Information Sheet Autumn 2005
PCBs and the Upper Hudson River Flood Plain
Sediments within the Upper Hudson River are contaminated with
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as
a result of industrial discharges known to have occurred between the
1940s and the 1970s. PCBs
were discharged to the river from the General Electric plants in
Hudson Falls and Fort Edward and
were subsequently transported downstream. Once PCBs entered the river,
they were deposited and
mixed with the sediments at many locations on the river bottom and at
some locations along the
shoreline. In 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
signed a Record of Decision
(ROD) for the cleanup of the Hudson River. The PCB-contaminated
sediments on the river bottom
are being delineated by the EPA and will be remediated as part of the
upcoming Hudson River
Dredging Project. The ROD also states that concerns related to
possible exposure of residents and
ecological receptors to PCBs in the flood plains will also be
evaluated. This information sheet is to
make you aware of the status of the ongoing flood plains evaluation
and to provide you with
information about where and how you may want to take steps to minimize
your potential exposure to
PCB-contaminated sediments while continuing to reside and participate
in recreational activities along
the Hudson River between Fort Edward and the Troy Dam.
Deposition of PCBs in Flood Plain Areas
The river carries fine grained sediments, some of which contain PCBs,
that are picked up from the
river bottom. During periods of flooding, these materials typically
settle out and form sediment
deposits upon the flood plain. Certain areas of the river flood plain
are more likely to have
accumulations of PCB-contaminated sediment, including low-lying areas
right next to the river that are
subject to frequent flooding, backwater areas, and the inside of large
bends in the river. In many
instances the sediments may appear wet and muddy throughout the year.
It is within these areas,
where flooding occurs and sediments accumulate, that people may be
exposed to sediments
contaminated with PCBs. Other areas of the river with fast moving
water, where the riverbank is
steep, or where the river rarely, if ever, rises above its bank are
not expected to have flood plain
deposits of PCBs.
Exposure to PCBs in Flood Plain Soil
Potential health risks from exposure to the PCBs in flood plain soils
depend on PCB concentrations
and the extent to which people contact soil PCBs. The extent of
contact depends on the types of
activities that contribute to exposure and the duration and frequency
of these activities. Activities that
may contribute to exposure include:
Recreational Uses. Young children may come into direct contact with
PCB-contaminated soil while
playing or digging in the dirt. During these activities they may
incidentally ingest soil through hand-tomouth
activity. For example, this exposure may occur when young children put
toys into their mouth
or do not properly wash their hands before eating.
Adults and adolescents may walk over the soil with shoes on, which in
most cases results in very little
exposure.
New York State
New York State Department Department of Health
of Environmental Conservation
Gardening. Gardening is not a major exposure concern for most people.
This is because PCBs
were generally found in low-lying areas next to the river, which are
usually not good for residential
gardening due to frequent flooding.
Considering that the presence and concentration of PCBs at any given
location may not be known
without collecting and analyzing soil samples, the following are
actions you can take if you wish to
further reduce your possibility of PCB exposure.
· Avoid digging in and relocating soil from the areas where frequent
flooding occurs. Wash soil from
skin whenever possible especially after working or playing in areas
where flooding occurs. You
can also minimize skin contact with soil during activities such as
gardening by wearing gloves, etc.
· Avoid tracking soil and mud from potentially contaminated areas into
your home by rinsing off
shoes or toys that may have sediment or soil on them.
· Limit pet access to low-lying flooded areas and wash pets that have
mud or soil on them.
· Thoroughly wash and/or peel vegetables grown in gardens located in
low-lying areas.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are PCBs?
PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a group of chemicals
consisting of 209 individual chemicals.
PCBs were widely used as a fire preventive and insulator in the
manufacture of electrical transformers
and capacitors because of their exceptional ability to withstand high
temperatures. At the
concentrations detected in the sediments and fish, people are unlikely
to be aware of PCBs by their
smell or taste. Many commercial PCB mixtures are known in the U.S. by
the trade name Aroclor.
What are the health effects associated with contact to PCBs?
PCBs have been extensively evaluated for their toxicity in animal
studies and human epidemiological
studies of workers and the general population. PCBs cause many effects
in animals. Skin conditions,
such as acne and rashes, have occurred in workers exposed to high
levels of PCBs. PCBs are
suspected of causing a variety of other effects in humans. Information
on the toxicity of PCBs are
available at two US EPA websites. (1) Visit http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/index.html
for information on
Aroclors and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the US EPA Integrated Risk
Information System. (2) Visit
http://www.epa.gov/hudson/faqs.htm at the US EPA Region 2 Hudson River
PCBs website for
Frequency Asked Questions about PCB Health Risks. Additional
information is also found at two
websites of the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR). (1) Visit
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxpro2.html for the Toxicological Profile
for PCBs. (2) Visit
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html for the ToxFAQs for PCBs.
