whether medical tests are necessary and whether
Community members have raised health concerns
the tests would be beneficial for the community.
about the facilities, as have teachers and parents
of students at the adjacent Suva Elementary and
At CDHS' request, additional off-site surface soil
Intermediate Schools in the Montebello Unified
sampling for hexavalent chromium was conducted
School District.
in areas with the highest estimated air levels of
hexavalent chromium. Sampling was conducted to
In a public health assessment released in Decem-
further address potential effects on soil from aerial
ber 2003, CDHS concluded that historic emissions
deposition.
of hexavalent chromium (19631990) from the
site were not at levels that would cause noncancer
Alark Hard Chrome--CDHS prepared a public
health effects. Theoretical increased cancer risk
health assessment for the Alark Hard Chrome site
estimations for 19631990 exceeded current stan-
in Riverside. Alark was a metal-plating facility that
dards; thus, the site was classified as a past public
operated from 1971 to late 1985. Many chemicals
health hazard. By 1991, emissions were substantial-
were handled at the facility, including metals, acids,
ly reduced and did not pose a public health hazard;
cyanides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
the site was classified as posing no health hazard
for 19911999.
mental Protection Agency closed the facility for
CDHS estimated the theoretical increased cancer
failure to comply with violation notifications.
risk for six community populations exposed to esti-
mated concentrations of hexavalent chromium from
In a public health assessment released by ATSDR
19631990 as a low increased cancer risk.
in September 2003, CDHS did not identify any
completed exposure pathways to site-related con-
At the community's request, CDHS estimated
taminants (hexavalent chromium, total chromium,
whether increased cancer risks existed for children
cadmium, lead, nickel, cyanide, and sodium cya-
who attended Suva Schools and lived in the Bell
nide, and trichloroethylene). Therefore, provided
Gardens community from 1963 to 1990. Facility
remedial site activities continue, CDHS concluded
emissions during this period resulted in an unac-
that no past, current, or future health hazard exists
ceptable cancer risk for teachers and children at
from exposure to contaminated soil, surface water,
Suva Schools and for residents of Bell Gardens.
or groundwater at the site.
ATSDR classified the facility as a public health
hazard during those years.
CDHS identified one potential exposure pathway
CDHS and ATSDR reviewed cancer rates for com-
the site. This pathway will be evaluated in a sepa-
munities living near the sites. Results and conclu-
rate health assessment using data derived from
sions of the review are summarized in the health
air modeling. CDHS eliminated several pathways
consultation section of this fact sheet.
relating to drinking-water wells, contaminated soil,
With ATSDR funding, CDHS conducted a health
their potential relation to respiratory health effects
the public or contaminant concentrations are below
in children.
levels of health concern.
A health consultation is a written or oral response
Chrome Crankshaft and J&S Chrome Plating--
from ATSDR to a specific request for information about
EHIB prepared a public health assessment released
health risks related to a specific site, chemical release,
in December 2003 to address the theoretical impact
or hazardous material. A health consultation is a more
limited response than a public health assessment. One
chromium in particular, on students and teachers
hundred seventy-one health consultations have been
in the Bell Gardens community near the Chrome
conducted at 101 sites in California, including the fol-
Crankshaft and J&S Chrome Plating facilities.
lowing recent examples.
From the late 1950s through the 1990s, both sites
were electroplating facilities. Site characterization
Chrome Crankshaft and J&S Chrome Plating--
and clean-up activities are under way at both sites.
EHIB prepared a health consultation that reviewed
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