The US Smelter and Lead Refinery, Inc. site is a public health hazard because chronic exposure to contaminated soils, wastes, and airborne dusts could cause adverse health effects. The contaminants are lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and antimony. Soils and air at the E.C. DuPont facility near USS Lead have been heavily contaminated with lead. Soils and air in residential areas have also become contaminated by lead to a lesser extent. Adverse health effects could include impaired learning and behavioral tasks, altered motor activity, and mild changes in blood heme synthesis.
Additional effects are kidney and skin cancer.
Although a blood lead study was conducted on children in East Chicago, no conclusions can be drawn regarding the impact of the site on children in the area from the limited information currently available about this study. Educate workers at E.C. DuPont and nearby residents about the health effects from lead exposure, and methods to lessen potential exposure. Characterize off-site surface soils in residential areas to determine the extent of the contamination in terms of the size of the contaminated area and the types of contaminants. Obtain more information concerning the blood lead study conducted on children in East Chicago to enhance the evaluation of existing health outcome data. The information available indicates that humans have been and are being exposed to levels of contamination that may cause illness.