Bullseye Glass in Southeast Portland is one of two glass companies that has voluntarily stopped using cadmium in and arsenic in its manufacturing of colored glasses.
Bryan M. Vance / OPB
Families near two Portland glass manufacturers say they need more help from state regulators.
Last month, warnings were issued about elevated levels of airborne arsenic and cadmium near the Bullseye and Uroborus glass companies.
The Oregon Health Authority has offered to help pay for testing and put new rule in place that allows labs to report results to the state. A citizens group, the "Eastside Portland Air Coalition," is asking people to post their own test results online.
“We feel like we’ve just been left on our own,” said Jessica Applegate, who plans to get tested this week at a cost of $300.
"I've had pretty severe anemia where I had to have iron transfusions," she said. "And one cannot make the direct correlations with these heavy metal poisons, but it definitely has made me wonder.”
In a statement, the Oregon Health Authority says it has seen no acute symptoms associated with air toxins. Regulators wants to analyze lab results before releasing the data.
Bullseye, in Southeast Portland, and Uroborus, in North Portland, both have suspended use of cadmium, arsenic and chromium.