Tuesday, October 19, 2004
JEREMIAH STETTLERTHE SAGINAW NEWS
State health officials have given residents along the troubled Tittabawassee River a first glimpse into how much dioxin is in their bloodstreams.
A public report is soon to follow, officials say.
The state Department of Community Health confirmed that it has completed a pilot investigation into the dioxin levels of 25 residents along the Tittabawassee River. The study measures dioxin concentrations in people's blood.
The results, released individually to those who participated in the study, are under review by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Officials say they will disclose the results publicly by the end of the year.
"We don't issue these reports capriciously," said state spokesman T.J. Bucholz. "We make sure they are based on sound science."
Martha Stimpson, a Tittabawassee River resident who is suing Dow Chemical Co. over dioxin contamination, released her results to neighbors. Her dioxin level of 33.1 parts per trillion placed her higher than 95 percent of people her age.
"To me, it is a public health issue," said Stimpson, 58, of Thomas Township. "I wanted to make my neighbors aware."
While the results draw no conclusions about what health effects will follow certain dioxin concentrations, Stimpson said the state has taken "a tiny step in the right direction" for determining whether riverside residents face an increased risk of dioxin exposure.
She believes that elevated dioxin levels may have contributed to her breast cancer or her husband's peripheral neuropathy.
Dow Chemical officials say the results are consistent with "background" levels of dioxin found in the general population -- levels linked largely to diet. Fatty meats are notorious for harboring the toxin, they say.
While the chemical company has not seen the state's results, officials say even the highest dioxin levels reported along the Tittabawassee River are within the normal range.
"It represents nothing out of the ordinary," said Dow toxicologist Bob Budinsky.
State officials are continuing to notify residents of their blood, soil and dust sample results. If they haven't received word yet, Bucholz said, notification will come shortly.
The results speak only to dioxin exposure. They do not provide any information about the potential health effects of dioxin or where the contamination came from. v
© 2004 Saginaw News.
For additional articles like this one, go to the Tittabawasse River Watch web site www.trwnews.net for complete coverage of the Tittabawassee River Dow Chemical dioxin contamination saga. . The Newspaper / Media page of our site contains an extensive archive of media articles dating back to January 2002. The source organization's web site link is listed to the right of the article, visit often for other news in our area. The Newspaper / Media page may be accessed by scrolling down to the bottom of the CONTENTS section and clicking on the Newspaper/Media link.