JH Baxter plant report outlines health impacts to children, risks moving forward

The Oregon Health Authority released its final Health Consultation for the homes around J.H. Baxter on Wednesday, outlining what health risks neighbors should expect from the now-shuttered wood-processing plant.

OHA's final report largely lined up with what the agency has previously said, concluding that there was likely harm to children under six who played in the yards near the plant, and to people of any age who ate eggs from backyard chickens, but lower risk to other adults and older children.

The report concluded:

• Dioxins, a pollutant used for wood processing, "could harm the health of children under six years of age who come into contact with bare soil regularly for a year or longer," at the 11 homes where dioxin levels above 40 parts per trillion.
  • OHA specifically highlighted the potential for reproductive health challenges from men who spent time in these yards as boys. Adults and children who were over 6 years old when exposed "are less vulnerable."
  • DEQ spokesperson Dylan Darling told the Register-Guard that seven of these 11 homes have had their soil replaced.
  • OHA recommended residents with higher dioxins who haven't had their soil replaced yet take protective steps including:
    • Removing shoes and wiping feet before entering the house.
    • Wiping dirt off pets after they go outside.
    • Washing hands after landscaping or gardening.
    • Using mops rather than brooms, and using vacuums with HEPA filters.
    • While outside, avoid playing in areas with exposed soil and maximize time in areas that cover soil such as sandboxes, wood chips, lawn or gravel.
    • Avoid disturbing soil, such as by digging.
• Homes west of La Casa Street and east of Anton Court "are unlikely to have been contaminated by dioxin."
  • OHA said the samples from homes along the west and east edge of the testing boundary showed low dioxin levels.
• But more soil sampling is needed north of the area that's been tested.
  • Unlike with the west and east edges of the tested area, "DEQ/EPA have not yet found the northern edge of contamination" OHA said. "(OHA Environmental Health Assessment Program) recommends that DEQ and EPA continue testing northward towards Elmira Road."
  • Alice Corcoran, spokesperson for EPA, told the Register-Guard the EPA sampled an additional 14 yards the week of August 5 and is waiting for test results. She said EPA will also sample under Baxter Street in the coming weeks.
• Areas west, south and east of the Baxter site were unlikely to harm children.
  • These were industrial areas and were mostly paved over. "Exposures to residents, especially children under 6 … are not likely," OHA said.
• Eating eggs from chickens living in yards with medium levels of dioxins could be harmful to health.
  • This threshold for concern was lower than the threshold for children who played in yards, and an additional 38 yards had enough dioxin for this to be a hazard.
  • OHA recommended only eating eggs from backyard chickens if it's possible to fence in the chickens and separate them from the soil with wood chips.
• Surface and groundwater from near the site "will not harm" health.
  • Surface water near the site "showed levels of chemicals that were too low to harm people’s health," OHA said. The groundwater did have PCP, but since homes in the area connect to Eugene's municipal water supply, tap water is safe to drink. OHA said fruits and vegetables don't easily take up PCP, so the groundwater is safe for irrigation.

Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard.com or on X @alanfryetorres .

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: JH Baxter plant report outlines health impacts to children, risks moving forward