ATSDR Study Finds DU Site Could Have Caused Lung Cancer and Kidney Disease

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), has released a study of past emissions from the Colonie Site (formerly National Lead Inc.) in Albany, N.Y. In the study they found that "After evaluating the environmental data, ATSDR concluded that past DU emissions from the plant were a public health hazard and may possibly have increased the risk of kidney disease and lung cancer, particularly for smokers who had lived near the plant. The extent to which risk was increased, however, is unknown."

Residents near the plant however are not satisfied with the study (which took 10 years to achieve) and are considering bringing a class action lawsuit against National Lead's successor company, Houston, Texas-based 'NL Industries Inc.' They claim the study is full of omissions in data and inconsistencies and that several serious areas such as the risk to children from contaminated soil have been overlooked or dismissed. More than 89 residents have signed a petition demanding "a comprehensive health study of the community impacted by NL Industries pollution, with input from a community-appointed Citizen Advisory Committee." They claim strong incidences of cancer and other diseases occur around the plant.

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