350 Call About Lead Exposure Program 1,700 Who Lived In Silver Valley May Be Eligible For Medical Monitoring Service

Fri., Jan. 15, 1999

An advertising campaign to locate people who may have been exposed to high levels of lead in North Idaho’s Silver Valley has resulted in more than 350 calls, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced Thursday.

The response has been tremendous, said Heather Parks, manager of the Bunker Hill health education project.

“There are approximately 1,700 individuals in Idaho who may be eligible for the proposed medical monitoring service, but reaching them has not been easy,” she said.

“We’ve received a lot of calls, but there are a lot of people we need to hear from.”

The department launched a search in December to identify people who lived in or between Pinehurst and Wallace and/or worked at the Bunker Hill Co. smelter between 1973 and 1981. Those people likely were exposed to high levels of lead and may be eligible to benefit from the federally funded medical monitoring service.

Exposure to lead could increase the risk of developing serious health problems, Parks said. Monitoring can help in early detection and prevention of illness.

Many calls have been from the Silver Valley and Coeur d’Alene, but about a third have come from throughout Idaho, including Boise and Nampa.

When Bunker Hill was closed in 1981, many families moved.

“We are relying on individuals to call and identify themselves,” Parks said.

People who call a toll free-number, 1-877-201-4264, will be asked a few questions and provided with information about the proposed monitoring.

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