Published in the Asbury Park Press
By JEAN MIKLE
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- An update on toxicological testing of a chemical compound found in three United Water Toms River wells will be presented at tonight's meeting of the Citizens Action Committee on Childhood Cancer Cluster.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the second floor meeting room of Dover Township's municipal building, 33 Washington St.
The chemical compound, styrene acrylonitrile trimer, is a waste product of plastics production. Small amounts of the compound have been found in United Water's wells 26, 28 and 29. All three wells are located in the parkway field, off Dugan Lane.
Wells 26 and 28 are being treated with a carbon filtration system that removes all traces of the trimer from the water. The water is being pumped to waste, however, and is not blended into the drinking water system.
About 30 to 40 parts per trillion of the trimer were found in United's well 29, which has been sampled weekly since the chemical compound was discovered in the water in September. More than a month ago, Gov. Whitman ordered a carbon filtration system be installed on wells 29 and 22.
The toxicity of the trimer is not known. Union Carbide is funding a study to determine if the material is a potential human carcinogen. Results of the first rounds of testing have been mixed.
"We're hoping Union Carbide will have the results of the 14-day toxicology," said Linda Gillick, who chairs the citizens committee. That test involves giving varying does of the trimer to live rats over a 14-day period.
Gillick said an update on the progress of a computer model of Dover's water system will also be given. Morris Maslia, a research hydrologist with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, is creating the model to help determine if families of children who developed cancer ingested more contaminated water than families whose children did not develop the disease.
Source: Asbury Park Press
Published: : December 14, 1998
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