A health consultation is a written or oral response
recommended continued characterization and
from ATSDR to a specific request for information
has now completed its remedial investigation/
about health risks related to a specific site, chemical
feasibility study for this site, and recently issued a
release, or hazardous material. It is a more limited
proposed remedy.
response than a public health assessment is. To date,
66 documented health consultations have been con-
Big John Salvage/Hoult Road--The Big
ducted at 35 sites in West Virginia, including the
John Salvage/Hoult Road site is an abandoned
following recent examples.
salvage facility in Fairmont. The site is in a
Williamson Area--In response to the petition
mixed industrial/residential area of Fairmont.
of a resident of the Lick Creek community,
This unoccupied site was used for many years
as a coal tar manufacturing facility. In 1973, the
WVDHHR evaluated possible exposures to
property was sold to Big John Salvage. The Big
hazardous chemicals in the unincorporated
communities of Lick Creek, Rawl, Merrimac,
John Salvage facility was a metal, glass, and oil
and Sprigg, near Williamson. The petitioner
salvaging operation until it closed around 1985.
alleged that the residents in this area have been
Wastes generated when the facilities were in
and are being exposed to toxic chemicals from
operation have contaminated on-site soils,
the old Williamson Landfill, the Norfolk Southern
sediments, and surface waters. Sampling results
Railroad railcar clean-out area, and coal mining
indicate that hazardous substances from the site
activities from Rawl Sales and Processing.
are migrating off-site to the nearby Monongahela
The petitioner claimed that all these activities
River. The waste that is known to have
have contaminated the environment in these
contaminated the site is coal tar waste.
communities. The petitioner supplied photographs
This site was proposed for inclusion on the NPL
to ATSDR illustrating several of the concerns.
in 2000. As mandated by Congress, ATSDR
The petitioner alleged that cancer and tumors of
prepared an initial health assessment for the site.
all types, respiratory problems, and Alzheimer's
ATSDR staff reviewed and evaluated all available
disease are being caused by exposure to chemicals
data pertaining to the site and presented that
from these sites. A health consultation released
information in an initial health assessment. The
for public comment in September 2003 evaluated
health assessment evaluates whether exposure to
whether local residents have been, are being, or
health effects could result from exposures.
from these facilities in concentrations that could
cause adverse health effects.
The health assessment concluded that the site
does not currently pose a public health hazard,
The health consultation categorized these sites as
primarily because the facility is no longer in
no public health hazard. The exposure pathways
operation and because access to the site has been
from these sites were not likely to be the source
restricted by new fencing. Remedial activities
of chemical exposures that could cause adverse
scheduled for the site should eliminate any future
health effects for the past, present, and future.
on-site exposure pathways and future concern
Marion County Landfill--The Marion County
for off-site migration of contaminants. ATSDR is
(Idamay) Landfill, south of Farmington, is an
recommending that additional data on potential
inactive sanitary landfill and former property used
exposure pathways be collected. Potential
by the Bethlehem Mines Corporation. In response
pathways include residents living near the site
to the petition of a resident of the nearby Idamay
and persons using the Monongahela River for
community, the West Virginia Department of
recreational or food-gathering purposes.
Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR)
evaluated available Marion County Landfill site
West Virginia Bureau for Public Health (WV
information to determine whether exposure to
BPH) are updating this initial health assessment
contaminated site media is occurring, has occurred
and plan to release a public comment version of
in the past, and whether a health threat is present.
the document this fiscal year.
The petitioner was concerned about the incidence
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