EPA Analysis Of Data From Clyde Cancer Cluster
Last month the families of the Clyde Cancer Cluster hired a consultant to conduct tests on the area in attempt to find the cause of the cancer that has affected more than 35 area children. The analysis included particulate testing that was done in six homes from the area, and Utah Attorney Alan Mortensen stated on April 8th that there were “important and significant findings” found in the data. Attorney Mortensen declined to release any other results until further analysis is conducted.
Attorney Mortensen will be sending the information from the analysis to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the meantime, Mortensen does not want to release any information stating that they found something harmful if further studies do not support that. He stated that the next couple weeks the team would be working hard to get answers and hopefully receive help from the EPA.
One parent from the Clyde area, Warren Brown, lost his 11-year-old Alexa in 2009 after she had been diagnosed with cancer in 2006. His home was included in one of the six that were tested for dust particulates, as he stated, “If we have some nemesis in the Clyde area, we have to find it and eradicate it.”
The U.S. EPA spokesman, Joshua Singer, has not commented on the plans to send the data to the agency. The EPA is currently investigating contamination sources that may exist in eastern Sandusky County.
The Ohio EPA spokesman, Dina Pierce, expressed that the agency would happily receive results from the tests, but she said she could not say what the agency would do with the data without knowing what would exactly be sent.
Attorney Mortensen said that if they were to release the results of the tests, they would be doing so prematurely. Clyde parent, Warren Brown, also said that the class-action suit that was filed by attorney Joe Albrechta was filed “prematurely and opportunistically”.
For more information on the Clyde Cancer Cluster, stay tuned to our blog as we highlight the latest news surrounding the subject.
