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Raytheon: Plume Is No Threat

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By MARK DOUGLAS

News Channel 8

Published: May 31, 2008

Updated: 05/31/2008 12:16 am

Two environmental experts from Raytheon told a crowd of about 700 people in St. Petersburg on Friday that a toxic plume of chemicals that has spread up to a half-mile from the plant does not pose a health risk.

The crowd at the company's facility at 1501 72nd St. N. included two state lawmakers, at least four city council members, a county commissioner and lawyers who are suing the company on behalf of homeowners west-southwest of the Tyrone Square mall who have contaminated groundwater beneath their homes.

The toxic plume was first identified by workers building the Pinellas Trail recreation path 17 years ago but most residents in the area didn't find out about the contaminated groundwater until March from news reports.

Raytheon, which develops defense technology, had until today to submit the environmental site study to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The study is composed of reports nearly 5 feet thick, the company said.

Mimi Drew, deputy secretary of the state agency, said the state environmental experts will hold another public meeting within 30 days to discuss their review of the study and any follow-up.

About 700 irrigation wells are within a mile radius of the plant, according to the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

As of Friday, 12 of 213 wells tested have been found to be contaminated, Raytheon said. The drinking water in the area comes from another source not affected by the groundwater issue.

Gregory Taylor, senior environmental scientist at Raytheon, told the crowd there is no threat to public health. There is a risk of "less than one in a million" of developing cancer from any exposure scenario, he said.

Taylor noted, however, that experts tapped for the environmental assessment could not agree with the state on a computer model to determine whether fruit and vegetables irrigated with the contaminated water pose a health risk.

An environmental science professor at the University of South Florida last week plugged the known test results into a formula state health officials use for determining potential health risks at the request of News Channel 8. That formula predicted an increased chance between one-in-a-million and nine-in-a-million that residents could develop cancer if they irrigated fruit and vegetables with water from tainted wells.

Taylor said the chemicals have sunk lower than the irrigation wells and are contained by a layer of clay 120 feet thick that is keeping them from entering the aquifer.

Any poisoning or toxicity would be related to the dose absorbed, he said. Some of the chemicals involved in the contamination - 1,4-Dioxane, TCE and vinyl chloride - are found in low doses in items such as toothpaste, baby shampoo, spot remover and cigarette smoke, Taylor said.

A high enough dose of anything can be dangerous, Taylor said, adding that eating too many bananas or carrots can be hazardous.

Reporters Carlos Moncada and Valerie Kalfrin contributed to this report. News Channel 8 reporter Mark Douglas can be reached at (727) 536-9603 or mdouglas@wfla.com.

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