OTSEGO (WKZO AM/FM) — Is there a cancer cluster in Otsego? Residents think their might be a higher incidence of the sometimes deadly disease than there should be.
If so, they want to know there is a specific source so they know who to blame, who to sue and what to do to safeguard themselves, if a source can be identifiied.
Allegan County Health officials have assembled a team and finalized a testing plan to determine if the concerns expressed at two public meetings earlier this year are valid.
They suspect if it’s true, it would be linked to the paper mills that once operated in town or a former A-1 Disposal landfill nearby.
The County, the EPA, the MDEQ, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are all providing expertise.
They have already begun taking water samples from 60 residential wells strategically placed around the area, and from a over a dozen monitoring wells at landfill and paper mill sites.
Sampling should be completed this coming week.
Each water sample will be tested for a variety of Volatile Organic Compounds, Base Neutral acids, pesticides, PCB’s and heavy metals. That includes chemicals previously linked to the paper Industry.
They have also begun a review of existing data on past air and groundwater tests.
Results will become available in three to four weeks and will be released to the individual property owners first.
Soon after, the results will be discussed at a public meeting in September, and if necessary, their next steps.
