The Indiana State Department of Health
PCE levels, only one system was effective; two
(ISDH) conducted a review of reported cases of
others failed. Repairs were made to the systems
childhood cancers to determine whether cancer
that failed, but test results are not yet available
rates in children living in
to determine their current
the Lake County area are
effectiveness.
elevated. ISDH concurrently
Future exposures to PCE pose
an indeterminate public health
consultation and concluded
hazard, because PCE levels could
that rates of childhood cancer
be present or increase over time
were not elevated for Lake
in buildings without mitigation
County or for the community
systems. These levels could
surrounding the Keil Chemical
increase or be found in other
Company.
buildings if existing mitigation
A health consultation is a written
systems are not maintained or if the
or oral response from ATSDR to
plume continues to migrate to other
a specific request for informa-
areas.
tion about health risks related to a
ISDH is planning to conduct a
specific site, chemical release, or
needs assessment and to provide
hazardous material. A health con-
community members with
information that will assist in
than a public health assessment
PCE vapor at a business in
answering their questions about the
is. To date, 72 documented health
Evansville.
possible health effects from PCE.
consultations have been conducted
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
at 51 sites in Indiana, including the following recent
examples.
in Residential Wells--MTBE, a gasoline by-
Vapor Intrusion of Perchloroethylene (PCE) in
product, was first found in the well that supplies
a Residential Community--Region 5 ATSDR and
the Lincoln Elementary School and residences
ISDH were asked by the Indiana Department of
in Roselawn in March 2000; these concentrations
Environmental Management (IDEM) to evaluate
increased in 2001 and 2002. Exposure stopped in
possible health effects from exposures to elevated
April 2002, when the school was provided with
levels of perchloroethylene (also known as PCE,
an alternate water supply and affected residences
tetrachloroethylene, or PERC) detected in some
were provided with filters to remove MTBE from
Evansville residential houses. While investigating
the water. IDEM performed sampling of the
groundwater contamination associated with the
school and selected areas surrounding it, including
Former Crescent Cleaners site in Evansville,
a nearby gas station. IDEM then asked ISDH to
IDEM detected elevated levels of PCE in
review existing data from the site and evaluate the
is sandy, IDEM evaluated the potential for PCE
school and surrounding neighborhoods. ISDH and
IDEM provided information to the community
homes and businesses. IDEM continues to conduct
during a public availability session in May 2002.
additional sampling studies of contamination of
In a health consultation released in March 2003,
ISDH and ATSDR concluded that as long as an
the extent of the PCE plume.
alternate water supply is used and the residential
In a health consultation released in October 2003,
filters on the water from contaminated water wells
ATSDR concluded that this site poses a public
are maintained, people are not likely to become
health hazard because long-term exposure to
ill from the drinking water at the school or in the
PCE could have resulted in an increased cancer
nearby residences. The contaminated groundwater
poses no apparent public health hazard, because
in homes and in one business that had elevated
the contaminant levels are lower than those
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