Health Consultation: Fish in Rice Creek at the Georgia-Pacific Site, Palatka, Putnam County, Florida.

摘要

In March 2002, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) received a petition including fishing, health and environmental concerns about Rice Creek, St. Johns River, and Etonia Creek, all of which are near the Palatka (Putnam County) Georgia- Pacific paper mill. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) worked together to address these concerns. Because Rice Creek is directly downstream of Georgia Pacific, this is the water body we would expect to find the highest levels of contaminants in fish. Therefore, Florida DOH, ATSDR and Florida DEP agreed only fish from Rice Creek would be collected, evaluated and summarized in this health consultation. Georgia-Pacific has an industrial wastewater permit with the Florida DEP, which requires fish testing in Rice Creek. In July 2003, Georgia-Pacific contractors, with the oversight of the Florida DEP and the Florida DOH, collected 48 bluegill and white catfish from Rice Creek. Because of the low dioxin levels found in the fish, in December 2003 the Florida DOH determined a fish consumption advisory is not necessary for Rice Creek. Thus the conclusions and recommendations in this health consultation are only applicable to those who eat fish caught from Rice Creek near the Georgia-Pacific paper mill.