we'll go to the General Assembly
to request the funds." Whether the
state legislature will appropriate funds
is hard to tell.
"Detoxifying is an expensive
proposition," Dr. Hirschhorn said.
"But it's worth it to the people who
live there."
Ms. Bobbi Riley doesn't plan to
wait and see what the state's next move
will be. She has lived two miles from
the landfill for eight years, and her
family has decided to risk the financial
loss and move to another county. "I
worry about all the times I told my
kids to go outside and get some fresh
air," she said. "The chance that my
family's health is in danger is a chance
I'm not willing to take."
Moving is the right choice for
Riley's family, but not everyone near the
landfill can afford to make or even
wants to make that choice. Mr. Kearney,
for example, has family ties to Warren
County. .
"I was born here and own 35 acres
of land in this area," he said. "I can't
just pick up and leave. This is my
home."
The PCB Landfill Working Group
can be reached at 919-2 5 7-1948.
--by Michelle Meadows
Minority Health
Perspective
EnvironmentalF,quity:
Colleges and Universities Gm Help
by Bai/us Walker,jr.,PhD,MPH . .
Associate Director, Cancer Center at Howard U ruvemty
Medical Center, and professor of environmental
and occupational medicine
Environmental policies have improved steadily and
substantially in the United States since Americans
celebrated their first Earth Day in 1970 to demonstrate their
growing concerns about the environme~t. ~ut g~ographic
areas inhabited chiefly by racial and ethnic rrunonty groups are
still more likely than mostly White areas to experience serious
air, water, and soil pollution from industries such as oil
refineries and chemical plants. Low-income and minority
communities also are more likely to house waste treatment
facilities, incinerators, and toxic-waste dumps. And children in
minority communities face a higher-than-average risk of lead
poisoning because of lead-based paint in their homes.
The realization that people of color, as well as other low-
income groups, are exposed to more environmental pollu-
tion than are Whites has added the concept of "environmen-
tal equity" to the modern environmental movement. Yet
most colleges and universities, especially those in urban areas
and near communities suffering the effects of pollutants, can
do more to help combat environmental inequities. They can
do more through intensified research and greater involvement
in regional development that promotes environ~ental_ equity.
Academic institutions can be particularly useful m finding new
solutions to environmental inequities, because the most likely
soldiers in this war-the federal government and many
environmental groups-are viewed with suspicion by many
Blacks and Hispanics.
Some critics believe the federal government enforces
environmental laws less stringently in Black communities
than in predominantly White neighborhoods. A National
Law Journal report a few years ago supported this view. The
report pulled together census data, dockets of court cases
involving the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and
EPA's record of cleaning up hazardous waste sites. And many
Black and Hispanic leaders have long felt that mainstream
organizations appear more concerned with plant and animal
habitats than with conditions in urban centers.
Some leaders of the environmental equity movement
argue that "the environmental movement itself is respon-
sible for much of the inequity," as pointed out in Environmen-
talism at the Crossroads, a book by Jonathan Adler, director of
environmental studies at the Washington-based Competitive
Enterprise Institute.
OCTOBER 1997 3
These critics charge that environmentalists have devoted
their energies to making life in the mostly White suburbs
better by concentrating on issues such as reducing noise from
airliners, protecting bird populations, preserving grasslands
and forests in the suburbs, and improving public transporta-
tion to reduce pollution from cars. Where they have suc-
ceeded, the result has been to draw investments, jobs, and
residents away from inner cities, making life there bleaker.
To be fair, environmentalists are now paying more
attention to the problems of minority communities that are
exposed to high concentrations of toxic pollutants, following
two decades of complaints from residents in areas such as
Louisiana's "Cancer Alley," an area between Baton Rouge and
New Orleans that is home to a huge cluster of chemical
plants and oil refineries. Residents there contend that cancer
and many other diseases affect disproportionate numbers of
low-income, minority residents in the area.
Although members of minority groups believe that
environmental activists are paying more attention to their
concerns now, they do not think that the environmentalists'
usual response-to push federal agencies-is enough. Critics
do not trust the government to give them accurate informa-
tion about, or to protect them from, environmental dangers.
In the face of this alienation, federal and state programs must
leap a substantial credibility gap before they can begin to
operate effectively.
Suspicions of federal and local government programs
seem understandable in the face of many documented
instances of such practices as the "targeting" of Black
communities as sites for new hazardous waste facilities. In
1990, for example, Robert Bullard, professor of sociology
and head of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at
Clark Atlanta University, found that six of the eight waste-
disposal incinerators in the city of Houston were located in
Black neighborhoods.
And last September, Brent Staples, a member of the
editorial board with The New York Times, reported on
environmental conditions in Chester, Pa., a mainly Black city
of approximately 30,000 located south of Philadelphi~ .. 1:e
found that Chester contained five hazardous waste facihues,
compared with two in the rest of Delaware County, which is
overwhelmingly White. The Chester plants process more than
two million tons of waste per year; the other two plants
handle less than one percent of that amount. Facilities in
Chester also treat most of the county's raw sewage. Because
of the concentration of such facilities, Chester accounts for 75
percent of the county's air pollution complaints.
