[CPEO-MEF] ATSDR: Final Public Health Assessment on fish/shellfish consumption i

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The following release can be viewed online at:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/NEWS/viequespr072103.html
___________________________________________
ATSDR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

ATSDR Releases Final Public Health Assessment on Consumption of Fish and
Shellfish in Vieques, Puerto Rico

For Immediate Release: July 21, 2003

ATLANTA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR),
a public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, today announced it is releasing the final public health
assessment (PHA) focused on fish and shellfish in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

ATSDR finds that the fish and shellfish from Vieques present no apparent
public health hazard from normal consumption patterns and are,
therefore, safe to eat. Although several metals were detected in some of
the fish and shellfish, the concentrations that were present were too
low to be of health concern in virtually all exposure situations
evaluated.

ATSDR conducts PHAs to report information about hazardous substances in
the environment and evaluate whether exposure to those substances in the
past, present or future could harm people in the area.

The PHA on fish and shellfish was conducted to determine if eating fish
and shellfish caught on or around the island of Vieques could have
adverse health effects.

In May 1999, an island resident petitioned ATSDR to evaluate whether any
health problems in Vieques residents might be associated with potential
releases of hazardous substances from military training activities on
the island. ATSDR responded by conducting a series of focused public
health assessments on the pathways (air, soil, groundwater/drinking
water and fish/shellfish) by which exposure could occur.

In July 2001, ATSDR, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Environmental Response Team, collected commonly
caught and consumed fish and shellfish from the coastal waters and from
land near shore on Vieques. ATSDR evaluated whether the muscle tissues
of the fish and shellfish contained levels of heavy metals and explosive
compounds that would adversely affect public health.

The PHA will be available on July 21, 2003, at the following records
repositories:

Biblioteca Publica
Municipio de Vieques
Calle Carlos Lebrum 449
Vieques, PR

The Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust
El Fideicomiso de Conservacion E Historia de Vieques
138 Flamboyan St.
Vieques, PR

University of Puerto Rico
School of Public Health
Medical Sciences Campus Library
Industrial Hygiene Department
San Juan, PR

Community members seeking information on the procedures or the content
of the public health assessment may contact Environmental Health
Scientist Gary Campbell, Environmental Health Scientist Jeff Kellam or
Health Communication Specialist Maria Teran-MacIver toll free at
1-888-422-8737. Regional Representative Arthur Block also may be
contacted at 212-637-4307. When calling, please refer to the Vieques
fish/shellfish PHA.

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Members of the news media may request an interview with ATSDR staff by
calling Elaine McEachern or Petro Kacur in the ATSDR Office of Policy
and External Affairs at 404-498-0070.

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