Villagers to get cancer tests

Before construction begins at La Brea smelter plant...
Camille Bethel cbethel@trinidadexpress.com
Sunday, May 17th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161478463

Villagers in communities surrounding Alutrint's planned aluminium smelter plant in La Brea will be tested for cancer and other illnesses before construction begins. The villagers will also be tested every two years when the plant begins production.

An estimated 4,000 residents of the "Beltline communities" of Sobo Village, Vessigny, Union Village and Vance River will be part of the testing.

The Medical Monitoring Plan (MMP) is contained in Alutrint's application for a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).

Villagers told of the pending medical tests, have reacted with alarm (See side story). And environmentalists opposed to the plant construction believes it's another reason why the project should be scuttled. There is a pending High Court application for an injunction to stop the smelter's construction.

Alutrint made the recommendation to test for cancer in February 2008 as part of its MMP, which was mandatory for the CEC to be considered. The figure of 4,000 residents is contained in the CEC application document.

According to the document obtained by the Sunday Express the MMP states that its objective is to "detect exposure-related adverse health outcomes at an early and potentially reversible stage to prevent such illnesses in employees and individuals in the neighbouring communities".

The document states that baseline examinations (initial tests) to be done include, at plant start-up, "a limited physical examination...and the only test that is required is the pulmonary function test (PFT)".

The document states:

• Other testing such as chest X-rays, clinical chemistries and blood counts are performed at the discretion of the physician or by policy of the Ministry of Health.
• However, baseline blood counts or blood differentials are recommended in order to examine early signs of cancer. Such tests should then be performed during follow up examinations (comparing results to Baseline) in order to detect long term changes as diseases such as cancer have longer latency periods".
• All residents shall be re-examined according to the baseline examination every two years. Other testing is performed at the discretion of the physician or by policy of the Ministry of Health.

Alutrint's Communications and Community Relations Manager Josieann Richards Richards, confirming the plan to do the cancer tests, and that it was a stipulation of the EMA, said the testing would be done with the help of the Ministry of Health.

"It is a CEC stipulation and we have every intention of complying with it. The EMA has approved the outline plan and we are presently in discussions with a consultant regarding the implementation of the Medical Monitoring Plan, which must be undertaken with the full engagement of the Ministry of Health, as it involves public health issues," she said in an interview.

"Once the details and logistics have been finalised, consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the project impacted communities, will be organised to properly engage and educate all concerned," she added.

Richards said that Alutrint's Human and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) shows no risk to human or animal life at a plant production level of 125,000 metric tonnes per annum, and that the tests were standard.

She said there was no evidence that there will be any doubling of plant size and capacity as has been mentioned by Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

"We have been granted environmental clearance for the production of 125,000 metric tonnes by the EMA and that is the direction in which we are going," she said.

She also said that the injunction filed in the High Court questioning the legitimacy of the CEC granted to Alutrint by the EMA will not stop the company from moving forward with the project.

"In the absence of a judgment Alutrint will continue with its work. At this point we are still in the preparatory stage... but we are hoping to begin construction on schedule which is in the third quarter," she said.