Clearly, issues of environmental inequity are not solely
ecological, environmental, or health-related. They are also
social, economic, and political. We cannot address one facet of
the problem at a time.
contd. on page 9
Closing the Gap
EPA's Office of Environmental Justice
All the things people don't
:want in their backyards are in
the backyards of minority populations
and those who are disadvantaged, said
Clarice Gaylord, PhD, director of the
Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA) Office of Environmental
Justice.
In response to public concern,
EPA formed the Office of Environ-
mental Equity Oater changed to the
Office of Environmental Justice) in
1992.
EPA defines environmental
justice as fair treatment and equal
protection under environmental laws
to ensure that all people, regardless of
race, culture, or income level, live in
clean, safe, and sustainable communi-
ties.
The office initially focused on
environmental justice outreach and
education. This involved empowering
residents of minority and low-income
communities to understand their rights
and responsibilities under environmen-
tal laws and to become involved in
environmental decision-making.
"We wanted citizens to know that
they can become members of siting
boards and learn how to access
information about the health impact
of environmental changes in their
communities," Dr. Gaylord said.
To ensure community participa-
tion in its plans, EPA established the
National Environmental Justice
Advisory Council (NEJAC) in 1993.
The council represents an opportunity
for community, industry, and state and
local governments to come together
and tackle environmental justice
problems.
In addition to having members
from key environmental justice
constituencies, NEJAC has subcom-
mittees to help develop strategic plans
fonhe agency.
The original subcommittees
covered public participation and
accountability; health and research;
enforcement; and waste and facility
siting. Two more subcommittees were
added: indigenous peoples and
international affairs.
Closing the Gap
NEJAC's accomplishments
include conducting public dialogue
meetings in major cities.
A significant event for the Office
of Environmental Justice, Dr. Gaylord
said, was that in 1993 EPA Administra-
tor Carol Browner made environmental
justice an agency priority.
"Our office became a national
program office, and we expanded our
focus to address many issues, in
addition to outreach and education,"
Dr. Gaylord said. For example, the
office was able to investigate environ-
mental justice data collection and
analysis, as well as the health effects of
environmental hazards.
Another boost to environmental
justice came in 1994 when President
Clinton issued Executive Order 12898
to establish environmental justice as a
national priority. The Executive Order,
titled "Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income
Populations," marked the first
Presidential effort to direct all federal
agencies with a public health or
environmental mission to incorporate
environmental justice strategies in their
activities.
"Changes in environmental justice
are slow in coming," but there have
been some successes, Dr. Gaylord said.
As a result of a relocation roundtable
held with community members at the
end of 1996, EPA is in the process of
moving 358 members of an African
American community away from a
hazardous waste site, Dr. Gaylord said.
"EPA has relocated eight communities
in the past, but this is the first time the
agency will have ever relocated an
African American community. We are
looking closely at our national reloca-
tion policy."
The main goals for the Office of
Environmental Justice now, Dr.
Gaylord said, are to continue increasing
public involvement in the office's
strategies.
rormore infonnation, call the 0/fo:e
of Environmental justice at 202-564-2 515.
-M.M.
4
Some of the Major Events:
Environmental Justice Movement
1971: Council of Environmental Quality
annual report acknowledges racial
discrimination adversely affects environ-
ment of urban poor people.
1979: Robert Bullard, now at the
Environmental Justice Resource Center at
Clark Atlanta University, studies an
affluent African American community's
attempt to block the siting of a landfill in
Houston.
1982: Citizens in Warren County, North
Carolina protest PCB landfill.
1983: General Accounting Office report
states that 3 out of 4 hazardous waste
facilities in EPA's Region 4 are in African
American communities.
1987: United Church of Christ (UCC)
Commission for Racial Justice issues
report called Toxic Waste and Race in the
United States, which states that though
socioeconomic factors play a role in the
siting of toxic waste facilities, race is the
major factor.
1990: Conference at the University of
Michigan releases report called Race and the
Incidence a/Environmental Hazards.
Bullard publishes Dumping in Dixie,
recognized as the first textbook on
environmental justice.
1991: First National People of Color
Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.
adopts the Principles of Environmental
Justice.
1992: EPA releases Environmental E,quity:
Reducing Risk for All Communities, and
establishes Office of Environmental
Justice.
1993: EPA establishes the National
Environmental Justice Advisory Council,
and Browner makes environmental justice
an EPA priority.
1994: Federal agencies, including the
National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, NIH, hold symposium on
environmental justice.
President Clinton issues Executive
Order 12898, and Interagency Working
Group on Environmental Justice is
established.
UCC issues Toxic Waste and Race
Revisited, strengthening the link
between race and waste facilities.
Misuse of Methyl Parathion
Earl_ier this ye:11', the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (A TSDR) and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) issued a national alert to warn the
public about the illegal use of methyl parathion, an agricul-
tural insecticide approved only for outdoor use.
