Benzene is a BTEX compound and known carcinogen, which both DEP and JKLM discovered in water tests. According to a branch of the Center for Disease Control, “long-term benzene exposure causes effects on the bone marrow and can cause anemia and leukemia.” While acute exposure to children, i.e. anything short term, “can result in skin and eye irritation or burning, as well as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and suffocation,” according an EPA report.

The Center for Disease Control writes in “Facts About Benzene” that it can be poisonous when absorbed into the body by inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact.

In September we reported how residents had “not been told by JKLM to stop using their water for washing and cooking, even though some families have young children and isopropanol can be absorbed through the skin.”

Benzene, if present, would have added to this avoidable danger.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry (ATSDR), benzene contamination of groundwater “can result in volatilization into indoor air when the groundwater is used as household water. In addition, contamination of groundwater and subsurface soil can result in migration of these chemicals into basements as soil gas.” Although, soil gas effects would generally result from much higher concentrations of benzene either leaking from buried tanks or found on hazardous waste sites.

Not present at the meeting was the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH). No one mentioned the word “health” during the two hour meeting.

In an email to resident Laurie Barr, Barry Miller, who is the Epidemiology Research Associate in the Department of Health’s Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology, explained:

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) continues to closely monitor this situation, since first reported to our department on September 24, 2015. A collaborative effort is ongoing with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which includes review of all available well water test reports from this incident, collected by the DEP. Our environmental health team, including the state toxicologist, carefully examine these reports. In addition to these actions, the DOH has remained available to investigate all health complaints from individuals affected by this incident. According to the DEP, data collection from this incident is ongoing and all such data will be shared with the DOH for review. Please be assured that the DOH will continue to monitor this incident and respond to all health related concerns.

Please call 717-787-3350 if you have further questions or concerns, or if you prefer, by email: RA-DHENVHEALTH@pa.gov.

Miller’s information has not been delivered to the public via JKLM, DEP or county websites. Residents have told Public Herald that they were unaware that DOH was involved or that they could be contacted about suspected health problems.