Health Consultation: Cancer Investigation for Three Neighborhoods Surrounding J.H. Baxter and Company and Other Industrial Sites, Eugene, Oregon. EPA Facility ID: ORD009032400

摘要

The Environmental Health Assessment Program (EHAP), part of the Oregon Department of Human Services Public Health Division, developed this health consultation in response to a request from residents of the Bethel, River Road and Trainsong neighborhoods in northwest Eugene, Oregon. These densely populated neighborhoods border the J.H. Baxter wood treatment plant and are near several other industrial sites. Residents were concerned about the possible health impacts from contaminants released by these businesses. While collecting community concerns about the J.H. Baxter site in 2003, EHAP was petitioned by community members living in this area to investigate the incidence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and brain cancer. Residents were concerned that there were excess rates of these two types of cancers, possibly caused by contaminants released from the wood treatment facility along with the other nearby industries. EHAP prepared an initial report, released in September 2006, which reviewed cancer incidence rates in this area to determine if the number of cases of AML, brain, lung, and nasal cancers was higher than expected for the period of 1996 to 2003, the years for which data were available from the state cancer registry.