Health Studies:
Stericycle Inc.

On October 24, 2013, Governor Gary Herbert directed the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) to conduct a three-tiered study of the possible health effects from Stericycle. The Governor outlined the three study parameters in a letter to Stericycle:

  1. A health consultation to identify and address potential health effects of dioxin and furan releases from the Stericycle medical waste incineration facility, including a literature review, examining exposures to dioxins and furans at similar industrial sites
  2. An analysis of any existing soil samples from the Stericycle site
  3. An assessment of health effects in the area surrounding the Stericycle plant, involving the collection and laboratory analysis of soil samples from areas most likely to be contaminated

The Governor also requested that the health certification be certified by the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry.

Below are the studies completed to date.

2014

Cancer Incidence Statistical Review Investigating Bountiful, West Bountiful, Woods Cross, and North Salt Lake in Davis County, Utah Covering the Period from 1976 to 2011
Environmental Epidemiology Program, Utah Department of Health

This statistical review evaluated cancer incidence among residents of portions of Bountiful, West Bountiful, Woods Cross, and North Salt Lake in Davis County, Utah. These evaluations, divided into six sequential six-year time periods, compared the observed number of cancer cases to the expected case counts for each time period and site category. The expected case counts were derived from the state age-adjusted cancer rate for the corresponding site and time period. The investigation provides a base-line status of cancer incidence in the study area. The report recommends that the DCHD work with the Utah Cancer Control Program to provide screening and health education services to the study area communities.

Birth Outcome Study (in progress)

A statistical investigation of adverse birth outcomes in South Davis County is currently underway.

2013

Concerns Regarding Dioxin Release from Stericycle Medical Incinerator
Environmental Epidemiology Program, Utah Department of Health

The brief report provides information regarding the known risks of dioxin release from incinerators and outlines historical environmental studies to assess the presence of dioxins in Davis County. The report recommends investigative soil sampling for dioxins in the immediate vicinity of Stericycle and an in-depth Health Consultation Study to assess the health risks that dioxins in the area may present to local residents.

Addendum to the 2003 Davis County Study (2013)
Environmental Epidemiology Program, Utah Department of Health

This addendum notes a discrepancy in the location of a sampling location in the 2003 study.

2003

A Comparison of Dioxin levels Found in Residential Soils of Davis County Utah with Those Found in Residential Soils in the Denver Front Range
Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah

This study examined the concentration of the dioxin and furan in the residential soils of Davis County. Soil samples taken throughout Davis County were compared with 38 residential soil samples collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during their Denver Front Range study. The statistical analysis in the Davis County study compared the residential surface soil dioxin levels in Davis County with those found in the Denver Front Range study.

Sources include the documents cited above.


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