Survey shows illness in PFOA areas

Bennington College records more cases than state

HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y. » The people of Hoosick Falls, and other communities impacted by PFOA contamination, may be sicker than some previously thought, according to findings by a local college.

Over the fall and winter, students and faculty from Bennington College worked to circulate a community health questionnaire throughout Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh, and Bennington, Vt. These communities have been grappling with the discovery of PFOA in private wells and drinking water supplies. PFOA is an industrial byproduct and is believed to be linked to a number of illnesses.

In May of last year, the New York State Department of Health took a survey in Hoosick Falls and found that between 1995 and 2014 there’d been 12 cases of kidney cancer, and none of testicular cancer. It didn’t ask about thyroid disease. These numbers, when compared to the rest of state, show no increased risk of cancer to those living in the village.

The college’s questionnaire, however, paints a different picture.

According to a release from Dr. David Bond, associate director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Action (CAPA) at Bennington College, of the 373 Hoosick Falls respondents (47 of them former residents), there were 17 cases of kidney cancer, 9 cases of testicular cancer, and 135 instances of thyroid disease.

Between the three communities, there were 443 responses. The results are below:

• Kidney cancer: 31

• Testicular cancer: 11

• Thyroid disease: 231

• Pregnancy induced hyperten- sion: 35

• Ulcerative colitis: 71 According to Bond, the survey group wasn’t able to verbally confirm all 17 cases of kidney cancer, or the 135 thyroid disease reports, so the number may change. That said, since the total number of respondents only accounts for 10 percent of the village’s population, there college’s numbers could be low.

“PFOA has been associated with a number of serious illnesses. Residents of Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh, and Bennington were exposed to PFOA in the air and in their drinking water for an unknown period of time,” said Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator. “People have the right to know if drinking contaminated water and breathing polluted air affected their health. The only way to do that is to establish a long-term medical monitoring program. Every resident needs to make sure their medical providers know about their exposures and that necessary tests are conducted, beyond the blood work being offered by the State Health Department.”

The college has a number of recommendations based on the data it collected.

Release the state data.

The department of health needs to complete its own health surveys and release the information to the public. Over 1,700 residents have undergone blood testing for PFOA. A survey was taken at the same time.

Medical monitoring

Within the next six months, a long-term medical monitoring system should be designed and implemented for those with elevated PFOA levels in their blood.

More info sessions

The college says the informational sessions run by the Department of Health were helpful and there should be more of them, both to give information to the public and to receive it.

Continued blood testing

Any resident should be able to have their blood tested for PFOA, for free.

Citizens Advisory Group.

The Environmental Protection Agency and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation should establish a citizens advisory group to help keep citizens in the loop and up to date on PFOA-related issues.

“This questionnaire introduced us to several local residents diagnosed with PFOA-associated cancers struggling to keep up with mounting medical bills. Juggling chemotherapy and visits to specialized clinics on top of family and work, these individuals are now working second jobs and relying on GoFundMe campaigns to get the healthcare they need. This is unacceptable. Victims of toxic pollution should never have to pay for their own medical treatment,” said Bond in a release. “Polluters should be required to fund the new healthcare needs PFOA has introduced.”