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Dover Township Municipal Landfill & Silverton Private Well Contamination Investigation
Toms River, New Jersey
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Public Health Action Plan
The Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) for the Dover Township Municipal Landfill 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 NJDHSS to follow up on this
plan to ensure its implementation. ATSDR will provide an annual follow-up to this PHAP, outlining the actions completed and those in progress. This report will be placed in repositories that contain copies of this Public Health Assessment, and will be provided
to persons who request it. The public health actions taken or to be implemented are as follows:
Public Health Actions Undertaken by ATSDR/NJDHSS:
Dover Township Municipal Landfill
1) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR have evaluated public health concerns regarding potential human exposure pathways associated with the DTML/Silverton Road Groundwater Investigation.
2) The NJDHSS has reviewed a Preliminary Assessment report and Remedial Investigation Workplan for the DTML (Raviv, 1997a; Raviv, 1997b) and has offered commentary regarding sampling protocols and public health concerns through the NJDEP.
3) The NJDHSS has acquired split samples of monitoring wells sampled during the DTML Remedial Investigation. The NJDHSS Laboratory is analyzing the samples using methods capable of detecting potential site-related contaminants. The NJDHSS will review the data for
public health significance.
General
1) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR have evaluated public health concerns regarding potential human exposure pathways associated with the Silverton Private Well Contamination study area.
2) Results of private well analyses have been communicated to participants in the groundwater testing phase of the exposure investigation. The NJDHSS has provided assistance in interpreting data where necessary. In addition, the NJDHSS has provided educational
material regarding the health issues and possible mitigative measures associated with exposure to lead and radiological activity to the appropriate participants.
3) 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.
4) The NJD14SS and the ATSDR are conducting an epidemiologic study of childhood cancers in Dover Township. The study will examine whether environmental exposures (including but not limited to completed human exposure pathways associated with groundwater contamination
in the Silverton section) and other risk factors are associated with the incidence of these diseases.
5) The ATSDR (Division of Health Education and Promotion) and the NJDHSS have implemented a variety of physician and community education initiatives in Dover Township 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 30 school nurses in the area. The first Update 'm 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.
* A one-year progress report of the Dover Township Childhood Cancer investigation has been developed and distributed (September 1997) by the NJDHSS for concerned citizens. The ATSDR issued a the second progress report of the investigation in May 1998.
Public Health Actions Planned By ATSDR/NJDHSS:
Dover Township Municipal Landfill
1) The ATSDR and the NJDHSS will work with the NJDEP to provide a public health review of data generated during the site Remiedial Investigation to further evaluate the public health significance of the DTML site.
General
1) 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.
The ATSDR and the NJDHSS will reevaluate and revise the Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) as wan-anted. New environmental, toxicological, health outcome data, changes in conditions at the DTML site, or the results of implementing the above proposed actions may
determine the need for additional actions at the DTML site by the NJDHSS and/or the ATSDR.
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