Preventing Heart Attacks in Firefighters

Today's post is shared from njtvonline.org

Every year nearly 100 firefighters die on the job and one half of those deaths are from fatal heart attacks. These statistics remain consistent year in and out. The very nature of the job automatically puts them at a higher risk. “Being a firefighter, you never know when the bell is gonna ring, when the alarm is gonna sound. We basically go from 0 to 100 like that,” said Rich Mikutsky, vice president of the Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA). Doctors say it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why firefighters have some of the highest rates. But those in the business have a few ideas. “There’s the obvious weight of our equipment, our tools, our Scott Pack, but then there’s the other part of it where we start and stop quickly, ya know, at anytime at night when we could be at full rest we may have to get up and be at full speed,” said Paterson firefighter Kyle Hughes. Extended exposure to traumatic stress, both mentally and physically, boosts inflammation in the body, increasing the risk. Continuous disruptions to the sleep-wake cycle can lead to lower metabolic rates linked directly to heart failure. “Yesterday we had a big fire in Clifton. It started around 1 p.m. and we had a number of guys that suffered heat exhaustion, smoke inhalation, had to be taken to the hospital and fortunately everyone was all right but I saw a couple of them last night around 8 o’clock and they were exhausted....

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EPA Obtains Warrant to Address Over 1000 Drums and Containers at New Jersey Facility; Ongoing Investigation Reveals Presence of Hazardous Materials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has obtained a federal warrant to do the necessary cleanup work at the Superior Barrel & Drum company facility in Elk Township, New Jersey, where more than a thousand unlabeled or improperly labeled drums and other containers have been left in a state of disrepair. Many of the drums are leaking their contents onto the ground and are exposed to wind and rain. The EPA and the NJDEP are currently investigating the drums and containers at the site under a warrant that was previously issued by a federal judge when the facility owner refused to give the EPA access to the facility. The EPA is working with Elk Township, the local fire and police departments and the NJDEP on the investigation and cleanup of the facility.

“This facility contains a large number of barrels that need to be addressed. The EPA intends to do everything necessary to ensure that hazardous materials at the facility do not harm the public,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "The EPA’s top priority is preventing a release, fire or explosion that could endanger the community or pollute the environment.”

On August 29, 2013, the EPA was asked by the NJDEP to evaluate the facility and take appropriate actions to remove any threat posed by substances in the drums and other containers. The EPA is currently evaluating what substances are present in the drums and containers and assessing whether they could cause a chemical release or fire. The site is partially in a federally protected wetland. 

“Conditions at this facility are inexcusable,” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said. “The DEP will continue to work with the Environmental Protection Agency on the categorization and safe removal of these materials, as well as soil testing and monitoring to ensure the environment and public health are protected. We will also support any legal or enforcement actions deemed necessary to restore this site and protect the public.”

The EPA began its investigation on August 30, 2013. Field tests indicate that some drums contain hazardous materials, including corrosive and flammable chemicals. The preliminary results of samples sent to the laboratory show the presence of volatile organic compounds such as benzene and other hazardous substances such as lead. Exposure to these pollutants can have serious health effects. Benzene is known to cause cancer and lead is a toxic metal that is especially dangerous to children because their growing bodies can absorb more of it than adults. Lead in children can result in I.Q. deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems. 

The EPA is continuing to sample the contents of containers and drums at the site. The first set of final laboratory data is expected in the next few weeks. The EPA has secured the facility by installing fencing, warning signs and round the clock surveillance. 
Once it completes its investigation, the EPA will work with state and local agencies to take appropriate steps to remove the hazardous waste and protect the public. The EPA is monitoring the air near the work areas. The EPA will secure the materials and make arrangements for their transport and proper disposal out of the area. Prior to removal of any of the hazardous materials, the EPA will develop a contingency plan to ensure that the removal of the chemicals is done safely. Fire department and hazardous materials response teams will be consulted and prepared to respond to the site if necessary. Throughout the cleanup, the municipal government and local community will be kept informed.

For photos and information about the EPA’s work at the Superior Barrel & Drum site, visit:http://epa.gov/region02/superfund/removal/superiorbarrel.

