Acid Pits and Birth Defects: A Case Study of Stringfellow Acid Pits Dump Site and Congenital Anomalies

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between a toxic waste• site and congenital anomalies. The Stringfellow acid pits dump site (SAP) located near the City of Riverside, California, is the focus of this study. Congenital anomalies are examined in relation to various demographic and socioeconomic variables. Our analyses suggest that hydrological and geological proximity to the dump site has a significant relationship to birth defects. An analysis of infant mortality rates showed that the death rate for congenital anomalies was higher in Riverside County than California, while the state's rate was higher than the national average. In order to substantiate a causal nexus, there is a need for longitudinal follow-up studies. Without an adequate longitudinal study, the long term impact of SAP on children born in the SAP area and its impact on subsequent generations will remain a subject of continued speculation.

Keywords: Acid waste, congenitai anomalies, birth defects, California.