We're receiving many emails from concerned parents about the exposure Arsenic, Cadmium and Chromium from the recent Bullseye Glass pollution. Do your children need testing? As of February 15th, the Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), in consultation with The Northwest Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (NW PEHSU) and the Oregon Poison Center (OPC), have issued the following guidelines:

"Until the environmental assessment is completed, we cannot make definitive recommendations about who should be screened for exposure to these metals. Community concern is high enough that many patients will request testing for themselves or family members. Based on the preliminary data from DEQ and our understanding of emissions from these sources, those who spent the most time within about one-half mile of either glass factory have the greatest potential for exposure."

Does your family live in close proximity? Check using this handy link from Oregon Live.

Because many of the concerns are long term health issues that can't be helped or addressed by testing today, I'm not advising testing for children who don't live within this close proximity. For those who do, however, we are offering testing for families that would like to know the level of their exposure, and in rare cases if the levels are really high there may be further investigation or intervention warranted.

How to test

Please contact our office and speak with Carissa to arrange for a urine test to be collected. IMPORTANT: your child needs to have not consumed any fish or seafood for at least 3 days prior to testing. You can still schedule the test 3 days out with us, and avoid seafood in the meantime.