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NJ Work Environment Council Says State at Risk from Chemical Disasters

Today's post shared from http://www.njtvonline.org New Jersey Work Environmental Council representatives say millions in the state are still at risk from major toxic chemical disasters. At a Statehouse press conference today, the New Jersey Work Environment Council released a new 43-page report, entitled “Failure to Act,” which says thousands of New Jersey jobs and millions of residents are still at risk from toxic chemical disasters. These findings come five years after the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection adopted rules to implement the NJ Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act that were supposed to reduce that risk. Photo by Dari Kotzker. The author of the report found that 99 facilities still use large quantities of highly hazardous chemicals that can pose a potential catastrophic safety and health risk for millions of people. Many facilities failed to consider solutions for using safer chemicals and processes which already exist and are successful, and a lack of enforcement from the Christie administration. Some recommendations include stopping facility management from declaring safer technology reviews as secret, require facility management to better document their claims that adopting safer chemicals and technologies are not feasible, and to withdraw the DEP “waiver rule” that allows the agency to not enforce the IST provisions of the Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act. Other speakers spoke of the potentially dangerous risks workers, first responders, nurses and...

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EPA to Demolish Contaminated Building at Toxic Superfund Site in Garfield, N.J

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck was joined today by New Jersey Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, Senator Robert Menendez and Congressmember Bill Pascrell, Jr. as she announced that the EPA will safely demolish the E.C. Electroplating building at the Garfield Superfund site in Garfield, New Jersey. The building, located at 125 Clark Street, is contaminated with hexavalent chromium that is reaching the basements of some area residences and businesses through the ground water. Hexavalent chromium is extremely toxic, may cause cancer and can cause nervous system damage. The Regional Administrator and members of Congress were joined by Garfield Mayor Joseph Delaney, local officials and community members to review progress and discuss the ongoing Superfund cleanup at the former electroplating facility.

“The EPA has done a great deal of work since 2002 to reduce the health risks to the people who live and work in the area of Garfield affected by chromium contaminated ground water,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “Today we’re pleased to announce that we’re ready to take a step forward in the long-term cleanup of the Garfield Superfund site.”

Preliminary sampling shows that parts of the E.C. Electroplating building, its two basements and the soil located under the structure are contaminated with the chemical hexavalent chromium. The structure needs to be demolished in order to properly dispose of the contaminated sections of the building and to remove the contaminated soil underneath. The EPA tested the industrial materials left at the former E.C. Electroplating and will safely remove and properly disposed of them at licensed facilities.

The EPA is currently preparing the building for demolition by removing over 220 drums and cleaning the building surface. The agency will work closely with local officials to determine the best time to do the demolition and will hold a community meeting before demolition begins to inform area residents and building owners about the work. Strict procedures will be followed to control dust during the demolition, with special attention paid to the Garfield No.7 School and to a daycare center located near the site. The EPA will establish an air monitoring network to ensure that contamination is contained during the demolition work. The air monitoring plan will be shared with the public before work begins. The demolition work is presently scheduled to take place in October.

Ground water underlying the site is also contaminated with the hexavalent chromium and is seeping into basements in some Garfield homes and businesses. Drinking water for Garfield comes from the Garfield Municipal Water Supply, which is not contaminated and is routinely tested to ensure that it meets federal and state drinking water standards, which it does.

The Garfield Superfund site, which is located in a mixed commercial and residential neighborhood, is bordered by Van Winkle Avenue to the north, Monroe Street to the south, Sherman Place to the east, and the Passaic River to the West. Historically, industrial facilities in Garfield were located in close proximity to residential areas, including a tannery, a chemical plant and two electroplating companies. Some of these facilities used hexavalent chromium in their processes and the nearby ground water is now contaminated with the chemical. In June 1993, water containing hexavalent chromium and dried crystals of chromium was discovered in the basement of Garfield Fire House #3. In 2002, at the request of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the EPA began its investigation of ground water contamination in Garfield.

In September 2010, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry issued a health advisory recommending that the EPA continue to take steps to minimize people’s exposure to the contamination and that it expedite a long-term cleanup. The site was added to the federal Superfund list in 2011.

The EPA used its Superfund’s emergency response authority in Garfield to address the immediate health threats in properties where ground water had carried hexavalent chromium into basements. Over 500 homes and businesses have been inspected for hexavalent chromium contamination and over 2,000 samples have been analyzed. The EPA has found about 15 properties that require cleanups to protect occupants from unacceptable levels of chromium that have seeped into their basements. The EPA has an ongoing inspection and assessment program to assist any concerned residents within the impacted area.

