


Based upon the data and information reviewed, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has drawn the following conclusions:

  1. It is unlikely that the general public, including children, has been, is currently, or will be exposed to significant levels of site-related surface soil contamination. Therefore, it is unlikely that any adverse human health effects have or will occur because of site-related surface soil contamination. The nearest residence to the FMC and Simplot facilities is over one mile away. Analytical results of surface soil samples indicate that there is not any site-related surface soil contamination at levels of health concern within the nearest residential areas. In addition, very few people trespass onto the facilities. The deed restriction on the land near and on the facilities should prevent any of the contaminated land from being used for residential areas.

  2. Workers at the FMC facility may be exposed (ingestion and inhalation) to cadmium contaminated surface soil. The highest concentrations of cadmium in surface soil was found at the FMC facility. These exposures may increase the potential for the workers who smoke to develop proteinuria (proteins found in the urine because of damage to the kidneys). Good occupational practices (e.g., the use of respirators, where appropriate, and frequent hand washing, particularly before eating) can significantly reduce the worker's potential to be exposed to cadmium.

  3. Slag and gypsum pile workers may be exposed to elevated levels of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. These exposures may increase the risk of a worker to develop cancer. However these exposures can and are significantly reduced by good occupational practices (e.g., shielding provided by vehicles and dust control), thereby significantly reducing the workers' risk of developing cancer.

  4. Given the potential for worker exposures to site-related contaminants in surface soil and the potential for adverse health effects to occur in exposed workers, ATSDR has classified the Eastern Michaud Flats Contamination NPL site as a Public Health Hazard in regards to surface soil.


ATSDR makes the following recommendations:

  1. Appropriate remedial actions and worker protection activities should be instituted or continued to prevent worker exposures to site-related contaminants.

  2. Appropriate remedial actions should be taken to prevent the surface soil contaminants from migrating into the local groundwater and surface water.

  3. The land deed restrictions instituted and planned for the property presently owned by FMC and Simplot should remain in effect so that those lands will not be developed into residential or agricultural areas.


Sven E. Rodenbeck, Sc.D., P.E., DEE
Environmental Engineer Consultant
Section A, Superfund Site Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

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