Midwest Legislator Workshop

Transcription

1 Midwest Legislator Workshop Springfield Illinois February 20, 2014 Professor David Osterberg University of Iowa

2 Waterbury removes PCBs from elementary school Waterbury, Connecticut September 02, 2011 WATERBURY (AP) Waterbury school officials say a cleanup of potentially harmful chemicals in one of its elementary schools has left the building safe and ready for students as they returned to classes this week. The Republican-American of Waterbury reports ( ) that the cleanup was finished recently at the 45-year-old Carrington Elementary School, which will be torn down in a few years when a new school is built nearby. The $50,000 cleanup project this summer was launched after consultants found problematic levels of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls in lighting fixtures, window and door caulking and other areas. The chemicals were once widely used in construction, but are no longer manufactured because they can build up in the bodies of those exposed to high levels and cause health problems txt?viewmode=fullstory

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4 Protecting kids from dangers in the air How a Legislator can look at science that may have importance for policymaking 4

5 Two issues University of Iowa College of Public Health Environmental Health Sciences Research Center Radon in the Midwestern states Lung Cancer-causing agent Superfund Basic Research Center PCBs in hazardous waste sites and environment Airborne PCBs is our specialty Now established as a cancer causing agent(s) Both Centers funded by NIH 5

6 Manufactured from 1929 to 1977 Peak production in 1970 (85,000,000 lbs) Still a by-product of paint manufacture in the US Uses: Dielectric fluid in transformers Oil used in motors and hydraulic systems Electrical devices/appliances containing PCB capacitors Fluorescent light ballast capacitors** Adhesives and tapes Oil-based paints Plasticizer in caulk and window glazing** Carbonless copy paper Floor finish Ceiling tiles* Microscope oil History of PCB use in the U.S. *Has been found in school buildings **Commonly found in school buildings built 1950s 1970s 6

7 Characterizing PCB Sources Occurrence and extent of primary sources in schools Relative magnitude of emissions from different sources Occurrence and extent of secondary sources Transport from sources to air, surfaces, dust, soil Need for chamber testing and indoor models Ventilation Primary PCB Source Secondary PCB Sources and Sinks Dust/Soil Very Complex! 7

8 Characterizing PCB Sources Primary Sources Products manufactured containing PCBs Caulk, window glaze, light ballasts, ceiling tiles, others Often high concentration, low surface area Secondary Sources Materials in schools that have absorbed PCBs over time Paints, tiles, foams, finishes, masonry, wood, carpet, others Often low concentration, high surface area Not well characterized 8

9 Exposure assessment in schools Populations Students Teachers/staff Custodial worker Exposure routes Oral (e.g., food) Inhalation (e.g., indoor air) Dermal (e.g., contact with dirt and dust) Exposure Scenarios (Students) Assumptions Body weight Inhalation rate Fraction of time spent in school Total daily dust and soil ingestion Dermal exposure to indoor dust Relative absorption factors Background exposures Dust and soil ingestion Indoor (non-school) and outdoor air inhalation Dermal exposure to indoor dust Dietary background (U.S. FDA Market Basket Study 1997) 9

10 Do PCBs in school air pose a health risk? 10

11 Inside and Outside Schools PCBs in NW Indiana 11

12 East Chicago and the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal - dredging began Nov 2012 IHSC is a source of PCBs 12

13 Harbor, Canal and Disposal Facility Lake Michigan Indiana Harbor East Chicago

14 Barges are Docked near the Confined Disposal Facility for Offloading Offloading represents the greatest risk for exposure to airborne PCBs The sediment will be kept wet at all times to minimize airborne movement of PCBs Barge

15 Contaminated Sediment is Dredged and Placed on a Barge

16 Building the Confined Disposal Facility

17 Building the Confined Disposal Facility

18 Air is Monitored Over Time to Protect Human Health

19 Samplers in schools Hi-Vol Sampler Passive Sampler ~1 foot tall ~4.5 feet tall ~1.5 feet x 1.5 ft square base

20 Another Type of Sampler Measures PCBs in Indoor Air Over Time A sampler like this was installed in about 50 homes in East Chicago, IN and Columbus Junction, IA.

21 21 Engaging the Community Community Advisory Boards Community leaders, activists, responsible parties School superintendent, principals, teachers Teaching in the 7 th and 8 th grade science classrooms Visits to our Labs Newspaper articles Reporting results to subjects Serum lipid profiles PCB values

22 Des Moines Workshop January 2013 Kathleen Fenton EPA-7; David & Craig; Ken Sharp Iowa Department of Public Health; Doug Farquhar National Conference of State Legislatures Illinois Representatives Mike Fortner and Ann Williams build PCB models Kansas Rep Susan Concannon works hard at hers

23 23 Research Questions Do residents of East Chicago have higher exposures to atmospheric PCBs than people living in rural Iowa? Are indoor levels of PCBs higher than outdoor levels in the heavily industrial EC? Are the profiles of PCB congeners in the blood of mothers reflected in their children? Will the dredging of Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal increase exposures and body burdens of lower-chlorinated congeners?

24 Artist: Jeanne DeWall 24

25 25 Summary of Total Airborne PCB in ng/m 3 * Building Location N Mean, ng/m 3 Min-Max, ng/m 3 Homes EC Indoor EC Outdoor CJ Indoor CJ Outdoor Schools EC Indoor EC Outdoor CJ Indoor CJ Outdoor *Sampling rate: R in =2.6 m 3 /day R out =6.2 m 3 /day

26 Total PCBs in this study and NHANES East Chicago and Columbus Junction residents had similar levels to those measured in the general U.S. population (NHANES) USA (NHANES): ages (2003-4,35 congeners) a USA (NHANES): ages (2003-4,35 congeners) a USA (NHANES): ages (2003-4,35 congeners) a Columbus Junction, USA (this study): rural children (2008-9, 209 cong) b East Chicago, USA (this study): children near contaminated canal (2008-9, 209 cong) b Columbus Junction, USA (this study): rural mothers (2008-9, 209 cong) b East Chicago, USA (this study): mothers near contaminated canal (2008-9, 209 cong) b Sum PCBs, ng/g lw 26

27 Low molecular weight PCB congeners preliminary data East Chicago children are enriched in low MW congeners (PCBs with 5 chlorines) Low molecular weight PCBs are detected more in air 1.2 East Chicago Columbus Junction 1.0 low MW/sum PCB fraction Y Data 0.0 Mothers Children Mothers Children 27

28 28 Research Questions Do residents of East Chicago have higher exposures to atmospheric PCBs than people living in rural Iowa? Total concentrations are similar but profiles differ Are indoor levels of PCBs higher than outdoor in the heavily industrial EC? Yes, in most homes Are the profiles of PCB congeners in blood of mothers reflected in their children? No, children skewed toward lower chlorinated congeners Will the dredging of Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal increase exposures and body burdens of lowerchlorinated congeners??? Yet to be determined

29 Policy Makers like Legislators Characterizing PCB & Radon Sources and Exposures Schools want to protect their children. Schools don t have a budget for testing for possible air contaminants? Iowa law requires that registered day care centers test for Radon and if the levels are high they must mitigate. There is no requirement for k-12 schools. Why? 29