Published in the Asbury Park Press
By JEAN MIKLE
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- Representatives of Union Carbide Corp. are expected to give an update on toxicity testing of a chemical found in two United Water Toms River wells at tonight's meeting of the Citizens Action Committee on Childhood Cancer Cluster.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the second floor meeting room at Dover's municipal building.
Last month, Carbide officials said that results of the first round of testing on the chemical, styrene acrylonitrile trimer, indicated it could cause genetic mutations. Some genetic mutations can lead to cancer, but officials have cautioned that the first round of tests are very preliminary and that much more testing needs to be done.
No toxicity studies have ever been done on the trimer, which is a byproduct of plastics production. Small amounts of the chemical were found in United's wells 26 and 28 in November 1996. The two wells have been used only rarely since then, even though a carbon filtration system installed last year removes all traces of the trimer from the treated water.
Officials think the chemical comes from the Reich Farm Superfund site, located about one mile north of the well field. It was discovered during the ongoing investigation into elevated levels of some childhood cancers in Dover.
Additional tests on the trimer will try to determine if the chemical can damage genes, chromosomes, or DNA, and laboratory rats will be given varying doses to see how they respond.
Also expected at tonight's meeting is an update on the investigation into contamination at the Dover Township Landfill by officials from the township, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The DEP is overseeing an investigation of possible groundwater contamination emanating from the former dump, located between Bay Avenue and Church Road.
Asbury Park Press
Published: August 10, 1998
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