"There has been an emerging pattern of the illegal sale
of the pesticide for indoor use," said Pam Tucker, MD, chief
of ATSDR's Health Promotion Branch. "But when used at
high doses in homes to kill roaches and other indoor insects
the insecticide can cause serious health problems for people '
and pets. Severe exposure can be fatal."
In a recent case, unlicensed pest control operators illegally
sprayed many houses and other buildings in Jackson County,
Mississippi. Residents reported flu-like symptoms, head-
aches, and diarrhea that could be consistent with low-dose
exposure: In response EPA took emergency action, relocating
1,416 residents from 365 homes. Eight day care centers, one
restaurant and two hotels have been closed. Several people
have been arrested and criminally charged with misuse and
illegal sale of the pesticide.
According to ATSDR's latest update of the methyl
parathion contamination problem, similar incidents have
occured in at least eight other states: Alabama, Louisiana,
Tenn~se~, Arkansas, Illinois, and Texas, Ohio, and Michigan.
Most incidents have affected a cross section of people, and
others have affected mostly African American communities.
EPA and ATSDR have adopted a common procedure to
respond to the emergencies.
The agencies advise that if you hire someone to treat
your home for a pest problem, ask to see that person's
certification. It is also important to ask for the brand name of
the pesticide and the name of the product's active ingredient.
Methyl Parathion has been marketed under the names:
Nitrox; Penncap-M; Dithon 63; Ketokil 52; Seis-Tres 6-3;
Metaspray SE; andParaspray 6-3. ATSDR's Emergency
Response Hotline number is 404-639-0615.
Nominations Sought for Carcinogen Report:
The National Toxicology Program, National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences, has invited the public to
~ominate ~ubstanc~s or mixtures to be evaluated for listing
in the National Toxicology Program's Biennial Report on
Carcinogens. The report lists substances "known to be
hu1:11~ carcinogens," and a much larger group "reasonably
anticipated to be human carcinogens." There is no deadline.
Nominations may be made by consumers, individual
workers, businesses or others. Nominations should include
copies or references to relevant data that have appeared in
journals or other reports about the substance's
carcinogenic potential, and about the extent of exposure.
Send nominations to: 1he NIP, Biennial Report on Carcinogens,
Mai/Drop WC-05, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina 27709.
OCTOBER 1997 5
Community Involvement in
Hazardous Waste Issues
There are hazardous waste sites all over this country,
and communities in the surrounding areas are often
faced with incomplete information about health risks. Some
community members feel that researchers come in to
investigate the site, but then they don't share or explain their
research findings.
The Boston University School of Public Health and the
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
recently released a new report calledl.eaming/rom Success:
HealthAgencyFjfortstolmprrn:eCommunitylnwlvementin
Communities Affected by Haz.ardous Waste Sites.
The report offers recommendations to encourage
positive interactions between communities and public health
agencies. One example is the case of the Akwesasne Mohawk
Nation, which uses the rivers near the General Motors Central
Foundry Division in Massena, New York. PCBs were used
and disposed of on the site from 1938 to 1973, causing
contamination to the nearby water bodies such as the St.
Lawrence River.
Toxic contamination from the site, which was placed on
EPA's National Priorities List in 1983, has threatened the
community's health, as well as its socioeconomic and cultural
base. In response, the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environ-
ment (A TFE) formed as a community-based organization.
When outside researchers came into the community, the task
for~e established a research advisory committee to guide
environmental research in the area.
The A TFE became incorporated so it could apply for
research grants and have control over the use of data. The
community took the initiative to partner with the New York
Department of Health and the State University of New York
to conduct studies. One study has revealed that mothers have
been exposed to PCBs by eating local fish, and the contamina-
tion was passed to their infants through breast milk. Another
study is exploring the effects of PCBs on the physical and
cognitive abilities of adolescents.
Research agreements to ensure that studies are in sync
:"'ith community needs have been key. In addition to helping
involve the community in the research process, A TFE
initiated cultural sensitivity training for researchers, and
organized presentations that explain the research to the
community.
. The stu~y concludes that "by recognizing and anticipat-
ing community needs and by actively soliciting community
concerns and input, agencies could do a great deal to eliminate
rancor, controversy, and adverse publicity, and deliver services
that better meet the health-related needs of communities at a
lower cost."
This report includes studies of activities on 11 hazardous
waste sites. To request a copy, cal!ATSDR's Division of Health
&l.ucation and Promotion, 404-639-6204; Fax [phone].
--Michelle Meadows
Closing the Gap
NIAID Supports National
Inner-City Asthma Study
"T1he first phase of the
1 National Cooperative
Inner-City Asthma Study
(NCICAS) recently made headlines
with a surprising discovery.
The combination of cock-
roach allergy and exposure to the
insects is an important cause of
asthma-related illness and hospital-
ization among children living in
U.S. inner-city areas. Asthma is a
chronic, inflammatory lung disease
characterized by recurrent breath-
ing problems.
The study, which focused on
African American and Hispanic
children, was funded by the
National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID),
National Institutes of Health. The
study is part of an effort to
combat the dangerous rise in
asthma-related illnesses and
mortality rates among inner-city
children.