The EPA has established a network of ground water monitoring wells to determine the extent of chromium contamination in the ground water. This in-depth investigation will allow the EPA to determine how best to clean up chromium contaminated ground water.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established by Congress in 1980 to investigate and clean up the country’s most hazardous waste sites. When sites are placed on the Superfund list, the EPA looks for parties responsible for the pollution and requires them to pay for the cleanups. In this instance, the EPA has identified E.C. Electroplating as a company that may be liable for the cleanup. The company, however, alleges it lacks funds to conduct any cleanup. To date, the EPA’s cleanup costs for this site exceed four* *million dollars. The EPA is continuing its search for other parties responsible for the contamination at the site.

For more information about the Garfield site, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/removal/garfield.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

Articles About Chromium

The Time for a Hexavalent Chromium Safety Standard Is Now

Nov 23, 2010

EPA announced the release of the Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium in the September 30, 2010, Federal Register. This draft assessment is provided for public viewing and comment. Public comments received on ...

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Workers' Compensation: Soldiers Exposed to Chromium in Iraq File ...

Jun 09, 2009

Soldiers Exposed to Chromium in Iraq File Suit. Soldiers who have been exposed to hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen, have filed suit against a government contractor. The present and former soldiers have brought a claims ...

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Defense Department to Investigate Hexavalent Chromium Exposure ...

Oct 03, 2009

Chromium exposure has been associated with lung cancer. Breathing high levels of hexavalent chromium can irritate or damage the nose, throat, and lungs. Irritation or damage to the eyes and skin can occur if hexavalent ...

http://workers-compensation.blogspot.com/

New OSHA Booklet Sets Forth Hexavalent Chromium Standard

Jan 14, 2010

"Hexavalent chromium is a powerful lung carcinogen and exposure to this chemical must be minimized," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. "OSHA provides guidance on its standards to ensure that ...

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EPA Approves New Jersey’s List of Polluted Water Bodies; Sewage Pollution Continues to be a Major Problem in New Jersey

Passaic River
(c) 2012 Jon Gelman

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the 2010 list of waters in New Jersey that are considered either impaired or threatened by pollutants. An impaired water body is one that does not meet federal water quality standards even after pollution controls have been put in place. A threatened water body is one that is expected to be impaired within two years. The list helps establish priorities for addressing threats from water pollution.

“Identifying and prioritizing the state’s most seriously polluted waters are important steps in our work to reduce water pollution,” said Judith Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "New Jersey faces serious water quality challenges including the need to reduce pollution from combined sewer systems that allow raw sewage to flow into waterways when it rains. By upgrading old infrastructure and implementing green infrastructure strategies, New Jersey communities can improve water quality.”

The Clean Water Act requires states to assess the quality of their waters and to report their findings to the EPA every two years. The list is compiled by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and is a valuable tool for reaching the Clean Water Act goal of “fishable and swimmable” waters for all of New Jersey.

The list specifically includes impaired waters for which the development of budgets for the amount of water pollution allowed is necessary. The budgets define the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards. They are developed by states and approved by the EPA once the agency determines that the budget will allow the water body to achieve water quality standards.

The most common pollutants causing impairment in New Jersey water bodies include PCBs (8.33%), dissolved oxygen (8.19%), phosphorus (7.86%), pH (7.62%), and arsenic (6.89%). New Jersey’s 2010 list identifies 2,112 instances in which a pollutant is causing an impairment of a water body that keeps it from supporting its “designated use” for drinking water, swimming and recreation, fishing or other activities specified by the state.

The list also notes the most common sources of water pollutants, which include urban/stormwater runoff, combined sewer overflows from systems that capture both domestic sewage and stormwater, and air pollution, including acid rain. A pollutant may come from more than one source.

In 2010, new pollutants were included for waters in the basins of the Hudson River, the Passaic River, the Raritan River, the Delaware Bay, and others. The EPA will continue to work with state and local governments to ensure that impaired waters are cleaned up.

A complete list of impaired waters in New Jersey is available at:http://www.epa.gov/region02/water/waterbodies.

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