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PubMed1981

Consolidated permit regulations and hazardous waste management system: Environmental Protection Agency. Notice of issuance of regulation interpretation memorandum.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing today a Regulation Interpretation Memorandum (RIM) which provides official interpretation of the issue of whether a generator who accumulates hazardous waste pursuant to 40 CFR 262.34, may qualify for interim status after November 19, 1980. This issue arose when the requirements for submitting a Part A permit application (one of the prerequisites to qualifying for interim status) were amended on November 19, 1980. The provisions interpreted today are part of the Consolidated Permit Regulations promulgated under Subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended (RCRA).

Refuse Disposal↗
PubMed2005

Ecological risk assessment issues identified during the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's examination of risk assessment practices.

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency examined its current risk-assessment principles and practices. As part of the examination, aspects of ecological risk-assessment practices were reviewed. Several issues related to ecological risk assessment were identified, including the use of organism-level versus population-level attributes to characterize risk, the possible opportunities associated with the increased use of probabilistic approaches for ecological risk assessment, and the notion of conservatism in estimating risks. The agency examination provides an understanding of current practices and is intended to begin a dialogue in which the risk assessment community can engage in addressing the identified issues to improve and enhance ecological risk assessment.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation of the mass balance model used by the Environmental Protection Agency for estimating inhalation exposure to new chemical substances.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for assessing the potential for unacceptable human health and environmental risks of new chemical substances prior to commercialization. Estimates of potential inhalation exposure to workers during manufacture, processing, and use of a new chemical substance are key elements of these assessments. However, the available information with which to assess the potential for exposure is often limited for new chemicals. One approach used by EPA to develop screening level estimates of inhalation exposure to vapors in the absence of data is the use of a mass balance model to predict the airborne concentration for various activities such as drumming and sampling. The mass balance model was evaluated by comparing the exposure estimates for specific operations with monitoring data reported in selected studies from the available literature. In general the estimated exposures based on the midpoint of the range of default input values were well within one order of magnitude of the measured exposures. Selection of more conservative (i.e., protective) model input values overestimated exposures by one or more orders of magnitude. There are many simplifying assumptions inherent in the model and many variables that influence exposure that are not considered. Uncertainty analyses of the model demonstrated that values selected for the ventilation flow rate and generation rate greatly influence the estimate of exposure and should be carefully chosen. Additional research is recommended, and ultimately, model validation should be completed to further improve and refine the model.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1981

Hazardous waste management system: identification and listing of hazardous waste--Environmental Protection Agency. Interim final rule and request for comments.

The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] is today revising the regulations for hazardous waste management under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to exempt certain categories of mixtures of solid wastes and hazardous wastes from the presumption of hazardousness presently contained in the regulations. EPA is taking this action because the Agency believes that the risk posed to human health and the environment from the management of these waste mixtures is not substantial, so that automatically defining these waste mixtures as hazardous is inappropriate. This amendment will substantially reduce the regulatory burden to those persons who would otherwise have applied the regulations for hazardous waste management to these mixtures.

Hospitals↗
PubMed1996

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for carcinogen risk assessment: past and future.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently proposed new guidelines to update and replace the 1986 USEPA Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment. Today, there is a better understanding of the variety of modes by which carcinogens can operate that did not exist when the 1986 USEPA guidelines were published. Many laboratories are adding new test protocols in their programs directed at questions concerning the mechanisms of action of carcinogens. In response to the evolving science of carcinogenesis, the new guidelines provide an analytical framework for incorporating all relevant biological information and recognizing a variety of situations regarding cancer risk. In addition, the guidelines are flexible enough to allow consideration of future scientific advances.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's inhalation RfD methodology: risk assessment for air toxics.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has advocated the establishment of general and scientific guidelines for the evaluation of toxicological data and their use in deriving benchmark values to protect exposed populations from adverse health effects. The Agency's reference dose (RfD) methodology for deriving benchmark values for noncancer toxicity originally addressed risk assessment of oral exposures. This paper presents a brief background on the development of the inhalation reference dose (RfDi) methodology, including concepts and issues related to addressing the dynamics of the respiratory system as the portal of entry. Different dosimetric adjustments are described that were incorporated into the methodology to account for the nature of the inhaled agent (particle or gas) and the site of the observed toxic effects (respiratory or extrarespiratory). Impacts of these adjustments on the extrapolation of toxicity data of inhaled agents for human health risk assessment and future research directions are also discussed.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1983

An assessment of the Environmental Protection Agency's asbestos hazard evaluation algorithm.

