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Disaster-Related Environmental Health Hazards: Former Lead Smelting Plants in the United States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2014

Yao Wang  and
Robert K. Kanter
Yao Wang
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse
Robert K. Kanter*
Affiliation:
Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Columbia University, New York, New York.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Robert K. Kanter, MD, Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 750 E Adams St, Syracuse, NY 13210. e-mail [email protected].
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Abstract

Objective

Natural disasters exacerbate risks of hazardous environmental exposures and adverse health consequences. The present study determined the proportion of previously identified lead industrial sites in urban locations that are at high risk for dispersal of toxic chemicals by natural disasters.

Methods

Geographic analysis from publicly available data identified former lead smelting plants that coincide with populated urban areas and with high-risk locations for natural disasters.

Results

From a total of 229 urban smelting sites, 66 (29%) were in relatively high-risk areas for natural disasters: flood (39), earthquake (29), tornado (3), and hurricane (2). States with urban sites at relatively high risk for natural disaster included California (15); Pennsylvania (14); New York (7); Missouri (6); Illinois (5); New Jersey (4); Kentucky (3); Florida, Oregon, and Ohio (2 each); and Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Washington (1 each). Incomplete historical records showed at least 10 smelting site locations were affected by natural disaster.

Conclusions

Forgotten environmental hazards may remain hazardous in any community. Uncertainty about risks in disasters causes disruptive public anxiety that increases difficulties in community responses and recovery. Our professional and public responsibility is to seek a better understanding of the risks of latent environmental hazards. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–7)

Keywords

exposurehazard analysisgeographic analysislatent riskstoxic chemicalsurban
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , February 2014 , pp. 44 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

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