The Fayette Citizen-News Page

Wednesday, April 17, 2002

Health effects of de-icing spill to get PTC hearing April 24

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

An expert in pediatric health from Emory University wants to help local residents determine how they were and are affected by exposure to contaminants in drinking water from January's spill of de-icing fluids at Hartsfield International Airport.

Dr. Howard Frumkin of Emory University will present a special program on the topic at the Peachtree City Library Wednesday, April 24, from 7-8:30 p.m.

Frumkin will provide special information on the health affects of ethylene glycol exposure to pregnant and nursing mothers. He said a number of concerned residents called Emory's Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit seeking that particular information.

"We do have information about what the levels of exposure might have been," Frumkin said, adding that there is a "level of uncertainty" with the figures. "We'll talk about the limits of the data and what we do know to evaluate what ethylene glycol does to people."

State environmental officials reported that tens of thousands of gallons of ethylene glycol spilled into the Flint River from Hartsfield in early January when the chemical was used to deice planes for takeoff. The Flint River is a water source for the Fayette County Water System, and days after the incident local residents began to report a funny "sweet" smell to their drinking water. The reports led to the county water system shutting down its south water treatment plant for several days as a precaution.

The meeting will focus on determining a person's risk and measures that can be taken to minimize that risk, Frumkin said.

"The higher your exposure, the higher your risk," Frumkin said.

Frumkin said he is looking forward to input from local residents at the meeting also.

"I think there will be a two-way flow of information," he said. "It's going to be an interesting case study in how the members of the community become aware of exposure like this and how they think and react to it."