Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is seeking participation from residential property owners in a study of indoor household dust contamination levels in Gainesville. 

Residents from neighborhoods near the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site have expressed concerns about potential indoor dust contamination levels.  In response, an interagency work group led by the Florida Department of Health developed a testing plan to address these concerns.  USEPA has agreed to conduct the study, and the test results will be used to inform the community about concentrations of dioxin and related chemicals in house dust in Gainesville.

Click to view the indoor house dust study plan.

USEPA will require permission from property owners to test indoor house dust samples, which will be collected from 15 homes near the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site and 15 additional homes located in “background” neighborhoods about 2 miles away.  Dust sample collections are tentatively scheduled for March/April, 2012. 

During the week of January 9, 2012, USEPA will mail out letters to approximately 400 property owners soliciting participation in the study; the 30 tested homes will be selected from properties whose owners responded positively to the solicitation.  The solicitation letters will include a brief survey and property access consent forms.  The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department (ACEPD) is assisting USEPA in the distribution and processing of the property owner consent forms. 

For more information, contact Scott Miller, USEPA Project Manager at 404-562-9120 or Chris Bird, ACEPD Director at 352-264-6801.