Holley residents deal with
results of health department testing

Trace amounts of chemicals were found in the air, soil and wipe samples taken in and around the homes affected by a January 5 chemical spill from Diaz's pharmaceutical plant in Holley village.

Health department officials said it's up to residents to decide whether they feel it is safe, or tolerable, enough to return to their homes.

Dave Napier, regional toxics coordinator for the state Department of Health, said that even though the detection line of 30 micrograms per cubic meter didn't detect the chemical, the odor was still noticeable. "Even though we couldn't detect it with analytical means we could still smell it," he said.

Tests were done for the chemicals toluene and 2-chloro-6 fluorophenol. During the evening of January 5, approximately 80 gallons of the chemical, mixed with water, were released into the air from Diaz. Diaz Vice President Clif Jenney has attributed the release to human error.

Rick Catlin, chairman of the newly formed Holley group which has filed a lawsuit against the company, said residents are still dealing with the unknown. Catlin, his family, and many other residents from Holley are still being housed at the Holiday Inn Express in Brockport. Diaz officials have been picking up the tab for those displaced because of the spill.

"They (health department) can't deem our houses safe and if they can't tell us with any certainty that our houses are safe, I, and everyone else, take that to mean they are not safe," he said.

Catlin also questioned the effect that warmer temperatures would have on the chemicals that are still in the air, on the ground and in the trees. We're concerned with what's going to happen with all of this when it gets warmer," he said.

Diaz has hired crews to power wash the outside of residents' houses as well as cleaning crews to handle the interior house cleaning and cleaning of duct work.

"They cleaned our duct work," Catlin said. "The inside of the house has also been cleaned, but it still smells, so they are coming back to clean the inside again."

Napier said in addition to the 2-chloro-6 fluorophenol found in the soil and wipe samples, traces of other chemicals were found. "All we can do at this point is advise the residents of the findings and attempt to interpret exposure or potential exposure," he said. "If the smell is there, you probably are being exposed to the chemicals."

Bottom line, Napier said, it is up to the residents to decide their next step.

"What do you feel is a safe exposure level for yourself or your family?" Napier said the health department really can't make that determination but did say short-term exposure to the chemical causes sore throat, eye and nose irritation and can exacerbate respiratory problems.

Copies of the health department report are available at the Village Hall in Holley.