Environmental Health Issues and Priorities in the Pacific Northwest Robert Duff Director Office of Environmental Health Assessments Washington State Department of Health Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 20, 2005

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Comparative Risk Projects EPA and states – US EPA in 1987 issued Unfinished Business: A Comparative Assessment of Environmental Problems –Regions and states followed Highest ranking issues –Indoor air –Outdoor air –Others Lead, pesticides, food

Risk Assessment Methods Non-cancer RiskCancer Risk Non-cancer Risk Cancer Risk ResponseThresholdNo Threshold Type of Result Yes/No Probability

Non-Cancer Assessment DOSE RESPONSE Threshold Health benchmark “Safety Factors”

Assessment Methods Non-cancer RiskCancer Risk Non-cancer Risk Cancer Risk ResponseThresholdNo Threshold Type of Result Yes/No Probability New guidance moving toward a more qualitative approach that acknowledges thresholds

1,000 in 10,000 DOSE # of Cancers 500 in 10, in 10, in 10,000 Measurable Range (Epidemiology or Animal Study) Predicted Range (Risk Assessment) Threshold? Cancer Assessment

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Challenges - Uncertainty Exposure –Models versus measurement –“Background” Toxicity –Cancer – low dose extrapolation –Mixtures –Endocrine disruption Environmental justice

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Challenges - Background Exposure EPA is not calculating an RfD (Reference Dose) for dioxin….. –“Any RfD that the Agency would recommend under the traditional approach for setting an RfD is likely to be 2-3 orders of magnitude (100-1,000) below current background intakes and body burdens. Because exceeding the RfD is not a statement of risk, discussion of an RfD for an incremental exposure when the RfD has already been exceeded by average background exposures is meaningless.”

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Major Issues in the Pacific Northwest Persistent, bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) –Fish consumption advisories Area-wide soil contamination –Arsenic and lead

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 What are Persistent, bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs)? Polychlorinated biphenlys (PCBs), methyl mercury, organochlorine pesticides (DDT, chlordane), dioxin, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) Build-up in our environment and our bodies –Slow to breakdown in the environment –Uptake exceeds elimination rate –Often store in fat (not methylmercury) Also known as POP’s

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Why are we concerned? Recent fish consumption studies show in utero exposure results in developmental problems –PCBs and methylmercury –Learning and behavior deficits PBDEs – flame retardants –Similar effects in animal studies

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 What is a fish advisory? General advice –Choosing fish with lower contaminant levels –Cooking and preparation –Variety Meal limits –Generally bounded by upper and lower limits for effectiveness 4, 2, 1, 0 meals/month EPA guidance

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 What is a fish advisory? Species specific –Most advice is broken down by species Surrogates can be used for trophic levels Water body specific –Hazardous waste release or just a lake that was sampled? –DOH currently has 14 water body specific advisories Statewide advice –Mercury

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Who are we trying to protect? High-end consumers –Native American tribes –Asian and Pacific Islander communities Women of child-bearing age and children –Clearly a concern for the developing fetus –PCBs and mercury –Flame retardants, dioxin? General population –For PCBs not mercury –No consensus on mercury effects in adults Blood pressure

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Key Messages Eat fish, Be smart –Fish are good for you Omega-3 fatty acids –Moving away from “limit, limit, limit” –Provide info so consumers can eat heart health 2 meals/week - American Heart Association Most people do not eat 2 meals per week –Many choices are safe to eat at this rate

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Key Messages Work with high consumers –Tribes, Asian Pacific islanders communities –Benefits of more than 2 meals per week likely still outweigh risks Cutoff???? What are we doing to get/keep PBTs out of our food web???

From Oregon – Portland Harbor/Willamette River Presentation – D. Stone Communication is Key

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Global Efforts to reduce PBTs International –Persistent Organic Pollutants –Stockholm Convention Europe –REACH Registration, evaluation and authorization of chemical products Precautionary principle

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Global Efforts to reduce PBTs US EPA –Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA) PBDE Significant New Use Rule –Clean Air Act Mercury Washington –PBT Initiative –Mercury, flame retardants - PBTs

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Area-wide Soil Contamination Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) in Washington State –Old orchard lands –Tacoma smelter plume –Everett smelter –Northport smelter

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Area-wide Soil Contamination Orchard lands not well characterized –Spraying was sporadic –GIS with aerial photography Identifying old sites Targeting both sampling and education

Libby, Montana

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Vermiculite - asbestos Libby, MT –background Vermiculite –Contained high-levels 30-50% asbestos (tremolite) Direct link to health effects Nationwide problem –Exfoliation facilities –Attic insulation

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Vermiculite - asbestos Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry –Medical screening –Nationwide follow-up on over 200 sites 28 priority sites including one in Spokane and Portland –National Asbestos Exposure Review EPA cleanup of site and homes in Libby ongoing

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Vermiculite - asbestos Pleural Findings – All Views Interstitial - PA View Exposure Class nNormalAbnormalNormalAbnormal No Apparent Exposure (95%)6 (5%)121 (99%)1 (1%) 1-3 Exposure Pathways (89%)175 (11%)1559 (99%)10 (1%) 4-5 Exposure Pathways (85%)226 (15%)1471 (99%)17 (1%) 6+ Exposure Pathways (76%)587 (24%)2390 (99%)21 (1%) Total (17.8%) 49 (0.9%) Background 0.2 to 2.3 %

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005 Vermiculite - asbestos Legislation –Liability and compensation –Ban – Sen. Murray Asbestos is not banned in the US –US District court overturned EPA ban of most uses in 1990 Future activities - EPA and ATSDR –Assess 28 exfoliation facilities across US –Address vermiculite in attic insulation

Highline Community College – Tacoma, WA May 21, 2005