We performed an exploratory evaluation of the Environmental Protection Agency's algorithm for assessment of risk of exposure to asbestos in buildings. Observers scored five sites using the algorithm. One group (N = 23) conducted their assessments relying only on written instructions, while another (N = 20) was trained in the use of the algorithm. Five professional industrial hygienists, experienced in risk assessment, also used the algorithm on the same sites. A wide range of highly variable results, for both untrained and trained observers coupled with poor comparability with expert's scores raise concern as to the reliability of this assessment tool. The development of a valid and reliable "lay" index of risk is still needed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Cryptosporidium and giardia recoveries in natural waters by using environmental protection agency method 1623.

Relatively few studies have examined recoveries from source waters by using Environmental Protection Agency method 1623 with organism spike doses that are environmentally realistic and at turbidity levels commonly found in surface waters. In this study, we evaluated the filtration capacities and recovery efficiencies of the Gelman Envirochek (standard filter) and the Gelman Envirochek high-volume (HV) sampling capsules under environmental conditions. We also examined the performance of method 1623 under ambient conditions with matrix spike experiments using 10 organisms/liter. Under turbid conditions, the HV capsule filtered approximately twice the volume filtered by the standard filter, but neither could filter 10 liters without clogging. In low-turbidity waters, oocyst, but not cyst, recoveries were significantly higher when the HV capsule was used. In turbid waters, organism recoveries were lower than those in nonturbid waters and were not significantly different for the different filters. When the HV capsule was used, Cryptosporidium recoveries ranged from 36 to 75%, and Giardia recoveries ranged from 0.5 to 53%. For both organisms, recoveries varied significantly by site. Turbidity could explain variation in Giardia recoveries (r(2) = 0.80) but not variation in Cryptosporidium recoveries (r(2) = 0.16). The inconsistent recoveries across sites suggested that the background matrix of the ambient water affected recovery by method 1623. A control sample collected at the height of the winter rainy season detected one organism, highlighting the difficulty of using this method to accurately measure pathogen abundance under natural conditions. Our findings support the use of the HV filter under field conditions but suggest that designing a cost-effective and statistically valid monitoring program to evaluate sources and loads of protozoan pathogens may be difficult.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's assessment of risks from indoor radon.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated its assessment of health risks from indoor radon, which has been determined to be the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. This risk assessment is based primarily on results from a recent study of radon health effects (BEIR VI) by the National Academy of Sciences. In BEIR VI, the National Academy of Sciences fit empirical risk models to data from 11 cohorts of miners, and estimated that each year about 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. are radon related. A summary, abstracted from the technical report, is given of the EPA's risk assessment results and methods, including some modifications and extensions to the approach used in BEIR VI. Results include numerical estimates of lung cancer deaths per unit exposure, which had not been provided in BEIR VI.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The Environmental Protection Agency's brownfields pilot program.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the diffusion of the US Environmental Protection Agency's national brownfields pilot innovation to more than 300 local governments between 1993 through 2002 to determine why some local governments received grants very early in the process while other awardees received funding later. METHODS: We did an ordinal regression analysis of the characteristics of all local government award recipients, and we conducted interviews with early-award recipients. RESULTS: The first set of local government awardees had lost much of their manufacturing base, had large concentrations of economically disadvantaged minority residents, and had local capacity to compete for funding. Federal and state officials catalyzed the diffusion of the innovation by working with local governments. CONCLUSIONS: The widely praised program was diffused selectively at first and then more widely later on the basis of local need, local capacity to compete, and networks of contacts among entrepreneurs and local governments. The economic, social, political, and public health impacts must be monitored and reviewed.

Environmental Health↗
PubMed2003

Improving the performance of US Environmental Protection Agency Method 300.1 for monitoring drinking water compliance.

