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The Alliance For A Clean Environment |
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Source: PENN State - Graduate Student Research Statistics: PA Department of health, Bureau of Health Statistics ( 2001, August) Analysis of cancer incidence in PA counties 1994-1998 1999 Brain Cancer Statistics (Ages 15 and above) Tri County Area
1999 (Ages 15 and above) Montgomery County has the HIGHEST RATE of brain cancer by a large margin compared to: U.S., PA, and Tioga County in PA ( a less polluted county for comparison) almost DOUBLED in only 5 years Montgomery County Brain Cancer
Brain Cancer Rate per 100,000 in Pottstown - 9.25 • This is SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER than the State and National Average. This is also SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER than any other municipality within a 12 mile radius from Pottstown. • Municipality-level statistics can not account for the high numbers of brain cancers in Pottstown. Brain/Central Nervous System Cancers Were Among the Highest Numbers of Cancers in Greater Pottstown Area Children, according to PA Cancer Registry Report 1995-1999 Why Weren’t Brain Cancer Statistics Reported in the 1998 Montgomery County Health Department Cancer Investigation? Why such startling Brain Cancer Statistics for Pottstown and Montgomery County? Enormous Vinyl Chloride Emissions may be one major factor for elevated Brain Cancers in Pottstown and Montgomery County. Vinyl Chloride was found to be 10 to 20 times HIGHER than EPA’s health benchmark standards in many parts of Montgomery County. Occidental in Pottstown was the only listed emitter. However, ACE believes Pottstown Landfill’s vinyl chloride releases are also a major factor. Vinyl Chloride - Links to Brain Cancer • A 1985 report by Moss states there is epidemiological evidence supporting brain cancer from exposure to vinyl chloride in the petrochemical industry. • Vinyl Chloride or momochloroethylene has been found to elevate risks of brain tumors for workers highly exposed (Kielhorn et al, 2000) • Vinyl Chloride is also shown to induce brain tumors in rats. (Kato, Asano, & Cooper, 1996) • A 1988 study in the United Kingdom found that incidence of brain cancer in cohort studies were excessive. (Blair, & Kazerouni) CDC reports vinyl chloride workers appear to have increased rates of brain cancers. Occidental Chemical in Pottstown Since 1988, Occidental released over 1 ½ MILLION pounds of vinyl chloride into our air. Those air emissions of vinyl chloride do not just disappear. We are forced to breathe it into our lungs and are exposed to it in many other ways. In 1990, EPA modeling found vinyl chloride to be 10 to 20 times higher than EPA health benchmarks for vinyl chloride, in many parts of Montgomery County, with Occidental the only listed emitter in the county. Pottstown Landfill Research shows that vinyl chloride is a significant exposure risk from landfill gas. The Pottstown Landfill is not required to report hazardous air emissions to EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory. Therefore, the amount of vinyl chloride released from the Pottstown Landfill 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has never been accurately determined. There is no doubt vinyl chloride releases from Pottstown Landfill gas are significant. Vinyl chloride was listed in Occidental Chemicals’s permit request to DEP, as one of the chemicals to be included in its 310% hazardous emission increase, to burn Pottstown Landfill as fuel, instead of natural gas. ACE is calling on Occidental to transition to safer alternatives to PVC. ACE is calling for closure of the Pottstown Landfill.
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