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Efforts under way to determine health issues of PFCs

ALPENA –There are many questions about what type of health issues there may or may not be associated with perfluorinated chemicals, such as the ones detected in the groundwater at, the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.

Unfortunately there are few answers about the direct health impact of consuming water contaminated with PFCs.

There is an Environmental Protection Agency health advisory in place, but there are no established testing parameters because there is no certainty how much, or little, of the perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid is unsafe. According to the EPA website the advisory was issued based on the best available peer-reviewed studies. The studies indicate long-term consumption of the chemicals may lead to adverse health effects, including developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or to breastfed infants, cancer, liver damage, immune system and thyroid issues. Health warnings have not been issued by the EPA and testing for the chemicals are not mandated at this time.

District Health Departments No. 4 and No. 2 Health Officer Denise Bryan has been working on the contamination effort in Oscoda. She said exposure to PFOA and PFOS is something to take seriously if drinking water tests positive. She said people who already show symptoms or suffer from illness listed by the EPA should share the information about the possible exposure to PFCs with their health care provided.

It is not known yet if the groundwater contamination has spread beyond the base and, if it has, where the plume is moving. Bryan said it is natural for people to be unnerved when they learn their primary source of drinking water could be contaminated. She said the state, military and local health and environmental agencies are working to make sure people are informed and protected against any unhealthy water, but stressed people should not panic.

“Panicking will not solve any of the issues we have,” she said. “I understand the feelings people have, but we need to trust the process. We’ve been down this road before at other places in Michigan and are actually ahead of the curve with this emerging chemical contaminate.”

District health, Alpena Township and the City of Alpena already have plans in place to help people access clean water should their wells test positive for PFCs. The city will have two locations where people can get fresh water. One is at the utility office on Harbor Drive and the other at the DPW facility on Long Lake Road. Alpena Township will have three locations where people can fill up containers. One is at Cliff Anschuetz Chevrolet, South Side Fire Station and the water pump station on M-32 near Don’s Tractor.

Bryan said district health will be giving away water containers so people who need them to hold and transfer water can use them.

Ryan said in order to make sure the well testing is done thoroughly and as quickly as possible people who have wells near the base should sign up to have them tested. They can do it at the DHD No. 4 or at www.michigan.gov/alpenapfosresponse.

“It is important to get in the queue as soon as you can,” Bryan said. “The quicker you get tested the quicker you will get your results back in the mail.”

Because there are only nine companies in the country that offer the needed testing, test results from the well test could take as long as six weeks to return. As results come back the results will be recorded and a map of the contamination constructed. People will be able to view it on the response website.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter ss_alpenanews.

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