Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Sharps Corner/
supply system. However, samples revealed high
Porcupine Area--Residents of the Pine Ridge
levels of chlorination disinfection by-products,
Indian Reservation in South Dakota asked
or trihalomethanes, caused by high levels of
ATSDR to determine whether exposure to possible
chloroform. ATSDR recommended reduction of
exposure to these by-products. Reduction may be
indoor air in the Sharps Corner/Porcupine area
accomplished by several means, such as working
would adversely affect the health of area residents.
with the water supplier to reduce the levels in the
supply or providing and maintaining filters on
Corner/Porcupine area are radionuclides in the
drinking fountains and in the kitchen and home
drinking water and radon in the indoor air of private
economics room in the school.
residences.
Resource Materials
In a health consultation released in September
2003, ATSDR concluded that radon poses no
ATSDR develops materials for public health
apparent public health hazard to residents in homes
professionals and medical care providers to use to
sampled for radon in the Sharps Corner/Porcupine
assess the public health impacts of chemical exposures.
area. ATSDR also concluded that ingestion of
These resources are available in print, on the ATSDR
uranium from water in private wells in the Sharps
Web site, and on CD-ROM. For example, medical
Corner/Porcupine area poses no apparent public
management guidelines are available for acute chemical
health hazard because calculated uranium levels in
exposures to more than 50 chemicals. These guidelines
residents were lower than the acceptable exposure
were designed to aid emergency department physicians
limit for uranium in the general public.
and other emergency health care professionals, such as
first responders, who manage acute exposures resulting
ATSDR recommended conducting a second indoor
from chemical incidents. ATSDR's toxicological
radon test in residents' homes where radon was
profiles comprehensively describe health effects;
detected. ATSDR also recommended public health
pathways of human exposure; and the behavior of more
education about cancer, lung cancer, radon, and
than 250 hazardous substances in air, soil, and water
smoking. Either radon exposure or smoking can
at hazardous waste sites. The toxicological profiles
independently increase the risk for lung cancer;
primarily are used as a comprehensive resource by
exposure to both greatly enhances that risk.
health professionals at all levels. These profiles have
Takini School--The Takini School is on the
been sent to requesters, including representatives of
Cheyenne River Indian Reservation near Howes.
federal, state, and local health and environmental
In early 2001, the interior of a water tower serving
departments; academic institutions; private industries;
the school and a nearby residential area was
and nonprofit organizations in South Dakota. ATSDR
painted with an inappropriate paint. Before it was
also has developed extensive resources for community
disconnected, the tower briefly supplied water
members.
to the school and housing water lines. Because
of concerns about residual contamination left in
the lines, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), in
collaboration with the Cheyenne River Sioux
Tribe Environmental Program, pursued further
evaluation and precautionary testing. BIA asked
ATSDR to review the precleanup and postcleanup
sampling data for the school and residences to
determine the public health implications of any
Sampling results from February 2001 showed
some nonchlorinated organic substances in the
For more information, contact ATSDR toll-free
school and water samples but sampling results from
at 1-888-42ATSDR (1-888-422-8737) or visit the
August 2001 did not show these substances. No
ATSDR Web site at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
May 2004
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