The Tonawanda Health Study: Health Effects and Coke Oven Emissions from Tonawanda Coke
This project will conduct a prospective cohort study and a retrospective occupational cohort study in response to an airborne environmental contamination affecting several communities.
Title: The Tonawanda Health Study: An Epidemiologic Study of Health Effects and Coke Oven Emissions from Tonawanda Coke
Principal Investigator: Matthew Bonner, PhD, MPH
Co-investigators: Lina Mu, MD, PhD, and James Olson, PhD
Funding Agency: U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Period: 09/06/16 - 09/05/25
Abstract: The Tonawanda Coke Corporation was convicted of illegally releasing coke oven gas, a hazardous air pollutant and known human carcinogen, into the environment.
In response to concerns about potential adverse health effects due to these coke oven emissions, the project will involve 3 components: 1) conducting a large prospective cohort study of up to 38,000 residents of the Town and City of Tonawanda and Grand Island, 2) conducting a retrospective occupational cohort study of Tonawanda Coke Corporation employees, and 3) establishing a Center for Environmental Health Education.
