In responding to this request, ATSDR and CDC
About one-third of the sites assessed in public
conducted multiple activities and investigations.
health assessments in fiscal year 2000 were
ATSDR conducted a public health assessment
manufacturing or industrial sites. Government-
owned sites made up 17% of the sites where
have been exposed to hazardous chemicals in
public health assessments were conducted, and
the environment. ATSDR's public health
waste storage sites accounted for 15%. Eleven
assessment concluded that there was no clear
percent were mining industry sites. (See Table 1.)
pattern linking the residences of the children
who had autism with environmental contami-
nants. However, there was also no clear pattern
Table 1.
Types of Sites Assessed in Fiscal
Year 2000
and the residences during pregnancy of mothers
Type of Site
Number of Sites
Percentage
of children who had other pervasive develop-
mental disorders. Total trihalomethane levels in
Manufacturing
49
32
the municipal drinking water supply exceeded
Government
25
17
80 parts per billion several times during the
Waste Storage
study period. There was no clear pattern linking
or Treatment
23
15
the residences of the mothers (during preg-
Mining
16
11
nancy) with location and timing of the high
Other
19
13
trihalomethane levels. The public health assess-
Natural Area
12
8
ment therefore concluded that it appears un-
Waste Recycling
5
3
likely that trihalomethane in the municipal
Residential
1
1
drinking water supply was associated with
Total
150
100
autism incidence in Brick Township. CDC's
investigation found that the rates of autism and
other pervasive developmental disorders in
Brick Township were high compared with
Following are examples of public
prevalence rates reported in previously pub-
lished studies.
health assessments conducted in
fiscal year 2000.
ATSDR and CDC emphasized community
involvement and outreach in their Brick Town-
Brick Township Autism Public Health
ship activities and investigations. The two
Assessment, New Jersey
agencies coordinated their activities and met
with the community jointly. Their agencies'
In February 1998, ATSDR and CDC were
reports, informational fliers, and press releases
contacted by a group of parents of children in
were released to the public at the same time.
Brick Township and by U.S. Senator Robert
Torricelli and U.S. Representative Christopher
This was the first U.S. investigation to fully
Smith with a request to investigate concerns
explore the possible association between autism
about the prevalence of autism and other
pervasive developmental disorders among
the Brick Township autism investigation pro-
children in Brick Township, New Jersey. They
vided valuable information about a disorder
also asked that ATSDR assess whether commu-
which is estimated to be the third most common
nity members may have been exposed to
developmental disability (occurring in as many
hazardous chemicals in the environment.
as one in every 500 children).
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