While Waste Management is jockeying for position and the School Board is pondering the bad hand it was dealt, the parents of Cortland are left in a quandary.
They need not be. Hydrogen Sulfide is not some new plague. The science of the damage it can wreck on people has been known for decades. The Federal EPA has spearheaded this study but Congress has allowed it to remain toothless. Just like with the West Nile Mosquito and the Lyme Deer Tick, parents will have to protect their children.
Every molecule of H2S eliminates one molecule of Copper within the child’s liver. There is no immunity to H2S, there is only reserve. The Copper in the liver helps to build white blood cells and to construct strong blood vessels. A normal 7 year old child with a healthy diet has a liver Copper concentration of 35 ug/g. With an average size liver of 110 g there should be a reserve of 3200 ug of Copper.
If we take a current case scenario from the Carnow, Conibear Report at Cortland School, the initial .080 ppm analysis can be shown to contain160 ug of H2S in 1470 liters of air. 1470 liters of air is also the volume of air that a 7 year old might breathe during a 7 hour school period. Since a 7 year child needs 400 ug of Copper per day this child could incur a deficit of 160 ug from its reserve. Unless this is compensated with increased copper, this reserve could fall below the 25 percentile level in 10 school days. A content of 15 ug/g in the liver could result and enter the critical range. From the actual reading in a classroom of .38 ppm and .62 ppm out of doors it is possible to gauge the potential range of the problem.
What happened to the children in the 2009-2010 school year? How could they now be protected? Copper concentration in the liver can be determined by a liver biopsy. Conveniently, though, hair analysis is an acceptable substitute and does reflect long term Copper status.
In fact, a recent study of adults living within .4 miles of this landfill was conducted by hair analysis. The landfill adults showed an average Copper concentration of 9.75 ug/g, while adults living at least 3 miles away tested at 29 ug. In addition, all of the landfill adults had critical cardiovascular problems. Veterinary Laboratories run hair analysis on valuable animals all the time. If a physician doesn’t know what to do with the hair analysis data a veterinarian can help.
Navarro and Wood (2003), Journal of Nutrition, determined that multi-mineral supplements had little short term effects with Copper. Fortunately, foods high in Copper are the best protection you can give your child. Consulting the USDA National Nutritional Database one will find these as highest in Copper. They are listed here in ug/oz: liver 2683/oz, cashews 633/oz, pacific oysters 452/oz, almond butter 257/oz, peanut butter 163/oz. Quaker Oat Granola 103/oz. How much does your child need? It depends on their current copper status and knowledge of the H2S burden from the landfill. Currently, the instrumentation that Waste Management is obliged to use to monitor their site activates at above 10 ppm.
One thing is certain. Don’t wait for help from your County or Village government.
EPA: Canister 15x more accurate than PID “Jerome”
Evaluation of Fugitive Emissions Using Ground-Based Optical Remote Sensing Technology
More Info: (From Dist428.org)
- Illinois Department of Public Health Letter
- Dr. Briscoe’s Letter to Illinois Dept. of Environmental Health
- Letter from the Regional Superintendent
- Dr. Ted Hogan Report
- Carnow, Conibear Report
- Dr. Ted Hogan Research
- Air Pollution Near Swine Operations Research
- E-mail from Illinois Department. Public Health & Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease
- Drywall Certification Report
Dr. Serewicz is correct. Although there is plenty of science, the various government agencies appear "toothless" to regulate and enforce what they know to be hazardous exposures of various chemicals, including Hydrogen Sulfide. In the following link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/PennTex_HC_3-19-… , ATSDR, a government agency involved in researching and determining recommended levels of exposure, (including at an Illinois school in the above linked report) tells us (p.23 of the pdf, Sec 4.4) "ATSDR recognizes that in communities faced with contamination of their air, water, soil, or food, the unique vulnerabilities of infants and children demand special emphasis. ATSDR is committed to evaluating the health impact of environmental contamination on children, and uses health guidelines in its investigations that are protective of children. Outdoor concentrations of hydrogen sulfide in the community present an unacceptable risk to children’s health in the area, particularly for children with compromised respiratory systems." It looks to me like ATSDR is saying (at least for outdoor exposure) that their (adopted by District 428) minimal acceptable risk levels of 0.02ppm and 0.07ppm are TOO HIGH for children. This notion is also supported by additional ATSDR information as published by the Occupational Health and Safety Magazine (online) which can be seen here: http://ohsonline.com/Articles/2007/10/Human-Healt… To sum it up, based on science readily available, I applaud the installation of a Hydrogen Sulfide monitor at Cortland school, but disagree with statements made by Superintendent Briscoe and other officials to the effect that the school is "safe". Clearly, no one can make that statement until sufficient data is collected (will take some months) and even after data is collected, it appears District 428's chosen thresholds are not low enough to protect all children. I suggest any concerned parent call District 428 and express their views to the administration and school board members.
Thanks Gracie, I thought I was going to have to go and get a shingle to hang up in Mac's office after reading this. Now it really makes sense. Dr. Serewicz is definitely no newby to this topic. Considered to be one of NIU's top in this field of study, Cortland grade school parents would do very good by their children to listen to Dr. Serewicz and trust that he is the expert here not any paid specialists that Waste Management is putting up front here.
Some people in this community say that we do not take enough advantage of the good things that come out of NIU and utilize the good for the benefit of the community. I say they are wrong. Here is just another example on how NIU and Dr. Serewicz's association with NIU can benefit many of our children at this time.
It might be hard to see up top Ivan, but this one's written by Dr. Aubrey Serewicz. Just a clarification…
OK, so School District 428 don't see a problem with opening this school for the 2010-2011 school year? Mac, I think this report you have written shouldn't be cast aside like many of the suggestions that you have given the School Board and the City Council of DeKalb. If I was a parent in Cortland, my child(ren) are not entering this school this school year and I think it's about time that the school district counsel make a suggestion to close the school until more information is found to dispute the above information 110%. Why are we playing with these children's lives like this?