2022 Vol 16, Issue 3 May Gem Lake News

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Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 Draft Report on Water Gremlin Released by MDH The following is an excerpt from the draft report by MDH concerning a public health assessment for the Water Gremlin facilities, which was recently released for comment. In January 2019, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) discovered that the Water Gremlin Company, located on Otter Lake Road in White Bear Township, was emitting significantly more trichloroethylene (TCE) into the air than was allowed by their MPCA air permit. As a result, it was believed that some people living in the area and working nearby were exposed to airborne TCE concentrations above Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) health-based value for TCE inhalation. TCE use at the Water Gremlin facility stopped in January of 2019. MPCA requested MDH assistance to evaluate health risks and collaborate on community involvement activities. This draft report is part of that effort and attempts to record and explain events and finding most relevant to understanding the potential implications of this site for the health of the community that lives, works and plays near the Water Gremlin facility. Water Gremlin began manufacturing lead fishing sinkers from a garage on family property in 1949. The current facility was built in stages over the years, with major expansions in the 1970’s and 1990’s. Water Gremlin fabricates lead metal products from purchased, refined lead materials. Lead acid battery terminal posts are currently a primary product for the company. TCE was used as a coating for these posts, likely from 1992 up until January of 2019. In March of 2019, MPCA and Water Gremlin signed a Stipulation Agreement that provided information on the facilities violations and description of the accepted penalties. It outlined a scenario that allowed the company to resume operations using an alternative to TCE. The Stipulation Agreement required Water Gremlin to conduct extensive environmental investigation by sampling groundwater, soil, soil vapor, sediment, surface water, and private and municipal wells in the area. The MDH summarized public health data from the Minnesota Cancer Reporting System, the Birth Defects Information System, and the Blood Lead Information System to respond to questions about health impacts in the surrounding community and the workings at the facility By analyzing this data, it was discovered that some Water Gremlin workers were inadvertently exposing their families to take-home lead contamination from the workplace. After much analysis of existing data and environmental testing in the area over the course of several years, MDH reached seven main conclusions: 1. Past TCE air emissions may have harmed some people’s health. 2. Past or current t-DCE and lead air emissions are not expected to harm people’s health. 3. Groundwater contamination is not expected to harm people’s health. 4. Soil vapor contamination is not a risk at properties near Water Gremlin. 5. Soil, sediment and surface water contamination from Water Gremlin does not pose a health risk in the community. 6. Indoor air at the Water Gremlin facility may be harming or may have harmed worker’s health. 7. Indoor air at the Water Gremlin facility may have harmed the health of Water Gremlin workers and their families. For each conclusion, the MDH provided extensive information and possible next steps and recommendations. For instance, in the case of conclusion number 1, the MDH said it is possible that post exposure to TCE in air near the facility may have been sufficient to increase the risk of health effect in a small number of the most exposed individuals. However, TCE exposures may be too low to cause any observable health effects for most, if not all people who lived or were regularly near the Water Gremlin facility. MDH staff does not expect to see meaningful changes in cancer patters and trends in this community, especially over the short term, Nevertheless, due to the lag time between the time of the highest TCE exposure and possible occurrence of cancer, MDH would consider a reanalysis of Minnesota Cancer Reporting System data in the future, such as in 10 years, if the situation warrants. People with questions about the report in its entirety are encouraged to contact the Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-4897 or email to health.hazard@state.mn.us. Their website is www.health.state.mn.us.