The results of Phase I of the
NCICAS were reported in the
May 8, 1997, issue of the New
England Journal of Medicine.
The study included 1,528
children from several cities,
including New York, Washington,
D.C., Baltimore, and Chicago. All
of the children came from
households that were below the
1990 poverty level and had been
diagnosed with asthma by a
physician.
The children were given skin
tests for hypersensitivity for several
allergens including dust mites, cat
dander, and cockroaches. Mea-
surements of these allergens were
also taken from household dusts in
the children's bedrooms.
Closing the Gap
Results showed that 36.8 percent
of the children were allergic to
cockroach allergen, compared to
the 34.9 and 22.7 percent respec-
tively, from dust mites and cat
dander.
The bedroom tests showed
that 50.2 percent of the rooms
had high levels of cockroach
allergen, compared to 9 .7 percent
and 12.6 percent for dust mites
and cat dander.
Children who were both
allergic to cockroaches and
exposed to high cockroach
allergen levels missed school more
often than others, and needed
twice as many unscheduled
asthma-related medical visits.
Phase II of the NCICAS
studied the effectiveness of a
program to develop knowledge
about asthma, promote self-
management skills, and manage
exposure to environmental factors
associated with asthma.
NIAID supports research and
developments in understanding
how asthma impacts all popula-
tions, but recent emphasis has been
placed on minority populations
because of asthma's dispropor-
tionate impact on minorities. For
example, African American
children are three to four times
more likely than White children to
be hospitalized for asthma, and
four to six times more likely to die
from asthma.
More information about
NIAID's work on asthma can be
found at its web site:
http:/ /www.naiad.nih.gov
The NCICAS has produced
A Guide for Helping CJJi!dren Wzth
Asthma. To request a copy, ca/,l
NIAID at 301-496-5717.
--Marisa Urgo
6
The National Asthma Education
and Prevention Program (NAEPP),
part of the National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute, works to increase
public awareness of asthma as a public
health problem; to improve patient
knowledge of asthma detection and
treatment, especially in high-risk
populations; and to define guidelines
for asthma education programs.
NAEPP sponsored the first national
conference on asthma management in
1992, and NAEPP produced a report in
1995 on asthma management in
minority children.
An NAEPP coordinating committee
of several health organizations and
agencies provides input on program
strategies and shares information on
asthma-related activities. For example,
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's National Center for
Environmental Health (NCEH) is
carrying out a project called "Identifica-
tion and Prevention of Exposure to
Air Pollutants and Other Environmen-
tal Detriments of Asthma Among
Minority Children in Urban Areas." See
page 10 formoreonNCEH
1he NatwnalAsthma£,ducationand
Preu:ntwnProgram pruuides materials on
asthma for patients and professwnals.
Ca1l 301-251-1222.
Closing the Gap is published by the
Office of Minority Health Resource
Center, a service of OMH. To
request additional copies of the
newsletter, call 1-800-444-6472.
http://www.omhrc.gov
Executive Editor
Blake Crawford
Managing Editor
Michelle Meadows
Writers
Jean Oxendine
Marisa Urgo
Production Coordinator
Rebecca Hardaway
Giving a Voice to AAPI Communities
'\ V ,Then the Asian Pacific Environmental Network
W (APEN) opened its doors in Oakland, California
in 1993, it set out to give Asian American and Pacific Islander
American (AAPn communities a voice in the area of
environmental issues. According to Peggy Saika, executive
director of APEN, the organization's approach balances
economic development, social justice, and environmental
protection-issues that have historically been seen as separate.
"Mainstream environmental activists have developed
agendas that focus on wilderness and wildlife preservation,
resource management, pollution abatement, and population
control," said Ms. Saika. "But many activists of color have
also been engaged in empowerment struggles regarding
employment, housing, education, and health care."
To assess community needs and determine priority areas,
APEN conducted an evaluation of the Asian and Pacific
Islander population in the six Bay area counties. This
involved accumulating demographic data, meeting with
community leaders, and exploring opportunities for collabo-
ration.
"Where we work, where we live,
where our kids go to school, and
where we play all define our
environmental issues."
The results of the needs assessment revealed several
points that have guided APEN in its work. For example,
there was a need to conduct bilingual and culturally accessible
education about environmental hazards. In one instance,
health officials in California issued an advisory against eating
Bay fish more than twice a month because the fish are so
contaminated with PCBs, mercury, dioxin, and pesticides.
Laotians in that area, however, generally eat more than two
Bay fish per month.
According to APEN, it is not enough to tell people to
stop feeding fish to their families. "An environmental justice
agenda demands a more long-term approach," Ms. Saika said.
APEN contracted with a Laotian woman to help organize
community meetings that would discuss effective ways to
help the Laotian community learn about the fishing regula-
tions and advisories, as well as the reasoning behind them.
In addition to the fish education project, APEN has
initiated other campaigns such as one that educates the public
about lead in Asian dish ware, and one that empowers
community members who live near toxic waste sites to learn
about the management of the sites. The network is also
conducting a long-term study on the effect of dioxins in
seafood.