In 1998, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for bromate in drinking water at 10 microg/l, and the method for compliance monitoring of bromate in drinking water was established under Stage 1 of the Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Products Rule (D/DBP) as EPA Method 300.1. In January 2002, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated the bromate concentration in bottled waters at 10 microg/l. EPA anticipates proposing additional methods, which have improved performance for bromate monitoring, in addition to EPA Method 300.1, in the Stage 2 DBP Rule. Until the Stage 2 Rule is promulgated, EPA Method 300.1 will continue to be the only method approved for compliance monitoring of bromate. This manuscript describes the work completed at EPA's Technical Support Center (TSC) to assess the performance of recently developed suppressor technologies toward improving the trace level performance of EPA Method 300.1, specifically for the analysis of trace levels of bromate in high ionic matrices. Three different types of Dionex suppressors were evaluated. The baseline noise, return to baseline after the water dip, detection limits, precision and accuracy, and advantages/disadvantages of each suppressor are discussed. Performance data for the three different suppressors indicates that chemical suppression of the eluent, using the AMMS III suppressor, is the most effective means to reduce baseline noise, resulting in the best resolution and the lowest bromate detection limits, even when a high ionic matrix is analyzed. Incorporation of the AMMS III suppressor improves the performance of EPA Method 300.1 at and below 5.0 microg/l and is a quick way for laboratories to improve their bromate compliance monitoring.

Guideline Adherence↗
PubMed2001

Toxicology information resources at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Article presents toxicology information resources available to the public from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This includes digital information directly usable or downloadable from their web site, or referrals as to where the resource can be obtained. Contents include advice on effective search strategies, a 'guided tour' of the web site and its main categories, and concludes with an extensive annotated bibliography of toxicological databases.

Information Services↗
PubMed2001

Significant shortcomings of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's latest draft risk characterization for dioxin-like compounds.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has concluded that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a human carcinogen, and it has stated that the lifetime all-cancer mortality risk attributable solely to the current background body burden of dioxin-like compounds could be as high as 1.3 per 100. U.S. EPA's most current human cancer risk estimate was obtained from a linear dose-response model fit to the data from three epidemiology studies of TCDD-exposed chemical workers. Herein it is shown that the U.S. EPA model fails to provide an adequate fit to that data, whereas an intercept-only model, having no slope whatsoever, is entirely adequate. Although the epidemiology data used by U.S. EPA are consistent with a significant elevation in all-cancer mortality, by about 32%, among TCDD-exposed workers, this elevation should not be attributed to the workers' TCDD exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Endocrine disrupting chemicals research program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: summary of a peer-review report.

At the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, a subcommittee of the Board of Scientific Counselors Executive Committee conducted an independent and open peer review of the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Research Program (EDC Research Program) of the U.S. EPA. The subcommittee was charged with reviewing the design, relevance, progress, scientific leadership, and resources of the program. The subcommittee found that the long-term goals and science questions in the EDC Program are appropriate and represent an understandable and solid framework for setting research priorities, representing a combination of problem-driven and core research. Long-term goal (LTG) 1, dealing with the underlying science surrounding endocrine disruptors, provides a solid scientific foundation for conducting risk assessments and making risk management decisions. LTG 2, dealing with defining the extent of the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), has shown greater progress on ecologic effects of EDCs compared with that on human health effects. LTG 3, which involves support of the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Program of the U.S. EPA, has two mammalian tests already through a validation program and soon available for use. Despite good progress, we recommend that the U.S. EPA a) strengthen their expertise in wildlife toxicology, b) expedite validation of the Endocrine Disruptors Screening and Testing Advisory Committee tests, c) continue dependable funding for the EDC Research Program, d) take a leadership role in the application of "omics" technologies to address many of the science questions critical for evaluating environmental and human health effects of EDCs, and e) continue to sponsor multidisciplinary intramural research and interagency collaborations.

Endocrine System↗
PubMed1992

An analysis of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency neurotoxicity testing guidelines.

