SLUDGE VICTIMS

The letter contained the following: "Several UMWA (United Mine Workers of America) members became ill after Class B non-exceptional quality sludge was spread within feet of their work area and haul road. The symptoms experienced by the men are very similar to organic amine toxic gas exposure." "The UMWA's HHE (Health Hazard Evaluation) request was submitted prior to our men's illnesses from the exposure to Class B sludge. Due to new information and studies available on organic amine gas we would like to request an amendment to our original HHE. We would greatly appreciate if NIOSH would include organic amine gas exposure to the UMWA's HHE investigation. The UMWA would also appreciate if NIOSH would address the large amount of biologically active sludge that can not be properly incorporated into the soil. We are concerned that this practice, allowing the majority of sludge to be left on the surface, raises the risk of exposure to airborne contaminates, toxic gasses and vector attraction. As the UMW observed during the visit by NIOSH to the Beaver site on August 26, 1999 and from speaking to other mine workers at other sludge sites, site restrictions and proper incorporation are not being met."

January 11, 2000 - Nancy Burton of NIOSH sent a letter to UMWA John Acey acknowledging their men's illnesses and stating "We received your letter which requested additional items be added to the issues listed for the health hazard evaluation (HHE) request submitted in June 1999." "These include: (a.) an evaluation of exposures to organic amines compounds" "and (b.) the issue of incomplete incorporation of sewage sludge" "which leaves the material exposed on the surface. I have added this information to the current HHE project file and will address these issues if a return visit is possible."

2000 - The Journal of Agromedicine released a publication (Volume 7, Number 1 2000 - ISSN: 1059-924X). This report summarizes the conclusions from a workshop including participants from, Duke University, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) regarding the potential mechanisms responsible for health symptoms from ambient odors. ABSTRACT: "Complaints of health symptoms from ambient odors have become more frequent in communities with confined animal facilities, wastewater treatment plants, AND BIOSOLIDS RECYCLING OPERATIONS (emphasis added). The most frequently reported health complaints include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, nausea, diarrhea, hoarseness, sore throat, cough, chest tightness, nasal congestion, palpitations, shortness of breath, stress, drowsiness, and alterations in mood." " for sensitive individuals such as asthmatic patients, exposure to odors may induce health symptoms that persist for longer periods of time as well as aggravate existing medical conditions." " There is considerable epidemiological evidence predominantly from urban settings that exposure to increased levels of particulates is associated with increased mortality risk, especially among the elderly and individuals with preexisting cardiopulmonary diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and chronic heart disease. There is also epidemiological evidence that particulate exposure can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity such as increased hospital admissions or emergency room visits for asthma or other respiratory problems, increased incidence of respiratory symptoms, or alterations in pulmonary function."
Summary and abstract:
To obtain a complete copy of this JOURNAL contact: JANETTE A. KEMMERER JKemmerer@haworthpressinc.com OR call toll free: 1-800-429-6784 OR FAX: 1-800-895-0582.

February 10, 2000 - UMWA, Safety Administrator, Joseph Main sent a letter to Linda Rosenstock, Director of the NIOSH division of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in Washington, DC: "The seriousness of this situation should be apparent at this point. This material will contain live bacteria, viruses, and an unknown number other hazardous contaminates that could, and in some instances have, caused significant health risks to those who come in contact with it." "from conversations we have had with individuals from the Cincinnati office of NIOSH, that the sludge had been in the open environment too long to to afford any meaningful test results. There was a lag time of approximately 60 days between the spreading of the material and the sampling." * Even before NIOSH released their interim report - the UMWA suspected the results to be meaningless. Unfortunately NIOSH could not collect fresh sludge samples at the UMWA site because no sludge has been applied since July 7, 1999.