APEN's projects reflect the organization's understanding
that environmental justice covers a spectrum of issues, Ms.
Saika said. "Where we work, where we live, where our kids go
to school, and where we play all define our environmental
issues." ror more information about the Asian Pacific Erwironmen-
tal Network, call 510-834-8920.
OCTOBER 1997 --Michelle Meadows 7
CDC Proposes New
Lead Screening Guidelines
Lead blood levels for Americans have declined
dramatically, but some children continue to be at risk
of lead exposure, according to recent reports from the Centers
for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).
Lead exposure in young children is of particular concern
because children absorb lead more readily than adults, and a
child's developing nervous system is particularly vulnerable to
lead's effects.
Recent declines in blood lead levels are believed to be the
result of removal oflead from gasoline, as well as from other
sources such as household paint, food and drink cans, and
plumbing systems.
But blood lead levels remain high among children in
low-income families, especially those living in older housing
where lead paint may have been used. More that one-fifth of
non-Hispanic African American children living in older
homes have elevated blood lead levels.
To reach children at risk, CDC is proposing an updated
lead screening guidance to be used by state and local health
officials. The guidelines recommend that health officials
determine appropriate screening policies by targeting their
efforts at children who live in older homes and children from
low-income families. The U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development estimates that approximately 4 million
homes where young children live contain lead-based paint
hazards
"The new guidance does not change CDC's position on
the adverse health effects caused by lead," said CDC director
Dr. David Satcher. "Instead, we want to increase screening
and follow-up care for those children who are at risk. The best
way to do this is through state and local public health
officials."
1he draft of the new guidance is available by calling
1-888-232-6789.
The National Lead Information Center has new
bilingual Web pages on its site. There is an
English and Spanish document order form and
new links to Spanish-language web sites with
information on lead-related issues. The address is
http:/ /www.nsc.org/ ehc/leadspan.htm
The National Lead Information Center is part of
the Environmental Health Safety Center, a
division of the National Safety Council. The
center publishes a free newsletter called Lead
Inform. Funding for the center is provided by
CDC, EPA, and HUD. Call 1-800-424-LEAD.
Closing the Gap
Migrat1:t Farmworkers
Suffer from Pesticide Exposure
Migrant farmworkers are one
of the most underserved
and understudied occupational
populations in the United States,
despite the fact that they work in one
of the most hazardous occupations.
The World Resources Institute has
estimated that as many as 313,000 farm
workers in the U.S. may suffer from
pesticide-related illnesses each year.
About 800 to 1,000 farm workers die
each year as a direct consequence of
pesticide exposure.
Eighty-five percent of the migrant
and seasonal farmworkers in the U.S.
are minorities. The majority are
Mexicans, followed by Puerto Ricans,
Carribean Blacks, and African Ameri-
cans.
Pesticides are defined as any
poison used to destroy pests. Ex-
amples of pesticides include insecti-
cides, fungicides, rodenticides, and
herbicides. Agricultural workers can
absorb pesticides through their skin,
through inhalation, and by ingestion.
Spraying with pesticides while workers
are in the field is not uncommon.
The exposure can result in serious
health problems, including acute
systematic poisoning-abdominal pain,
nausea, dizziness, vomiting, headaches,
Services of the National Center
for Farmworker Health (NCFH)
Migrant Health Resource Center:
The center collects and distributes
materials to serve the information
needs of migrant health centers.
Services include a job bank and a
resume bank. 512-328-7682
Call for Health Project: This project
operates a toll-free telephone line to
provide migrant farmworkers with
health information and referral services.
1-800-377-9968
Closing the Gap
and skin or eye problems. Chronic
health problems may include chronic
dermatitis, fatigue, sleep disturbances,
anxiety, memory problems, different
kinds of cancers, and birth defects.
The National Center for
Farmworker Health (NCFI-I) is one
organization that works to break down
the barriers to safe and healthy living
for farmworkers.
Core funding for NCFH comes
from the Health Resources and Services
Administration, Bureau of Primary
Health Care, Migrant Health Branch.
The center also receives funding from
other agencies including the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and
the National Institute of Occupational
Health and Safety.
According to NCFH, poverty,
frequent mobility, low literacy, and
language arid cultural barriers can
impede farmworkers' access to social
services and other cost-effective
pnmary care.
Economic pressures make farm
workers reluctant to miss work, and
they are not protected by sick leave.
These circumstances cause them to
postpone seeking health care, and rely
on expensive emergency room care.
With a grant from the Environ-
Farmworker News: This newsletter
provides farmworkers information on
how to protect their health.
Technical assistance: The center
offers migrant-specific assistance and
consultation to organizations on policy
and administrative issues, funding
resources, grant writing, and specific
farmworker initiatives.
Migrant Clinicians Network: NCFH
collaborates with this network of
clinical professionals who provide
health and human services to
farmworkers. 512-328-7682
8
mental Protection Agency (EPA),
NCHF runs a "train the trainer"
program. Prospective trainers have
included union members, migrant
education specialists, and community
liaisons-those who have a direct link to
the farmworkers.
