Health Concerns

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POTENTIAL HUMAN HEALTH IMPACTS FROM HEAVY METALS GUIDE TO FINDING ASSISTANCE 

The purpose of this guide is to help you and your family determine if you are being exposed to heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and cadmium. In former mining areas such as Park City, historic activities often resulted in the release of naturally occurring heavy metals into the environment. Residents or visitors who come in contact with contaminated areas may become exposed to heavy metals in a variety of ways, such as through the soil, water or air. Everyone is exposed to a certain level of heavy metals through their everyday life from diet, hobbies, work, and the environment. Normally, these exposures are so small that they don,t cause any problems. However, if excessive exposure occurs, some heavy metals can cause adverse health effects regardless of the source. At this time, there are no direct indications that environmental exposures related to mining are a serious problem in the Park City area. Some steps have already been taken to mitigate exposure to heavy metals and more are being planned. If you are concerned, the best way to determine if excessive exposure is occurring is to consult your physician about being tested. This guide is intended to help by providing the following information:

· How to determine if you have been exposed to any heavy metals.·

A contact list of several agencies that will provide assistance.·

Fact Sheets that provide specific information on lead, arsenic and cadmium, as these metals are the most likely to cause health problems and can be reliably tested for.We would like you to contact us personally if you have concerns about heavy metal exposure. This information will be kept strictly confidential and will be used to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in determining whether there is an environmental source for this exposure. 

HOW TO DETERMINE HEAVY METAL EXPOSURE 

If you believe that you or your family are being exposed to excessive levels of heavy metals from the environment, we recommend that you contact your personal physician to discuss your health concerns. Your physician will be able to assist you in interpreting the results of your tests. The specific tests are as follows: 

· For lead: a venipuncture blood sample.·

For arsenic and cadmium: a urine sample.In case you do not have a family physician or have financial constraints then please contact: 
Brent Ovard, Summit County Public Health at (435) 336-3278 or (435) 615-3278 

These medical tests can only tell you if you have recently been exposed to heavy metals, but not where the exposure came from. If a person's medical results are elevated, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may need to conduct environmental sampling and information gathering to determine where the exposure is coming from. Your physician or EPA can also give you advice on how to limit future exposure. For these reasons, EPA requests that you provide the results of your medical tests to Jim Christiansen, Remedial Project Manager at (303) 312- 6748. These laboratory results will be held strictly confidential (unless you state otherwise) and will enable us to begin the next step of identifying the source(s) of exposure. 

LIST OF CONTACTS 
Any of these persons/agencies are capable and willing to provide assistance. Each agency will provide you with similar guidance. You may contact whichever agency you feel most comfortable with or is most convenient. 

UTAH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
Wayne Ball, Toxicologist (801) 538-6191 

SUMMIT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 
Brent Ovard, Deputy Director (435) 336-3278 or (435) 615-3278 

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 
Kathryn Hernandez, Remedial Project Manager (303) 312-6748 
John Dalton, Community Involvement Coordinator (303) 312-6633
Susan Griffin, Toxicologist (303) 312-6651 

UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 
Scott Everett, Toxicologist (801) 536-4117 
Dave Allison, Public Affairs Coordinator (801) 536-4478 

PARK CITY MUNICIPAL CORP. 
Jeff Shoenbacher, Environmental Coordinator (435) 615-5112

Links:
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions: Lead
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions: Cadmium
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions: Arsenic