Activities in
Puerto Rico
ATSDR in Partnership With
available data and infor-
In fiscal years
mation about the release
Puerto Rico
20012004, ATSDR
of hazardous substances
awarded more than
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
into the environment in a
0,000 in direct
(ATSDR) is the lead public health agency responsible
specific geographic area.
funds and services
for implementing the health-related provisions of the
Such releases are assessed
to Puerto Rico.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensa-
for past, current, or future
tion, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). ATSDR is
impact on public health.
an Atlanta-based federal agency with more than 400
ATSDR, in collaboration
employees and a budget for 2004 of approximately
with public health and environmental officials from
million. ATSDR assesses the presence and nature
Puerto Rico, has conducted 18 public health assess-
of health hazards at specific Superfund sites, helps to
ments in the commonwealth, including the following
prevent or reduce further exposure and illnesses result-
recent examples.
ing from those hazards, and expands the knowledge
Scorpio Recycling--The Scorpio Recycling site
base about the health effects of exposure to hazardous
is an active scrap metal yard in Candelaria Ward,
substances.
Toa Baja. Part of the property was previously
ATSDR works closely with state agencies to carry
used as a battery-salvage area where batteries were
out its mission to serve the public by using the best
dismantled for scrap. Scorpio Recycling is a metal-
science, taking responsive public health actions, and
recycling company that buys, accumulates, and
providing trusted health information to prevent harm-
processes a variety of scrap metal for resale.
ful exposures and disease related to toxic substances.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
ATSDR provides funding and technical assistance to
asked ATSDR to evaluate the extent of contamina-
tion in the former battery-recycling area of the site
ments and grants to identify and evaluate environ-
mental health threats to communities. These resources
pose a health threat. Lead, copper, and cadmium
enable state and local health departments and other
grantees to further investigate environmental health
areas also evaluated included a sinkhole adjacent
concerns and to educate communities. In fiscal years
to the site and a satellite location approximately
20012004, ATSDR awarded more than 0,000 in
1.5 miles from the site.
direct funds and services to Puerto Rico for compre-
In a public health assessment released in June
hensive support of its environmental health unit. In
2004, ATSDR evaluated EPA sampling data that
addition to direct funds and services, ATSDR provides
technical and administrative guidance for state-con-
at elevated concentrations. ATSDR classified the
ducted site activities.
site as a public health hazard because site workers
could have been and could currently be exposed to
ATSDR Site-Specific Activities
elevated lead concentrations while working in the
Public Health Assessment-Related Activities
former battery-recycling area. Surface soil samples
collected from this area identified elevated levels
One of ATSDR's important mandates is to conduct
trations detected could pose a health hazard; expo-
List (NPL) sites and of other sites where a significant
threat to public health might exist. A public health
effects.
assessment is a written, comprehensive evaluation of
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