The program instructs participants
on the possible risks associated with
exposure to pesticides, and provides
guidance on delivering effective
presentations, using audiovisual aids,
developing lesson plans, and creating
effective learning environments.
"In order to meet the needs of the
people being trained, we conduct the
trainings in the areas where migrant
farmworkers reside," said Linda Lopez,
RN, a former health education
consultant for NCFH who runs the
training program. Ten trainings have
taken place in various parts of the
country.
"There are 11 critical points that all
training programs need to include as
mandated by EPA," Lopez said. "But
each state may have specific regulations
regarding the certification process and
follow-up activities."
Though there is no formal
mechanism for measuring the long-
term benefits of the program, the best
indicator of the number of workers
trained is the growing number of
educational booklets that have been
supplied to trainers. The booklets,
provided by EPA, are available in
English and Spanish.
"We have conducted some of our
training-programs in Spanish so that
language is not a barrier to the success
of the program," Ms. Lopez said.
Based in Austin, Texas, NCFH has
worked to improve the health of
farmworkers and their families since
1975.
For more information, call 512-
328-7682; Web: http:/ /www.ncfh.org
--Jean Oxendine
Expansion of Brownfields Initiative
On May 13, 1997, Vice President Gore announced
that he was bringing together resources of more
than 15 federal agencies as part of the Clinton
Administration's new "Brownfields National Partnership."
The partnership builds on the Administration's actions to
empower and revitalize America's communities.
This expanded effort includes commitments from across
the federal government and the private sector to help
thousands of communities clean up and redevelop
Brownfields--abandoned pieces ofland, usually in inner
cities, that are contaminated from previous industrial use.
An example of a successfully redeveloped Brownfields
site is Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College in
South Bronx, New York. The college used to be an aban-
doned tire factory.
In addition to announcing the national partnership, the
Vice President and senior Administration officials announced
a new round of Brownfields project grants and a call to
Congress to pass the President's Brownfields legislative
package.
The Brownfields Partnership, which includes a $300
million Federal investment in Brownfields cleanup, is
expected to leverage from $5 billion to $28 billion in private
investment, support up to 196,000 jobs, and protect up to
34,000 acres of undeveloped "greenfield" areas.
The Administration launched the Brownfields initiative
in November 1993 with a $200,000 grant from the Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) to Cleveland, Ohio, so that
state and local officials could help create a model for redevel-
oping these areas across the country.
In 1995, EPA cosponsored a series of public hearings on
Urban Revitalization and Brownfields. The U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) was one of several
federal agencies participating in these hearings. Residents of
impacted communities were able to help shape the initiative.
For the new Brownfields partnership, HHS is commit-
ting $500,000, and leading an Administration-wide effort to
develop a public health policy for Brownfields that will
protect community residents.
"Brownfields '97", a national conference, took place on
September 3-5 in Kansas City, Missouri. The forum brought
together key experts from all levels of government, business,
finance, and local communities.
For more information on the Brownfields National
Partnership Agenda, call 1-800-424-9346.
Web: www.epa.gov/brownfields
OCTOBER 1997 9
contd from page 3
(C.Ollegesand Universities Can Help)
A key need in finding remedies is more medical research
on the epidemiology of environmentally-provoked disease
and dysfunction, such as learning difficulties related to lead
poisoning among racial minorities. We also need to devote
more money to programs that increase the number of
minority students pursuing careers in environmental science,
as well as to such efforts as the National Library of Medicine's
program to strengthen environmental teaching and research at
historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs.)
Florida A & MU niversity provides an example of what
can be done. The university has worked with the National
Library of Medicine to develop a multidisciplinary program in
environmental health that emphasizes preventing pollution
and enhancing equity. The program's goal is to make
environmental awareness an integral part of the university's
curricula in the physical and biological sciences. Meharry
Medical College is another good example; experts there are
studying environmental conditions in Black communities in
the Mississippi delta, which has a high concentration of
polluting facilities.
Since 1990, the Energy Department has assisted a
consortium of HBCUs with expanding environmental
courses, setting up outreach programs in communities, and
developing technologies to manage and dispose of hazard-
ous and radioactive wastes safely. Federal grants from EPA
have also helped some universities in the consortium develop
research centers to work with affected communities.
Experts at these institutions have learned that environ-
mental inequity may result from haphazard land-use
decisions and zoning that designates parcels of land for
industry without providing adequate buff er zones for nearby
working-class residences.
University researchers can help by posing questions for
local debate and by helping negotiate resolutions to disputes
over land use and the location of pollution-producing
facilities. In urban centers, poor people have little political
clout, so broad coalitions of concerned individuals and
groups must be fashioned. Universities can supply faculty
experts and convene local groups.
Scholars need to go beyond evaluation to communica-
tion-talking with neighborhood groups, issuing reports and
press releases, condensing research findings into easy-to-
understand fact sheets, and testifying before legislative bodies.
And we can do a better job of teaching students about the
close links between environmental justice and social and
economic JSSues.
Those of us with expertise in the medical, social, and
economic dimensions of environmental problems owe it to
our fellow citizens to use that knowledge to halt environmen-
tal inequities.
