The Battle of Battle Creek: Seeking Superfund Justice.

This article focuses on the early epidemiologic investigation of groundwater contamination by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site in Battle Creek, Michigan. The Battle Creek Health Study (BCHS) identified statistically significant excess mortality and morbidity in local communities exposed to chlorinated 2-carbon solvents in drinking water but found few direct associations with measured VOC exposure metrics. The study’s narrow focus on VOCs, limitations in exposure assessment, and potential presence of other toxic chemicals in spent solvents complicate causal interpretations. A retrospective critique suggests that the excess adverse health effects observed are more likely linked to complex solvent-related contamination rather than VOCs alone, highlighting challenges in exposure characterization and recommending broader chemical assessment and clearer interpretative conclusions for future Superfund investigations.