As with all chemical exposures, the nature and extent of any health
effects from PCBs are related to
the amount and duration of chemical exposure. In addition, people
differ in their response to the
same or similar exposures. This difference in sensitivity is due, in
part, to the individual differences
among people. People, for example, differ in age, sex, diet, family
traits, lifestyle, genetic
background, the presence of other chemicals in their body (e.g.,
alcohol, prescription drugs), and
state of health. Differences in sensitivity should be kept in mind
when reading the information on the
human health effects of any chemical including PCBs.
What sampling has been done in the flood plain by EPA?
The EPA conducted an initial round of sampling in November 2004.
Samples were collected from
private/residential properties and public lands in areas that have
been flooded in the past and that
may be subject to frequent flooding by the river. A total of 688
samples (including duplicates) were
gathered at depths from 0 to 12 inches in areas where potential
exposures are highest. The samples
were then analyzed to determine total PCB concentration. Additional
sampling has been conducted
based on the initial results.
What does the 2004 sampling data show with respect to the levels of
PCBs found along the
shoreline?
PCBs were generally detected in low-lying areas right next to the
river where frequent flooding occurs.
PCBs were either not detected or detected below the residential
guideline of 1 part per million (ppm)
in 70% of the soil samples collected by the EPA. The 1 ppm guideline
was developed considering
potential exposures of adults and children at their home. PCBs were
detected at higher levels in the
remaining samples and these areas are being dealt with on an
individual property basis to determine
the need for further investigation and evaluation for possible
cleanup.
What are the next steps in the Flood Plains Investigation?
EPA believes that further investigation of properties where PCB
sampling results are 1 ppm or less is
not necessary at this time.
For properties where PCB sampling results are between 1 and 10 ppm,
EPA will visit and evaluate
each parcel individually and determine whether or not the existing
sample results and the associated
property use indicate a need for further evaluation based on potential
exposures. EPA will continue
to coordinate all follow-up activities with the property owner.
For a select number of properties and locations, EPA, DOH and GE
evaluated each property/location
individually to determine whether or not the existing sample results
and the associated property use
indicate a need for further evaluation. A number of properties have
been identified for additional
sampling to determine if additional investigations and/or response
actions are necessary at these
properties. GE began conducting this sampling during the fall of 2005.
The EPA will continue to
coordinate all follow-up activities with the property owners.
Following any additional sampling, the
EPA will provide the property owner with the sampling data and discuss
what, if any, additional steps
may be appropriate. Plans for additional sampling are currently being
developed.
Every spring the river floods my yard, does this mean that there are
PCBs in my yard?
PCBs may be present in areas that have been flooded in the past and
that may be subject to frequent
flooding by the river. Residents can reduce the potential for exposure
to PCBs by following the
precautions indicated above when working, gardening or playing in
areas that are frequently flooded
by the river.
Can I fish in the river?
Yes, you can fish in the river. Be aware that NYSDEC "Catch-and-
Release" regulations require that all
fish caught from the Hudson River between Bakers Falls (in Hudson
Falls) and the Federal Dam at
Troy must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. Equally
important, the New York State
Department of Health (NYSDOH) has issued extensive fish advisories for
most of the Hudson River
due to elevated PCB levels in fish. The NYSDOH advisories recommend
that no one eat any fish at
all caught between South Glens Falls and the Troy Dam. PCB exposures
from eating contaminated
fish are greater than those arising from contact with contaminated
flood plain soil and hence pose a
greater health concern. For additional fish advisory information for
New York State waters (including
the entire Hudson River) call NYSDOH's toll free information line at
1-800-458-1158 or view the fish
advisories online at http://www.nyhealth.gov/nysdoh/fish/fish.htm.
Can I swim in the river?
The Human Health Risk Assessment for the Hudson River evaluated the
potential risks from PCB
exposure through incidental ingestion of water and dermal contact with
water while swimming. The
assessment found the calculated risks from PCBs were below or within
the risk range used by EPA to
determine need for remedial action. In addition, the concentrations of
PCBs in the water are below
the drinking water standard.
Can PCBs be in the air too?
Although the possibility exists that PCBs can be released into the air
from both soil and water,
potential exposures from air are much less than those from fish or
soil. The NYS Department of
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is conducting an air monitoring
study along the upper Hudson
River prior to dredging and data from this study should provide
information on current PCB levels in
air near the river.
For additional information contact:
Mr. Justin Deming
NYS Department of Health
547 River Street
Troy, New York 12180
(518) 402-7870
1-800-458-1158, ext. 2-7850 Toll-Free
Mr. William Shaw
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, New York 12233-7015
(518) 402 - 9676
Mr. David King or Mr. Leo Rosales
EPA Hudson River Field Office
421 Lower Main Street
Hudson Falls, NY 12839
(518) 747-4389
(866) 615-6490 Toll-Free