--Adapted and reprinted from
the Chronicle of Higher Education
Closing the Gap
Update on IHS
Sanitation Facilities Initiative
Safe and adequate water supply
and waste disposal systems are essential
to the health of American Indian and
Alaska Native communities.
The Sanitation Facilities Initiative
of the Indian Health Service (IHS)
focuses on expanding services to
existing Indian homes, and then to
new and renovated homes.
According to the annual sanitation
facilities estimate for fiscal year 1997,
approximately 47,492 American
Indian/ Alaska Native homes lack a safe
water supply or adequate sewage
disposal system or both, said Richard
Barror, PhD, chief of the IHS Sanita-
tion Facilities Construction Program.
"IHS has identified a backlog of
2,400 needed sanitation facilities
construction projects costing $1.53
billion to provide all American Indians
and Alaska Natives with safe drinking
water and adequate sewage disposal,"
he said.
The President's FY97 budget
proposal includes an additional $29
million to help reduce the backlog of
sanitation deficiencies. IHS is seeking
supplemental funds from non-IHS
sources.
According to IHS, families with
satisfactory environmental conditions
in their homes require 75 percent fewer
medical services. Tribal governments
have worked in partnership with the
IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction
Program since the passage of the
Indian Sanitation Facilities Act in 1959.
Congress reaffirmed its support
through the Indian Health Care
Amendments of 1988. In accordance
with the requirements of the amend-
ments, IHS developed a 10-year
funding plan for this initiative.
For more information, contact
Dr. Barrorat 301-443-1046.
Closing the Gap
Mercury Poisoning Project
Addresses Magico-Religious Uses
Dr. Arnold Wendroff of the
Mercury Poisoning Project in Brooklyn,
New York, has been working to alert
health authorities about traditional
practices involving mercury.
''Mercury is widely used by several
Hispanic and Caribbean ethnic groups
for magico-religious purposes," Dr.
Wendroff said. People obtain the
mercury from shops called botanicas,
which sell mercury illegally.
Traditional uses of mercury
include placing it in candles or sprin-
kling it on floors. According to the
Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry, mercury is a naturally
occuring element that appears as a
silvery liquid. It volatizes easily into the
air as odorless, colorless vapors that are
highly toxic and can be deadly.
Behaviors and attitudes
regarding environmental risks vary
among ethnic groups, Dr. Wendroff
said, and it's not clear whether people
are unaware of mercury's toxic nature
or whether they ignore the health risks
because of cultural norms.
For more information about the
Mercury Poisoning Project, call Dr.
Wendroff at 718-499-8336.
CDC's National Center for
Environmental Health
NCEH carries out applied research,
disseminates guidelines and recom-
mendations on environmental health,
and assists state and local health
agencies on environmental issues. The
center has divisions on birth defects
and disabilities; environmental hazards
and health effects; and environmental
health laboratory sciences; as well as
programs on refugee health and
emergency response coordinations.
N CEH is especially interested in
children and people who are often
overlooked in public health. Contact:
NCEH at 770-488-7030.
Web: http:/ /www.cdc.gov/nceh
1 0
Funding Opportunities
EPA sponsors the Environmental
Justice Small Grants Program to
provide financial assistance to commu-
nity groups that would like to carry out
environmental justice projects.
Community-based organizations,
churches, and federally-recognized tribal
governments are eligible to apply. To be
placed on the national mailing list to
receive information on the FYl 998
Environmental Justice Small Grants,
send your name, organization, address,
and phone number to: EPA, Office of
Environmental Justice Small Grants
Program (2201A), FY 1998 Grants
Mailing List, 401 M St., SW, Washing-
ton, DC 20460.
The Environmental Support Center,
a non-profit organization in Washing-
ton, D. C., is accepting applications
from local, state, or regional organiza-
tions looking for training and technical
assistance funds for environmental
projects. Organizations serving low-
income or minority constituencies are
encouraged to apply. The deadline is
open. Call 202-966-9834 for more
information. Or visit the web site:
http:!www.envsc.org
Electric and Magnetic
Fields Clearinghouse
The Environmental Health Clearing-
house of the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences is now
called the Electric and Magnetic Fields
Clearinghouse. The center focuses on
providing information about the
health effects of residential exposure to
electric and magnetic fields, such as
power lines and appliances. A Spanish-
language version of the document
Questions and Answers on EMF is
available. Call the clearinghouse at
1-800-643-4794.
NIEHS Trains Young Adults
'"T1he National Institute of Environmental Health
1 Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health,
operates the Superfund Worker Education and Training
Program. This program provides funds to non-profit
organizations that develop and deliver training to workers
who are involved in handling hazardous waste or in respond-
ing to emergencies relating to hazardous materials.
The Laborers' ACG Education and Training Fund
(Laborers-A CG) is one project that focuses on American
Indian/ Alaska Native populations. The project has provided
training on hazardous waste and asbestos abatement to
members of more than 15 different tribes, including the
Navajo, Sioux, Omaha, and Winnebago Nations.
NIEHS provides this training program under the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986.
