The purpose of the report is to evaluate environmental conditions and data at the site to determine whether a public health hazard exists as a result of exposure to contaminants in soils at the property. The City of Phoenix considers the site to be one of its highest priority brownfield projects due to its size, location, and threat to the public. Nearly the entire site is covered with solid waste including metal debris, tires, empty drums, construction debris, refuse, ceramics, empty alcoholic beverage bottles and cans, and human waste. A large pile of automobile fragments known as auto “fluff” is present on the southeast corner of the property. Contamination of soils at the site has occurred by disposal of auto fluff and transformer oils. The contaminants at the site include various metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The Arizona Department of Health Services reviewed existing data and performed a health consultation to evaluate the potentially adverse health effects due to VOCs created by air emissions from the Miller Road Treatment Facility. Prior to the existence of our current environmental regulations, local industries improperly disposed of organic solvents directly onto the ground or into dry wells. This subsequently contaminated all three levels of the aquifer.

In May 2003, a Scottsdale, Arizona, resident asked the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in Atlanta to investigate possible sewer gas exposures in a Scottsdale residential neighborhood. In June 2003, the Agency asked the Arizona Department of Health Services, to conduct an investigation to determine if sewer gas exposures were occurring. Because ambient and indoor air hydrogen sulfide data for the neighborhood were not available, the Arizona Department of Health Services and the resident collaborated in conducting an air monitoring investigation in the neighborhood from June 26, 2003, through July 15, 2003.