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Health Commissioner Julia Sheen announced today that the Washington, D.C.-based Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), has determined that there was no public health threat in the aftermath of recent releases from the Hovensa Oil Refinery.
Sheen said that the Department’s Public Health Preparedness (PHP) Division, consulted with officials at ATSDR following complaints to the Department about droplets of oil on their properties following oil releases on September 19 and September 30, 2010. The PHP Division also sought guidance to ascertain public health threats regarding the release of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, recognized as the “rotten egg smell” that occurred on September 17, 2010, and on October 6, 2010. The following recommendations from the ATSDR should serve as guidance for future occurrences.
On September 17, 2010 and October 6, 2010 there were releases of SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) and H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide or rotten-egg smell):
The ATSDR recommended that residents wipe down horizontal surfaces indoors, where particles may have settled, with a damp cloth and to hose down or bathe pets. Outdoor surfaces such as outdoor furniture and cars, as well as farm animals, should also be hosed down. ASTDR indicated that with these releases, water is the best solution.
On September 19, 2010 – there was a release of VGO (vacuum gas oil)
The ATSDR indicated that there was no public health risk from using cistern water, prior to the cisterns being cleaned, for non-consumption purposes such as bathing and washing. Residents in the affected areas -- Estates Barren Spot, Ginger Thomas, Sunny Acres, and Strawberry -- with negative results from cistern sampling, initiated by Hovensa, are advised that it is OK to go back to using their cistern water as originally used, prior to Department of Health press releases with “do not drink” messages.
The ATSDR also noted that with cistern water, any reading below 10 milligrams per liter is of no public health concern. The federal agency reviewed the lab results from the cisterns that were tested by an independent lab following the vacuum gas oil release and based on the levels – (4 milligrams per liter or less) – said that the water was considered safe for non-consumption uses, and even if consumed, would not have posed any health hazard.
On September 30, 2010 there were two incidents – a smoking incident and a release of hydrocarbon droplets
The ATSDR recommends that the best advice for the public is the “shelter-in-place,” approach which is to stay indoors and close windows when such smoke events is of short duration. The agency also indicated that there would be no need to evacuate unless there was toxic smoke or vapor cloud or if the smoke continued for an extended period of time.
The release of hydrocarbon droplets is still under investigation by the Department of Health and the
ATSDR.
Hovensa has said that the affected areas, in both of these incidents, are Estates Clifton Hill; Profit (including Harvey Housing Community); Castle Burke, Machu Chal (Matthew Charles); Upper and Lower Love; Croixville as well as Herbert Grigg Home; University of the Virgin Islands campus; Central High School; St. Croix Educational Complex; Motor Vehicle Bureau; Container Port; Alexander Hamilton Airport, Industrial Park and the V.I. Superior Court.
Sheen said that the Department will update residents when results from the September 30 release of hydrocarbon particles are received. |
