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Show Prospector tailings pose no Imminent hazard state says by Christopher Smart The Utah Department of Health, following blood tests on Prospector Square children between the ages of five and 12, has determined that no "imminent health hazard" exists from the tailings upon which the development is built. However, in the analysis of Prospector blood lead levels, Dr. Dennis Perrotta, coordinator for the Epidemiological Studies Program, found that three children among the 48 tested had blood lead levels above the "action level" set by the National Centers for Disease Control. A fourth child was found to have "elevated" blood lead levels which fell short of action level. According to the National Centers for Disease Control, action level, a rating of 25 micrograms of lead for every 100 cubic centimeters of blood, is the point at which an environmental environ-mental hazard should be reduced or eliminated. "The presence of three children that exceed acceptable limits suggests sug-gests the potential for excessive lead uptake in certain situations," Perrotta Per-rotta said. He added, however, "the general lack of significant increase in the average concentration of Prospector Square children indicates that there is no imminent public health hazard present." The average blood lead concentrations concentra-tions for 38 children tested in Prospector Square last April was 9.5 micrograms for every 100 cubic centimenters of blood. The October average for Prospector Square children was 10.5 micrograms. The national average is 10.0 micrograms. The average for 19 children tested outside the Prospector area is 9.5 micrograms. Their springtime blood lead concentration average was 7.5 micrograms. Health officials did not expect to find high readings in April because the Prospector soil, made up of old mill pond tailings, had been covered Prospector to B1 (CdDimitfiimmKedl faraDimn treated is around 50 micrograms, he said. Concerning the concentrations found in the four youngsters with higher-than-average ratings Perrotta said, "It is not inconceivable that " subtle changes to physical and mental development could occur, but that likelihood is very small." Health officials became alerted to the high levels of lead in Prospector Square following a November, 1983 soil study by the Utah Geological and Mineral Survey. The first of the two Prospector Square blood studies was launched in April. According to Perrotta, the next step in the investigation will be to compare blood screening results with environmental data collected during the summer by the health department's Division of Environmental Environ-mental Health. The health department will then make "recommendations to Park City citizens and officials concerning any action needed to insure the health of the public," Perrotta said. The recommendations will be made at a town meeting Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Prospector Square Conference Center. Prospector from front by snow all winter. However, those tests revealed that one child had a rating of 29 micrograms of lead for every 100 cubic centimeters of blood. : October's tests were designed so' that investigators could compare levels following childrens' exposure to Prospector soils over the summer. Beyond the tailings, the Utah Department of Health has "not identified" any other source of lead in the Prospector area, according to Perrotta. The increase in three childrens' blood lead level is "meaningful and worrisome" Perrotta Per-rotta said. "We don't know that those kids are doing anything differently than the others." Perrotta said the heaitn department depart-ment would like to study further the immediate environments of the children with elevated blood lead concentrations to determine where they are making contact with lead. And while the children with high blood lead levels have concentrations ranging from 21 to 32 micrograms, Perrotta maintains that they are in no immediate danger. The level at which children should be medically |