Question study finds chemical safe

Polyacrylamide WHITE TWP. | The finding that a chemical used by a township sand and gravel operation poses no public health risk elicited many questions and much skepticism from residents.About a year and a half ago resident Victor "Bud" Allen petitioned the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to study whether polyacrylamide degrades into acrylamide, a possible carcinogen that can leach into groundwater and soil. The New Jersey Department of Health collaborated on the study.  The study found there are no public health risks posed by the mining operations at Belvidere Sand & Gravel but recommended the continued quarterly monitoring of five on-site wells to prevent groundwater contamination.About 50 residents turned out for the meeting where some repeatedly questioned the reliability of the data used to complete the analysis.When conducting health assessments, agency must rely on the data already available. All of the samples came from a company Belvidere Sand & Gravel hired for the testing. The results were submitted with permit applications filed with the state Department of Environmental Protection.Tariq Ahmed, the state Department of Health research scientist who compiled the report, emphasized using outside companies is a common practice.Resident Marge Gigliello said that means there is a systemic problem because residents can't be sure results are unbiased."It seems to me there has to be a better way of monitoring to keep them honest," she said, adding government should conduct the monitoring and bill companies.Ahmed said even if there were errors in the data or analysis, there would be no way for the modeling to produce such a low level of detection.Residents also expressed concerns because present testing methods cannot detect acrylamide at health-risk levels. Ahmed pointed out polyacrylamide is used in manufacturing, by farmers to prevent soil erosion and by water companies. Belvidere Sand & Gravel uses the chemical to remove sand particles from water.Resident George McConnell said he felt better after hearing the results."Aren't there things in your life that are a greater danger than this?" he asked the audience.Allen, who had expressed concerns with the findings because of the water-monitoring restrictions, said he felt better Tuesday night after hearing the presentation."I'm confident before it gets to anyone's well it's below the level of concern," he said.Allen noted Belvidere Sand & Gravel may be the only company in the state and even the country sampling well water. He thinks any business using polyacrylamide should perform onsite testing.