[CPEO-BIF] Swann Park, South Baltimore, Maryland

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

Closer look for cancer near park
Updated federal report finds greater hazard in arsenic from closed plant

By Tom Pelton
Baltimore Sun (MD)
October 27, 2007


Baltimore's health commissioner plans to study cancer deaths in the 
neighborhood around South Baltimore's Swann Park in light of a new 
federal finding that arsenic in the soil poses a greater health risk 
than previously reported.

The U.S. Department of Health said in June that there was "no public 
health hazard" to children who have played in Swann Park, unless they 
ate a tablespoon or more of dirt. But the federal agency revised that 
assessment yesterday, saying that "recent and historic exposure to Swann 
Park soil is considered a public health hazard."

"This means that there is a low but potentially real increase in cancer 
risk for people who have a significant exposure over years to the park," 
said the city's health commissioner, Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein. "It 
justifies why we closed the park and why we need to clean it up."


...

For the entire article, see
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-te.md.ci.arsenic27oct27,0,2067591.story

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org


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