&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Availability session
EPA, Ohio EPA and other
agencies will conduct a public
availability session on Thursday,
Sept. 24, 7 - 8:30 p.m., Ottawa-
Glandorf High School, 630
Glendale Ave., Ottawa. At the
meeting officials will share the
results of the lead assessment and
answer questions. During this
session the agencies will also be
collecting information on other
potential dumping sites in the
area.
Contacts
For more information you can
contact these EPA team
members:
Lori Muller
On-Scene Coordinator
EPA Region 5
Emergency Response Branch
25089 Center Ridge Road
Westlake, OH44145
440-250-1700
muller.lori@epa.gov
Ginny Narsete
Community Involvement
Coordinator
EPA Region 5
Superfund Division (SI-7J)
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago IL 60604
312-886-4359
narsete.virginia@epa.gov
Region 5 toll-free:
800-621-8431, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30
p.m., weekdays
(more contacts and Web URL on back)
Agencies to Expand
Precautionary Lead Testing
GTE/Sylvania/Philips Residential Lead Assessment Site
Ottawa, Ohio September 2009
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Ohio EPA this
April performed a limited assessment on four residential properties in
Ottawa where GTE/Sylvania/Philips had disposed of waste. The
sampling results showed that one of the properties has elevated lead
levels in surface soil. Although the other three properties did not have
unsafe lead concentrations, the federal and state agencies want to
conduct additional assessments on other lots in and around Ottawa
where industrial dumping may have occurred. Several locations have
been identified.
EPA wants to carry out further testing because elevated lead levels can
trigger lead poisoning through breathing, skin contact and incidental
swallowing of contaminated soil. High blood-lead levels in children or
unborn babies can lead to learning and behavior problems as well as
lower IQs. Neighborhood children can be exposed by playing on bare
dirt spots, and children and adults can breathe lead-tainted dust. Much
of the soil in the heavily industrialized United States contains lead, but
EPA is looking on affected Ottawa properties for excessively high
levels of the metal that could present a risk to human health.
Background
The properties sampled in April consisted of four lots totaling about
6-7 acres. In July 2008 Ohio EPA collected a sample of waste scrap
glass on a residential property that tested as unsafe for lead. An
investigation revealed the waste material may have come from the
former GTE/Sylvania/Philips plant that once operated in Ottawa.
Apparently for many years the former GTE plant had used locations in
and around Ottawa to dispose of reject television tubes. Various time
periods have been documented by Ohio EPA's investigation of plant
records that show disposals occurring from the 1940s to the early
1990s. Most of the waste was disposed of at what are now private
residences.
In December 2008 Ohio EPA requested EPA's assistance in
performing a site assessment at the residential property where the
complaint originated.
EPA's Superfund "removal" program is conducting the assessment.
The removal program handles short-term investigations and cleanups
where pollutants could potentially affect people's health if not
contained or removed in a timely manner. You may hear talk of
Superfund's "remediation" program as well. The remediation program
manages long-term cleanup projects where the imminent health threats
no longer exist but pollutants must eventually be removed.
-------
EPA, Ohio EPA
Plan to Expand
Precautionary Lead Testing
In Ottawa Yards
Investigation Looking
For Former GTE/Sylvania/Philips
Dump Sites
Informational Meeting: Sept. 24, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf High School
(details on front)
More contacts
Brent Goetz
Environmental Specialist
Ohio EPA
Northwest District Office,
Division of Solid and
Infectious Waste
Management
347 N. Dunbridge Road
Bowling Green, OH 43402
419-373-4114
brent. goetz@epa. state, oh.us
Bob Frey, Ph.D.
Chief
Ohio Department of Health
Assessment Section
246 N. High St. - 5th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
614-466-1390
bob.firey@odh.ohio.gov
Jeff Loehrke
Community Development
Director
Village of Ottawa
136 Oak Street
Ottawa, OH 45875
419-523-5020
jloehrke@ottawaohio.us
Kurt Schroeder
Director of Environmental
Health
Putnam County Health
Department
P.O. Box 330
256 Williamstown Road
Ottawa, OH 45875
kurt.schroeder@odh.ohio.gov
419-523-5608
On the Web
http ://www. epa.gov/regi on5/s
ites/ottawalead/index.htm
------- |