State Bombshell: Cancer Cluster Found Over A 250 Square Mile Area
Last February, we formally asked the Texas Department of State Health Services to review cancer rates for communities in the floodplain of the San Jacinto River.
We now have the results and the report from state epidemiologists identified a more than 250 square mile area along the river as a cancer cluster. The state found rates of cervix uteri cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and lung and bronchus cancer that were above the expected range.
What The Study Reveals
Public health experts perform cancer assessments by:
Looking at cases within specific geographic areas,
Comparing them to rates for familiar sized areas and demographics, and
Using statistical models to see if the rates for specific cancers are higher than the expected rates.
In this case, we asked them to look at 29 different types of cancers, Including seven childhood cancers, found in 65 census tracts that border the San Jacinto River above and below the Waste Pits Superfund Site. They found rates that were above the expected range for:
Cervix Uteri Cancer
Leukemia
Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Lymphoma
Cancer Rate Assessment Study Area: 65 Square Miles of the San Jacinto River Floodplain within Harris County
Why This Area?
The communities living near the Superfund Site have been pushing hard to have the site cleaned up for years. They talk about relatives who developed cancer or suffered from unexplained illnesses. This assessment confirms many of their worst suspicions - the health struggles of their community are not normal.
Despite those concerns, they have a hard time getting action, especially in the communities of Highlands and Channelview, located on the riverbank beside the waste pits.
What’s next?
Quite frankly, we were shocked when the state review identified such a large area as a cancer cluster. It amounts to 15% of Harris County. Most assessments just identify one or two census tracts comprising a few miles.
Now, we need the state to drill down into the data and tell us whether some census tracts have even higher rates than expected or if other types of cancer are found in individual tracts. We also need to know a lot more about cancer rates in children. .
Most importantly, we need to push hard to remove dioxin and other waste material from the San Jacinto Superfund Site. The companies responsible for the site, International Paper and Waste Management, the parent company of McGinnes Industrial Maintenance Corporation have sought delay after delay rather than clean up their mess.
The results of this study serve as a powerful reminder that the longer remediation of the site is delayed, the longer our community faces the ongoing risks of contamination. It’s time for action to ensure a safer, healthier future for everyone.