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State: Products, Not Raytheon, To Blame For Carcinogen

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By MARK DOUGLAS

mdouglas@wfla.com

Published: November 18, 2008

The Raytheon Corp. has begun an interim cleanup of groundwater pollution under its now-closed defense plant in St. Petersburg.

The cleanup comes as state officials say the company is not responsible for carcinogens found in an home near the pollution.

Late today, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced that it approved the cleanup Monday and "Raytheon began pumping and treating the contaminated groundwater below its property."

The DEP says the interim cleanup is intended to "reduce the potential for further movement of contaminated groundwater."

The treated water will end up in the St. Petersburg sewer system and is just the first step toward a comprehensive cleanup of the neighborhood that is still in the planning stage.

Pollution from the Raytheon property started moving into residential areas at least nine years ago and has spread more than half a mile in some directions under homes, parks and playgrounds.

State records show the problem began as a result of dumping and spills sometime before in the early 1990's when a previous company owned property and before Raytheon bought the site at at 1500 72nd Ave. N.

Tests show that a number of industrial chemicals from the so-called plume are showing up in dozens of private irrigation wells in neighborhoods around the Raytheon property, but state officials say there is no "pathway of exposure" that puts residents in danger as long as no one drinks that water.

Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Health says that elevated levels of a cancer causing chemical detected in the groundwater plume known as 1,2-dichloroethane, or DCA, is also showing up in the indoor air of a nearby residence at the Brandywine Apartments occupied by Oscar Silva, his wife and newborn son.

Scientists with the Florida Department of Health blame household chemicals for that pollution and make no reference to the nearby plume as a possible source, even though half a dozen monitor wells near Brandywine have detected that chemical in groundwater.

Eckerd College Environmental Studies Professor Kent Curtis thinks the DCA is vaporizing from polluted groundwater and says he doesn't buy the state's theory of cleaning product pollution.

"You're not going to find these kinds of levels from a cleaning compound. This is a toxic industrial chemical," Curtis said.

DOH scientists initially faulted Oscar Silva's smoking habit for the air pollution in his apartment and advised him to purchase a tobacco filter - until they found out he doesn't smoke.

The DOH sent a letter to Silva last week saying DCA is not among the "main chemicals" in the Raytheon plume and promising to send a list of health recommendations to him in three or four months.

AIMCO, the company that owns Brandywine Apartments where Silva lives, has asked the Florida Department of Health to hold a forum at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 25.

The purpose is to give residents the chance to ask DOH scientists questions about recent air test findings and "to let them stand there and explain what it means and what they should be aware of," said Cindy Duffy, AIMCO director of communications.

Duffy said "we're trying to be very transparent with all of our residents."

Mark Douglas can be reached at 727-709-2753 or mdouglas@wfla.com

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