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Postal Service to Conduct Tests for Anthrax in New Jersey Mail Centers

Aug. 22, 2002

Working in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Postal Service conducted precautionary testing for B. anthracis (anthrax) in the Monmouth and Kilmer postal facilities in New Jersey on the morning of Sunday, August 18. The testing occurred in the areas where mail is inducted into the postal system.

Sandy Smith

A statement from the Postal Service noted the facilities were tested "only as precaution," adding, "There is no new threat to the mail system and to employees. It has been 10 months since the last anthrax-laden letter moved through the mail stream. There is currently no evidence that contamination is evident in these facilities."

When traces of anthrax spores are discovered, impacted areas are taken out of service, isolated and sanitized until testing is negative for the presence of anthrax.

"The New Jersey State Department of Public Health, CDC and OSHA do not believe that there is any type of health risk in these two sites," noted the Postal Service statement.

Calls to the Postal Service office in New York were not returned.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.