Few of the more than 65,000 chemicals listed in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inventory have been tested for neurotoxicity. The nervous system may be especially vulnerable to toxicants because many compounds can cross the blood-brain barrier and induce irreversible damage. Additionally, the young, the elderly, and other sensitive populations may be particularly susceptible to neurotoxic injury. The EPA has developed guidelines including neurobehavioral, neuropathological, and neurochemical tests for the identification of possible neurotoxicants. In the present review, tests included in the current EPA guidelines for neurotoxicity testing are described and evaluated. The main benefit of the tests is that regulators are familiar with them, thus facilitating interpretation. Additionally, validation data on these tests are available for many known neurotoxicants. These factors make it difficult to introduce new methods that may include in vitro and other techniques. The current in vivo tests can be costly and prolonged and can involve the use of many laboratory animals, making them inappropriate for generalized use on existing chemicals. It is suggested that alternative tests be incorporated for screening of large numbers of chemicals and that testing priority be given to chemicals on the basis of structure/activity relationships, lipophilicity, bioaccumulation, and extent of exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

A regression spline model for developmental toxicity data.

Observed dose-response patterns of data from several developmental toxicity experiments appear to be nonlinear and should be characterized by an appropriate model to adequately fit this observed pattern. Information from these animal studies of ambient substances that are noncarcinogenic, yet potentially toxic, to humans is used by federal protection agencies (Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Food and Drug Administration) to determine safe exposure levels, such as no observed adverse effects level and benchmark dose. We have developed a flexible regression linear B-spline model for application to developmental toxicity dose-response data from animal studies of these noncarcinogens. We apply our model to data from two CD-1 mice studies of the National Toxicology Program; the observed dose-response pattern from both appears nonlinear: (1) experiment of 131 pregnant mice allocated over five exposure levels (0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15% diet) of diethylhexyl phthalate and (2) experiment of 111 pregnant mice exposed to five levels (0, 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg/day) of diethylene glycol dimethyl ether. In each study, we measure litter response as the proportion of adversely affected fetuses. Upon applying our B-spline model to the data from both studies, we predict nonlinear dose-response, with improvement over the more typical logistic dose-response model in each of the two studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Measurement of volatile organic compounds by the US Environmental Protection Agency Compendium Method TO-17. Evaluation of performance criteria.

An evaluation of performance criteria for US Environmental Protection Agency Compendium Method TO-17 for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air has been accomplished. The method is a solid adsorbent-based sampling and analytical procedure including performance criteria for four merit parameters. These are: (1) the method detection limit (MDL); (2) the method precision; (3) the agreement between two samples taken at different flow-rates over the same time period [a distributed volume pair (DVP)]; and (4) audit accuracy. A two-adsorbent tube packing of Carbotrap and Carboxen 1000 (Supelco) was tested. Synthetic mixtures containing 41 compounds at concentrations of 10 ppb (v/v) or 2 ppb (v/v) each in humidified zero air, and indoor air from a personal residence, were sampled for 1-h periods during which 1-l and 4-l samples were obtained simultaneously. For synthetic samples, the MDL was determined to be < or = 0.5 ppb (v/v) for 29 of the 41 compounds examined for samples at 47% relative humidity (RH), and for 27 of 41 compounds at 85% RH. The method precision at both 2 and 10 ppb (v/v) was < or = 20% for 90+ % of the samples using five sampling runs and the DVP samples were within 25% for 80% of the samples. For the indoor samples, 26 target compounds were tentatively identified and 12 unknowns were detected; all but 10% of these compounds met the DVP criteria.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2003

Can an hour or two of sun protection education keep the sunburn away? Evaluation of the Environmental Protection Agency's Sunwise School Program.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma incidence is rising at a rate faster than any other preventable cancer in the United States. Childhood exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light increases risk for skin cancer as an adult, thus starting positive sun protection habits early may be key to reducing the incidence of this disease. METHODS: The Environmental Protection Agency's SunWise School Program, a national environmental and health education program for sun safety of children in primary and secondary schools (grades K-8), was evaluated with surveys administered to participating students and faculty. RESULTS: Pretests (n = 5,625) and posttests (n = 5,028) were completed by students in 102 schools in 42 states. Significant improvement was noted for the three knowledge variables. Intentions to play in the shade increased from 68% to 75%(p < 0.001) with more modest changes in intentions to use sunscreen. Attitudes regarding healthiness of a tan also decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Brief, standardized sun protection education can be efficiently interwoven into existing school curricula, and result in improvements in knowledge and positive intentions for sun protection.

Adolescent↗