Study Identifies S. Florida Pediatric Brain Cancer Clusters; State Knew Of Toxins, Risks In 1988

[hatrack]

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The state Department of Health declined to discuss the study, due to be published next month in the scholarly journal Pediatric Blood & Cancer. The authors include researchers from the University of West Florida in Pensacola and the Nemours Center for Childhood Cancer Research in Delaware.

The study has swiftly grabbed attention in The Acreage. "Our community has been labeled as the poster child for 'Pediatric Cancer Clusters' in the State of Florida," Acreage residents Carl and Debra Garcia wrote to state Rep. Joseph Abruzzo last week in an e-mail seeking answers about the new report. "We want the truth both for those directly stricken by health issues and the community at large."

The study, which compares childhood cancer rates throughout Florida ZIP codes from 2000 through 2007, wasn't meant to challenge or conflict with state findings, its authors said. The report doesn't address causes of the elevated cancer rates but says the findings "are suggestive of environmental factors or common risk factors in the areas."

The study found that in 2006 and 2007, southern Florida had more than twice as many childhood brain tumors and cancers as would be expected in that size population: 52 cases instead of 24. "This may be an area of concern for the health authorities to look deeper into — that's pretty much where the results in the article end," said study author Raid Amin, a statistics professor at the University of West Florida.

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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/study-showing-high-cancer-rates-sets-off-a-318991.html

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The report, prepared in October 1988 by the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, says Pratt produced a number of hazardous wastes that it stored and buried on its property.

Even back then, 22 years ago, authorities found Pratt was a potential threat to public health. As this aerial map shows, Pratt and Whitney, a major defense contractor, is only about 7 miles from the Acreage in northern Palm Beach County. The report says: "...this site is considered to be of potential public health concern because of the risk to human health caused by the possibility of exposure to hazardous chemicals in the ground water and air..."

Among the stuff that Pratt disposed of in landfill and incineration trenches on its site were solvents, sludges, pesticide and herbicide residue, fuel, mercury, asbestos and unnamed commercial and laboratory chemicals. The report says: "Human exposure to contaminated ground water is of concern."

And it also says: "Surface water runoff and flooding may introduce contaminants to the wetlands and canals that drain the site." It also says contaminated, wind-blown dust is a concern at the Pratt site. Again, that was in October 1988.

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http://www.cbs12.com/news/health-4724537-warned-1980s.html