Steelcase

Property owners notified: 45. Date notified: Sept. 19, 2003

Contaminants:

Toluene. Clear, colorless liquid with a distinctive smell. It is a good solvent (a substance that can dissolve other substances). It is added to gasoline along with benzene and xylene. Toluene occurs naturally in crude oil and in the tolu tree. It is produced in the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil, in making coke from coal, and as a by-product in the manufacture of styrene. Toluene is used in making paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives, and rubber and in some printing and leather tanning processes.

Possible dangers: Not classified as carcinogen. A serious health concern is that toluene may have an effect on your brain. Toluene can cause headaches and sleepiness, and can impair your ability to think clearly. Whether or not toluene does this to you depends on the amount you take in, how long you are exposed, and your genetic susceptibility and age.

Ethylbenzene. A colorless, flammable liquid that smells like gasoline.It is naturally found in coal tar and petroleum and is also found in manufactured products such as inks, pesticides, and paints. Ethylbenzene is used primarily to make another chemical, styrene. Other uses include as a solvent, in fuels, and to make other chemicals.

Possible dangers: Possible human carcinogen. Exposure to relatively low concentrations of ethylbenzene in air for several months to years causes kidney damage in animals.

Xylenes. A colorless, sweet-smelling liquid that catches on fire easily. It occurs naturally in petroleum and coal tar. Chemical industries produce xylene from petroleum. It is one of the top 30 chemicals produced in the United States in terms of volume. Xylene is used as a solvent and in the printing, rubber, and leather industries. It is also used as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and in paints and varnishes. It is found in small amounts in airplane fuel and gasoline.

Possible dangers: Not enough data to determine whether it causes cancer.

Vinyl chloride. Used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is used to make a variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials. Vinyl chloride is also known as chloroethene, chloroethylene, and ethylene monochloride.

Possible dangers: Known carcinogen. Some people who have breathed vinyl chloride for several years have changes in the structure of their livers. People are more likely to develop these changes if they breathe high levels of vinyl chloride. Some people who work with vinyl chloride have nerve damage and develop immune reactions. The lowest levels that produce liver changes, nerve damage, and immune reaction in people are not known. Some workers exposed to very high levels of vinyl chloride have problems with the blood flow in their hands. Their fingers turn white and hurt when they go into the cold.

Properties listed:

740 36th St. SE, 746 36th St. SE, 760 36th St. SE

3627 Linden Ave. SE, 3645 Linden Ave. SE, 3647 Linden Ave. SE, 3705 Linden Ave. SE, 3729 Linden Ave. SE, 3741 Linden Ave. SE, 3755 Linden Ave. SE, 3761 Linden Ave. SE, 3831 Linden Ave. SE, 3855 Linden Ave. SE, 3636 Linden Ave. SE, 3680 Linden Ave. SE, 3710 Linden Ave. SE, 3740 Linden Ave. SE

720 Himes St. SE, 740 Himes St. SE

3611 Eastern Ave. SE, 3633 Eastern Ave. SE, 3665 Eastern Ave. SE, 3731 Eastern Ave. SE, 3733 Eastern Ave. SE, 3761 Eastern Ave. SE, 3801 Eastern Ave. SE, 3610 Eastern Ave. SE, 3650 Eastern Ave. SE, 3660 Eastern Ave. SE, 3662 Eastern Ave. SE, 3664 Eastern Ave. SE, 3700 Eastern Ave. SE, 3718 Eastern Ave. SE

Also notified 12 others, (cities, utilities, involving rights-of-way): Consumers, City of Wyoming, DTE, SBC, MCI, CenturyTel, TDS Metrocom, McLeod USA, US Exhange