A state
study urges more research into toxic exposure among former workers at the
RICHARD
COLBY
BEAVERTON -- State
epidemiologists studying death information among former View-Master plant
employees found higher levels of some types of cancer causing the deaths than
would be expected in the general population.
The preliminary study released Wednesday by the Department
of Human Services recommends more research among the former View-Master
employees to determine their potential exposure to trichloroethylene, or TCE,
at the Beaverton plant between 1951 and its closure in 1998.
The latest findings add to
studies released two years ago that showed the dangers vary by the health and
age of the person exposed to the chemical, which was used as a de-greasing
compound. The earlier work said TCE is suspected of triggering illnesses from
nerve damage to cancer.
With limited funding from a
recent federal appropriation, more research is about to begin, a state
epidemiologist said. The effort aims to find more ex-View-Master workers and
interview them to establish further study procedures.
In the latest study, the
elevated cancers included six times more deaths from kidney and urinary-tract
cancers in women who worked at the plant.
Among male workers, deaths
from gallbladder and bile-duct cancers were "significantly elevated"
above the general population's rate, the department's 30-page analysis says.
Other types of cancer found in the death statistics were closer to population
averages, it found.
Starting with a $100,000
appropriation from Congress in November arranged by Rep. David Wu, D-Oregon,
the epidemiologists want to learn more. They have invited anyone who worked at
the plant and anyone else interested in a much larger pending study to attend
two public meetings in
The epidemiologists also are
trying to get another $2 million in public or private financing to do the
additional research.
One of the state scientists,
Jae Douglas, said Wednesday that as many as 25,000
people may have been employed at the plant on
Under a succession of
corporate owners ending with Mattel Inc. in 1998, the plant produced a slide
viewer and other toys.
Trichloroethylene was used
as a degreaser at the plant between 1952 and 1980 and apparently was dumped on
the grounds until 1982, but it lingered on the site. The practice is now
illegal.
Richard Colby: 503-294-5961;
dickcolby@news.oregonian.com