INFORMATION PAPER MCHB-TS-RAO 13 July 2006

SUBJECT: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) Environmental Contamination Sources at Ft. McClellan, Alabama and Surrounding Areas. 1. Purpose: To provide information on known sources of environmental PCB contamination at Ft. McClellan, Alabama and in the surrounding Anniston, Alabama area. This is a followup to a previous CHPPM information paper on this topic (reference a). 2. Background Site Information. a. Ft. McClellan. A review of environmental studies performed at Ft. McClellan, AL by the U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency during the 1980s indicates that there is little or no environmental contamination at Ft. McClellan that may have exposed Army personnel (military and civilian) at Ft. McClellan to PCBs. Two studies conducted by AEHA (references b. and c), identified two PCB storage areas on Ft. McClellan. Sampling and analysis of soil from these sites showed no PCB concentrations in excess of the detection limit of 1 part per million. The U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC) personnel involved with the Ft. McClellan installation restoration program have no recollection of any PCB contaminated sites. They are currently reviewing all installation restoration reports to determine whether any PCB sources have been identified during environmental restoration work. b. Off-Site Sources. A Solutia Inc plant, formerly owned by the Monsanto Co has been identified as a major source of PCBs in the Anniston, Alabama area. This site has been studied by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in order to determine potential public health consequences of exposures to hazardous waste site contaminants (reference c). This study concluded that: The Monsanto Company, currently Solutia Inc. produced polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at a plant in Anniston, Alabama from 1935 to the early 1970s. Manufacturing wastes were disposed of in landfills and drainage ditches on the property. These drainage ditches flow into Snow Creek which in turn discharges to Choccolocco Creek to the Coosa River and to Logan Martin Lake. PCB soil contamination in the western portion of Anniston, Alabama may be due to flooding of Snow and Choccolocco Creek and the discharge ditches during periods of heavy rainfall. These water bodies do not traverse either Fort McClellan or ANAD and therefore would not affect the soils of these two installations. Ground water in the area is not contaminated with PCBs. Exposures to PCBs in soil in parts of Anniston present a public health hazard. PCBs in residential soil present a public health hazard of cancerous and non-cancerous health effects for persons with prolonged exposure. PCBs in residential soils in some

areas may present a public health hazard for thyroid and neurodevelopmental effects after exposure durations of less than 1 year. PCB exposures may have been more severe in the past. However, the fact that young children have elevated levels of PCBs indicates that exposure may still be occurring at high levels. Exposures to PCBs in the air present an indeterminate public health hazard. The uncertainty regarding the levels of PCBs in the air in Anniston over long exposure durations, combined with uncertainty regarding air levels of PCBs to which people would be exposed at their homes, precludes a determination of whether PCBs in air present a health hazard. More investigation needs to be conducted to a) identify persons living near the air monitors at which elevated air PCB levels have been detected and b) define the limits of the area with elevated air levels for PCBs. ATSDR's evaluation of the health hazard potential, particularly with regard to the size of the exposed population and the levels or duration of exposure, is limited by data gaps. Further sampling and evaluation are needed to fully assess the scope of contamination and exposure. We are concerned about the potential for health effects at this site

c. The DOD ATSDR Liaison has requested ATSDR to provide an update on any recent reports or changes in the Monsanto/Solutia site investigation and clean-up status. A response is expected in the next several days. A preliminary response indicates that there is most likely no change in the information provided in 2002 as to overall impact on Ft. McClellan or Anniston Army Depot. 3. Potential Impacts on Army Activities and Personnel. a. There is little or no environmental contamination at Ft. McClellan that may have exposed Army personnel at Ft. McClellan to PCBs. b. PCB soil contamination from the Monsanto/Solutia site is confined to the Anniston, Alabama area on the other side of Anniston from the Anniston Army Depot and Ft. McClellan. There is no direct pathway from the contaminated sites to either installation. The present contamination does not pose an elevated health risk to personnel at either installation. c. Army personnel who have previously resided or currently reside within the identified contaminated areas in Anniston may have been exposed to concentrations above EPA action levels and suffer an elevated health risk equivalent to the local non-Army population . d. In 2002, ATSDR and the State and local health departments informed residents of the contamination by one of several means, through direct communication, via public availability sessions and through a public information campaign via local news media. In addition the U.S. EPA had established a satellite field office to coordinate field sampling

which requires direct coordination with residents. Information on current activities is being researched. e. Since PCB waste products were discharged to drainage ditches it is known that the ditches as well as the tributaries to which they discharge are contaminated with PCBs. Fish within these tributaries have been identified as containing elevated concentrations of PCBs. The State of Alabama has instituted fish advisories for these bodies of water.

4. References: a. US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, MCHB-TS-REH, 3 January 2002, Information Paper, Subject: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) Contamination Related to Monsanto/Solutia Inc. Manufacturing at Anniston, Alabama b. US Army Environmental Hygiene Agency, 23 December 1987, Hazardous Waste Consultation No. 37-26-1649-88, Fort McClellan, Alabama, 8-12 December 1986 c. US Army Environmental Hygiene Agency, 30 September 1986, Hazardous Waste Study No. 37-26-0719-86, Fort McClellan, Alabama, 4-7 December 1985 d. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 14 February 2000, Health Consultation Public Comment Release, Evaluation of Soil, Blood & Air Data from Anniston, Alabama, Calhoun County, Alabama, available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/annpc/ann_toc.html

PREPARED BY: T. Michael White, USACHPPM, DOD Liaison to ATSDR, 410-436-5221 APPROVED BY: Dr. Jack M. Heller, USACHPPM, Director, Health Risk Management 410-436-5244