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Public Health Assessment
Ciba-Geigy Corporation
(Dover Township) Toms River, New Jersey
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Public Health Action Plan
The Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) for Ciba-Geigy Corporation site contains a description of the actions to be taken at or in the vicinity of the site. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this Public Health Assessment not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.
Included is a commitment on the part of ATSDR and NJDIISS to monitor this plan to ensure its implementation. The ATSDR will provide follow-up to this PHAP as necessary, outlining the actions completed, and those in progress. This report will be placed in repositories that contain copies of this Public Health Assessment, and it will be provided to persons who request it. The public health actions undertaken or planned are as follows:
Public Health Actions Undertaken by the ATSDR/NJDHSS
Ciba Geigy Corporation Site
1) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR have evaluated available information to determine the public health significance of past and present human exposure pathways associated with the CGC site.
2) The NJDHSS acquired and conducted analyses of samples of monitoring wells associated with the CGC site. These data have been reviewed and will be summarized by NJDHSS in a separate document.
3) The ATSDR Division of Toxicology has reviewed existing toxicological literature with respect to several dyes and dye intermediates used at the Toms River Plant.
General
1) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR conducted analyses of private wells as part of an exposure investigation. Test results were communicated to participants, together with an offer of assistance in interpreting data, recommendations for minimizing exposure, and educational materials regarding the health issues associated with results.
2) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR have prepared a Public Health Consultation describing a review and analysis of childhood cancer incidence data for Dover Township during the period 1979 to 1995 (NJDHSS, 1997d).
3) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR (Division of Health Studies) are conducting an epidemiologic study of childhood cancers in Dover Township. The study will examine whether environmental exposures (including but not limited to completed pathways associated with the CGC site) and other risk factors are associated with the incidence of these diseases. The ATSDR is developing a community water supply distribution system model which will be used in the epidemiologic study to estimate past exposure to water from the Holly Street well field and other points of entry.
4) The ATSDR (Division of Health Education and Promotion) and the NJDHSS have implemented a variety of physician and community education initiatives as part of the Public Health Response Plan, including:
Health Care Provider Education
The NJDHSS distributed to physicians approximately 100 Resource Guides for Health Care Providers in Ocean County.
The NJDHSS developed and distributed a series of Health Care Provider Updates to approximately 430 physicians and physician groups and 3O school nurses in the area. The first Update in the series (August 1996) reviewed the Public Health Response Plan. A survey of educational needs was sent with the first Update; 77 physicians responded to the survey, with 33 requesting additional informational materials. Physicians were most interested in professional seminars and patient education materials on general pollution issues. Five additional Health Care Provider Updates have been completed and distributed by the NJDHSS: information on the Ciba-Geigy and Reich Farm Health Public Health Assessments, the initial results of the community water supply investigation, cancer incidence statistics, and the epidemiological study protocol.
Community Education
* Health Care Provider Updates and Resource Guides have been made available to area residents upon request.
* Progress reports of the Dover Township childhood cancer investigation were developed for distribution to concerned citizens in September 1997 and May 1998 by the NJDHSS and the ATSDR.
Public Health Actions Planned
Ciba Geigy Corporation Site
1) The ATSDR will evaluate the health protectiveness of on-site source area remediation measures, once the USEPA had identified a proposed alternative.
General
1) The ATSDR and the NJDHSS are preparing, in the form of a Public Health Consultation, a summary and evaluation of the 1997 exposure investigation data and their public health significance.
2) The ATSDR and the NJDHSS will coordinate with the Ocean County Health Department to offer water quality testing to owners of private residential wells that were part of the former outfall pipeline monitoring program.
3) The NJDHSS will contact local health officials and community leaders to assess the need for future community educational activity. Site-specific educational materials will be prepared and disseminated as necessary. Periodically, new Progress Reports and Health Care Provider Updates will be developed and distributed.
4) The ATSDR and the NJDHSS will reevaluate and revise this Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) as warranted. New environmental, toxicological or health outcome data, or the results of implementing the above proposed actions may determine the need for additional actions at the CGC site by the NJDHSS and/or the ATSDR.
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