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Reich Farm Health Assessment
(Dover Township) Toms River, New Jersey
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Public Health Action Plan
The Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) for the Reich Farm 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 NJDHSS/ATSDR:
Reich Farm
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 Reich Farm Site.
2) The NJDHSS and the ATSDR, in cooperation with the NJDEP, have conducted an extensive program of sampling of the UWTR community water supply. Results of samples from wells at the Parkway well field led to the discovery of
previously uncharacterized contaminants entering the distribution system and subsequent remedial actions.
3) NJDHSS acquired and conducted analyses of split samples of monitoring wells associated with the RF site. These data have been reviewed and will be summarized by NJDHSS in a separate document.
4) In cooperation with the USEPA, the ATSDR (Division of Toxicology) and the NJDHSS have participated in an on-going working group to review initial toxicity testing data and draft protocols for further testing of SAN trimer.
General
1) Results of private well analysis have been communicated to participants in the groundwater phase of the exposure investigation. The NJDHSS has provided assistance in interpreting data where necessary. In addition, the NJDHSS
has provided recommendation for minimizing exposure, and educational material regarding the health issues associated with exposure to lead and radiological activity to the appropriate participants.
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.
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 RIF,) and other risk factors are associated with the incidence of these diseases.
4) 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 Parkway and other points of entry.
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 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.
* 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 second progress report of the investigation in May 1998.
Public Health Actions Planned By NJDHSS/ATSDR:
Reich Farm
1) The ATSDR and the NJDHSS will continue to review water quality data associated with the Parkway well field generated during future sampling episodes for public health significance, and recommend or take appropriate mitigative public health actions if necessary.
2) In cooperation with the USEPA, the NIEHS and the NJDEP, the NJDHSS and the ATSDR will review the public health significance of exposure to the SAN trimer upon availability of relevant toxicological data.
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.
2) The ATSDR and the NJDHSS will reevaluate and revise this Public Health Action Plan (PHAP) as warranted. New environmental, toxicological, health outcome data, or the results of implementing the above proposed actions may determine the need for additional actions at the RF site by the NJDHSS and/or the ATSDR.
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