A 1991 reauthorization of the SuperfundProgram extended
the NIEHS training program for an additional three-year
period, and allotted $20 million per year for the program.
This support helped expands the scope of the NIEHS
program to include workers involved in the cleaning up
nuclear weapons facilities. The program now has additional
funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for this
purpose.
More than 24,000 courses have been delivered through
the program, and more than 500,000 workers have received
training. In 1995 the NIEHS Training Program received
funding from Congress for a pilot project called the Minority
Worker Training Program (MWTP). This program recruits
and trains young adults living near hazardous waste sites or
in other contaminated areas for careers in the environmental
restoration industry. For Fiscal Year 1998, the program's
funding level is $3 million.
"The rationale for MWTP is that in urban areas, benefits
of clean up programs have not been reaching the commu-
nity," according to Sharon Beard, an industrial hygienist with
the program. "It is important for residents to become
involved in cleaning up their communities."
More than 360 students aged 18 to 25 have been trained
through MWTP, Ms. Beard said. And more than 200 have
been placed in jobs. Salaries range from $9 to $25 per hour.
The one-year training cycles cover life skills, interview
techniques, as well as skills in math, science, and health and
safety related to construction work.
"One of our main goals," Ms. Beard said, "is to enhance
participants' problem-solving skills, their self esteem, and
their ability to work together in applying technical knowledge
to environmental problems."
For more information about these training programs,
call NIEHS at 919-541-1863.
Web: http:/ /www.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/home.htm
--Jean Oxendine
OCTOBER 1997 1 1
Environmental Justice Resource Center
The Environmental Justice Resource Center (EJRC) at Clark
Atlanta University addresses many environmental issues of
concern to minority populations. Programs include the
development of information systems to access environmen-
tal databases, and the development of community-based
research workshops. The center's activities include building
patnerships with government agencies, corporations, and
community-based organizations. EJRC distributes several
publications, including 7he People of Color Environmental
Groups Directory, 1994-1995; and Environmental justice and
Transportation: Building Model Partnerships Conference Proceedings,
1996. For more information on EJRC, call 404-880-6911. Or,
write to EJRC, Clark Atlanta University, Box 141,223 James
P. Brawley Drive, SW, Atlanta, GA 30314; Web: http://
www.ejrc.cau.edu
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse
This clearinghouse provides information on the health effects
of poll utan ts, standards and guidelines related to indoor air
quality, and information on federal and state legislation. Call
1-800-438-4318. Or, write to IAQ Info, P.O. Box 37133,
Washington, D.C. 20013-7133; Fax: [phone]; E-mail:
[e-mail]
Research Training in Environmental Sciences
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), Duke University Medical Center, and the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have established a joint,
two-year fellowship program for training nurses and
physicians in environmental medicine and health research.
The training program defines environmental medicine as the
study of diseases and other conditions due to exposure to
physical and chemical agents in the environment, and factors
that might alter susceptibility to such agents. The program
encourages nurses and physicians to work closely with
NIEHS scientists. Applications to this fellowship program
are accepted throughout the year. To find out about current
openings and to obtain a Training Program Application,
contact Marcy Hirsch at Duke University: 919-684-6720. Or,
contact Kelly Collier at UNC: 919-966-1435. More details
about the program are also available on the Web:
http:/ /www.niehs.nih.gov/ dimer/ dukeunc/#howtoapply
·u.s. Government Printing Ottice: 1997 . 522-066/90331
Closing the Gap
DEPARTMENT OF
HEAL TH & HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
Office of Minority Health Resource
Center
P.O. Box 37337
Washington DC 20013-7337
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
CONFERENCES
November:
1-5: Annual meeting of the Ameri-
can Academy of Pediatrics, New
Orleans, Louisiana. Contact: 847-
228-5005, ext. 6338.
7-12: Annual meeting of the
American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma, and Immunology, San
Diego, California. Contact: 847-
427-1200.
9-13: Annual conference of the
American Public Health Associa-
tion, Indianapolis, Indiana. Contact:
202-789-5670.
16-20: National Congress of
American Indians, Santa Fe, New
Mexico. Contact: 202-466-7767.
December:
4-5: Annual conference of the
National Perinatal Association.
Contact: 813-971-1008.
7-9: "Managed Care Leadership
Summit on International Health
Care," Boca Raton, Florida.
Contact: American Association of
Health Plans, 202-778-3269 .
BULK RATE
POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
DHHS/OPHS
PERMIT NO. G-280
Conference on Poverty
and Children's Health
The Office of Minority Health is one
of several sponsors of the U.S.-Mexico
border binational conference on
children's health, October22-23, 1997,
El Paso, Texas. The University of Texas
System and the Texas-Mexico Border
Health Coordination Office are
organizing the conference, entitled
"Salud Sin Fronteras ... Health Without
Boundaries, The Effects of Poverty on
Children's Health." The conference will
address several topics, including
environmental health issues such as
neural-tube defects along the U.S.-
Mexico border, and the effects of
second-hand smoke on children.
Frmnore information, call 210-381-3687.