A group of state health officials will be in Salisbury next week to review hospital records and assess health risks from asphalt and chemical operations on Jake Alexander Boulevard.

Dr. Rick Langley, an epidemiologist with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Resources, said the officials will check records of those currently living near the asphalt plants as well as those who lived there previously.

Langley, speaking to a concerned citizens meeting at Milford Hills United Methodist Church Thursday night, said the state will map the cases to determine proximity to the plants.

Ken Rudo, a state toxicologist, said the fact that the federal agency is getting involved is very encouraging. A team from the Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry will be in Salisbury Nov. 13-14 to gather information from residents and various agencies.

Rudo joined Dr. Rick Weisler in calling for extensive testing of air to determine what is being emitted from the asphalt operations.

Weisler and Rudo said the state Division of Air Quality hasn’t agreed to do the testing needed.

Weisler and several Milford Hills residents blasted Inman Asphalt (now Associated Asphalt) for emissions and the city of Salisbury for allowing the company to continue expanding.

Elizabeth Ruth said the city has done nothing to curtail the company, although the city planning board had recommended steps to curtail its growth and emissions.

Weisler said a list of people complaining about the air pollution from the plants totals 16 pages.

Despite the dozens of of complaints, Weisler said the company has continued to expand, and is now one of the largest asphalt facilities in the region.

Nearly a dozen state officials sat silently while Weisler reviewed the history of plants and recorded instances of contamination.

He renewed his charges that the Department of Transportation failed to act when it discovered groundwater contamination more than two decades ago.

He said the recently developed corrective action plan for the groundwater contamination does not go far enough.

The DOT operated the lab on the former Rea Asphalt Co. site for decades. It was later sold to Papco and is now operated as APAC.

Solvents were used to breakdown the gravel and asphalt mix to determine if it was the correct recipe for paving state roads.

State officials acknowledged using small quantities of solvents, but stopped when they were identified as possible carcinogens.

Chris Niver, the state official in charge of clean up of the Salisbury site, listened to Weisler and other speakers. He did not speak.

Niver is in charge of the asphalt cleanup program at the 72 sites across the state. Nearly a decade ago, he made the decision to have the Dick and Billie Alexander well switched to city water after state tests found contamination.

Niver has said repeatedly that the chemical found in the well was never used by DOT.

Recently the same chemical turned up in a neighboring well at the home of Polly Edens.

“It’s like drinking paint thinner that’s very diluted,” said Weisler, explaining the effect of the chemical. He said the chemical was most likely used by the various companies to clean machinery and seeped into the ground.

Weisler praised DOT for sharing information. He stressed that the DOT has only a share of the responsibility for contaminating the area.

Only one resident raised the question of whether there is any direct link between the cases of cancer and the asphalt plants.

“You don’t have any facts,” said Claude Burnham, contending that the effort has garnered headlines.

“I agree,” said Weisler, saying the effort is about getting information and establishing facts.

Burnham was not convinced, suggesting that it made as much sense to connect the cancer cases to the plants as it does to connect to his five heart attacks.

“We can’t say for sure it causes cancer,” said Weisler. “You’d have to be an idiot to ignore it.”

Jewell Broadway drew her own conclusion after launching a walking campaign in the spring.

After 10 days, she developed a respiratory infection and an eye infection.

Broadway said it took repeated visits to the doctor.

“I quit walking and I don’t have any more problems.”

She said they keep doors and windows closed to avoid the fumes.