Figure 3: NPL Status of Fiscal Year 2000
ATSDR has evaluated sampling information
Health Consultations
gathered by various environmental agencies.
The primary source of drinking water provided
by pipeline from the main island of Puerto Rico
and the island's backup wells have been deter-
mined to be safe. The lay of the land and other
NPL
21%
geographical aspects of the island limit the
possibilities for potential contaminants to reach
other parts of the island. A public health assess-
ment on drinking water was released for public
Non-NPL
comment to the communities of Vieques in
79%
February 2001. The assessment was made
available in both English and Spanish. The
assessment found that the Vieques public water
supply is safe to drink.
In fiscal year 2000, ATSDR staff members and
ATSDR is currently evaluating environmental
state health assessors issued 383 health consul-
information related to other potential pathways
tations (82 NPL; 301 non-NPL) for 342 hazard-
of exposure to the communities. The potential
ous waste sites in 43 states, Puerto Rico, and the
for transport of contaminants through the air and
Virgin Islands. Unlike public health assess-
through the food chain is being evaluated.
ments, the majority were non-NPL sites, (see
Figure 3). Solid waste disposal sites were the
Health Consultations
main type of hazardous waste sites addressed by
these health consultations. Fifty-seven of the
Health consultations provide advice and recom-
health consultations responded to public health
mendations on specific, health-related questions
concerns about contaminated drinking water,
concerning actual or potential human exposure
explosive landfill gases, and contaminated
to hazardous substances or to other related
surface soil at solid waste disposal sites such as
human health hazards. A health consultation is
abandoned dumps and both closed and operating
often needed quickly to evaluate situations and
municipal landfills.
recommend immediate actions to mitigate or
prevent harm to human health from exposure to
During fiscal year 2000, ATSDR organized a
hazardous substances in the environment.
team of staff members, called the "Strike
Team," to provide quick answers to specific
Consultations vary in complexity; either an
requests from other agencies for health consul-
individual health professional or a team may
tations. The Strike Team is a multidisciplinary
respond to a question about a site or issue. In
team composed of an environmental health
some cases, ATSDR prepares more than one
scientist, an industrial hygienist, a toxicologist,
health consultation in response to a request for
a physician, an editor, and regional staff mem-
help with an exposure or potential exposure.
bers. The team was established to provide a
Health consultation reports may be either
quick response to site-specific and focused
written or oral, and they are timely; for ex-
requests on issues that are time-critical. The
ample, an oral report might be provided on the
team strives to provide a response within 3
day a request reaches ATSDR.
working days.
chapter 1 21
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