KILAUEA — Residents of a Kilauea community say they are somewhatnervous over a recent Department of Health notice of toxins foundin land around their homes.

They recently have learned that DOH investigators found highlevels of arsenic and dioxin on the properties of two homes. Thehighest concentration is in a small drainage ditch behind acommercial property known as The Old Mill co.

“It’s a bit surprising, but I’m taking them at their word (that)there’s no real problem,” said resident William Perri.“Nevertheless, I wouldn’t want to plant a carrot and find out ithas arsenic in it.”

Investigators tested his property in the late fall, and informedhim around January that they had identified low levels of arsenicin the soil. They found a greater concentration in his neighbor’sproperty, where a pesticide mixing shed associated with the formerKilauea sugar mill had sat.

“I was more upset for her than I was for myself,” Perri said.“To realize that the chemical shack was right there is kind ofscary.”

Perri, who has lived at his home on A’alona Street for 13 years,said he’s never had any health problems, nor have his animals. Hisplants, which were flourishing on Thursday afternoon, also seemunaffected.

According to a DOH handout, exposure to very high amounts ofarsenic can cause both short-term symptoms and long-term healtheffects. Long-term exposure to high levels has been associated withincreased risk of cancer. Symptoms of exposure to very high levelsmay include stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea and impaired nervefunction.

“These health effects have not been documented from soil arsenicexposure in Hawai‘i,” the document states.

Children who play in bare dirt are particularly susceptible toexposure to arsenic or dioxin, which is a known carcinogen.Exposure to arsenic comes by eating soil, dioxin via one’s diet,according to DOH.

Considering the possible health impacts, Perri wondered aloudwhy a developer would build homes on poisoned land.

Mary Felcher, who also lives on the A’alona cul-de-sac, recalledwhen she spoke with a DOH employee who checked her property andplants. Five to 10 people dug holes of about 6 inches deep in herland.

“I asked him ‘How long do the pesticides stay in the ground?’”Felcher said. “He said ‘Basically, forever.’”

But Felcher wasn’t overly concerned. she grows her plants,including vegetables, in pots. she and her family have lived intheir home for about seven months.

Another woman who lives in the area, but didn’t know much aboutthe DOH’s findings, said investigators came to her property butnever shared the results.

Others in the community said the news is concerning butshouldn’t be blown out of proportion.

Standing outside of North Shore Motorcycles in the Old Mill co.commercial center, two men said they attended an informationalmeeting held by the health department at Kilauea Elementary Schoolon Wednesday.

The men, who asked not to be identified, said they have lived inthe neighborhood most of their lives and have never gottensick.

They worried that business owners or others in the community mayhave to foot the bill if the DOH decides to mitigate the hazards bycovering the ditch with concrete.

• Jessica Musicar, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681(ext. 224) or by e-mailing jmusicar@ thegardenisland.com.