Document ppGr4X4zNKaO7Maz4KL6zOLZE

Lead Industries Association, Inc. 292 Madison Avenue New York, N. Y. 10017 Telephone: (212) 532-2373 Environmental Health Department November 6, 1972 To: All Members of the LIA Environmental Health Committee Gentlemen: There have been many articles appearing in newspapers and magazines which have certainly over-emphasized the serious ness of conditions at Imperial Smelting Corporation's Avonmouth Plant. We are enclosing two articles which describe the results of screening tests conducted on children of smelter workers, children residing near the Avonmouth area, and children re siding at large distances from the smelter. It was reported that "there was no evidence that atmospheric pollution from the smelter complex was leading to increased absorption in those exposed in the works vicinity." Sincerely, D. R. Lynam, Fh.D. Assistant Director Environmental Health ec enc. 2 LIA-76439 r>- n EVEOTK'C rorr. THUUSD'Ar, SErTEKBEIl 23 1 <372---3$ n 1*. Stoygfed y[^Ci^ Bl I Mood sampling tests tained lead and Uie child lead than those drawn from to establish (lie Amount nf lead absorption among young child) cn was known to be in the a random sample hut in no habit of chewing and suck case had the increase absorp ing objects including paint tion been excessive or work on windowsills. amounted to lead poisoning. In Bristol have led to Dr. Skonc was presenting a reassuring report to an interim report on the EXPOSED the city's public health rnnimilletf. special tests carried out fol lowing concern at the begin The investigation was still ning of the year about the going cn. Screening tests wore possibility of people living Ke added that although j carried out on RS2 children j near the H.T.Z. Smelter at the smelter was not in I under five and 2H2 cl school ! Avonmouth being at risk. operation while the under- ; age, 01 the younger chil- | It bad been suspected, he five were heir.;: tested, ! siren, iiiO were from the ; explained, that lend workers workers ver exposed to dint j families o' le.xl workers. 1 could transport lead bust even more than usual I Not a single child was i back into their homes, put- through plant cleaning acti i found !u he .suffering from i ting their families at risk vities. lead |>*,iron mg. Only three | to increased lead absorption. When the school children hid i .'.u cd bbril lead lew Is. ! The tests involved 1579 were examined, the plant children from a random was fully operative. There EXTENDED sample and 73 from families was no evidence that atmos living in the area but not pheric pollution irons the And of those three, Pi. connected with the smelter, smelter complex was leading J n h n Lkone, Jind'd's ! hater the investigation to increased lead a.bsoprtion Deputy .Medical Officer (old jwas ('tended to children at in those exposed in the the conuiuttco yesterday, j S'l. Bedes and Lawrence works vicinity. two from had workers (ami- ! Weston schools and a thiul Dr. Skonc said there h:=d lies hod Asian parents and j school, eight utiles from the been complete co-operation in une ease, fairly full us Mueller. on all si-Jes and went on was made of eye makeup ! (in the v.hole. flic results to pay a special tribute to powih-r containing 24 per I were rcus.-mring, Dr. Lkone members of ti e. City Ana rent lr.nl. |said. lyst's staff who bed worked j In the tl> i if I case in llie i They had established iht.l long hours using delicate house wlmre the child lived, j chil Iren under five living apparatus to make sort- the some internal paintwork was ! in lead workers famiims results they obtaiu-.d wore tiskh-g. .Most of this con 1 appeared to absorb more completely ace.uric. LIA-7 6440 N 951.01 1H' sj OP. :'r7 .'T Western Daily Press 28.9.72. Western Daily Press Reporter THE Imperial .Smelting Corporation plant at Avoninoulh, Bristol, has boon cleiired of causing lead poisoning to child ren in the area. Hut extra precautions should be titkeu in make sure that workers do not carry lead l.nk to their homos, Bristol's Medical (Juicer of Health Dr, ilnbcrt Wofiuden said yesterday. Tiic J'tibiie Health com- inillee yesterday reeeived a wntlen report of t lie interim results of Dr- Woi'mden's investigation into lead levels. for (lie past t-.vo years Ills staff have been lei.lin.r b|n(,d samples from eluKu'e.i of the smelter workers, chil dren in the Avonmoiitli area and a third sample from 1 the whole of Bristol. Mono of the children lias been found to he suffering from lead poisonin . Two children from the lead workers' families had high lead lewis. They came from Asian families winch used eye make-up powacf containing lead. Wow v g ";j Children of plant workers have more lead in their blood Ilian the rest of Hie tesli-d children. The public health depart ment should have discus sions with the unions and management to find ways of preventing lead being carried home. Dr. Wofindcn recommended. llis deputy, Dr. John Shone, said: "There has been a lot of public debate about this subject. On the whole the results atC rc* assuring." He told committee chair man Alderman .Mrs. (Helen Bloom Corporation staff were absolutely satisfied tiio employers had done every thing possible to co-operate in finding a solution to pol lution problems- Tilii r.IilTII rate in Bris tol has dropped by 1S.9 per cent this year, compared with a national drop of only $.3 per cent. The drop was most marked in June last-year. Dr. Skonc sail. But no explanation has yet been found. LM-76442 N 951.02