P2 Best Practices that Benefit Employee and Community Health EPA Design for the Environment Program Automotive Refinishing Partnership Mary Cushmac Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC Environmental Summit May 2008

2 Session Goals  Raise awareness of health benefits from implementing P2 practices  Identify employee health benefits as an added incentive for implementing P2 practices  Explore ways to measure health & environmental benefits

3 EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) Program  Solves problems collaboratively  Brings industry resources to the table  Gives access to Agency technical resources  Factors in economics  Combines multi-media and multi-disciplinary approach

4 DfE Partnerships  Alternatives Assessments Flame Retardants: Furniture, Printed Circuit Boards Lead-Free Solder in Electronics Wire & Cable  Formulator Program Recognition of Safer Formulations Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative (SDSI)  Best Practices Automotive Refinishing  Session focus Nail Salons

5 Profile of Auto Refinish Industry  About 50,000 shops  200,000 auto refinishers  1,400 high school and community college programs  Shops/schools use & release harmful chemicals  Many shops are located in residential areas  Emissions may pose risks to those in the shops/schools and nearby residents

6 P2 Opportunity  EPA estimates that auto refinish shops emit 280,000 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics annually  DfE best practices: reduce shop emissions improve shop’s health and safety profile reduce shop costs (in many cases) assist with regulatory compliance (VOCs, hazardous waste, air toxics, odors, worker safety and health)

7 Auto Refinishing Chemicals and Potential Health Effects  Diisocyanates are the leading cause of work- related asthma; skin & lung sensitizers; subject of two NIOSH Alerts  Organic solvents (toluene, ethyl benzene, xylenes, etc.) are VOCs and air toxics that cause systemic, central nervous system and reproductive effects – Safer substitutes are available!  Heavy metals: hexavalent chromium causes lung cancer; lead causes nerve and brain damage – Lead and chrome-free paints are available!

8 Who May Be at Risk?  Workers and others in the shop  Students and others in the class  Persons living near auto body shops  Children playing in soil contaminated by automotive paint dust and particulates  Nearby schools, day care centers, and hospitals  Mobile paint sprayers & persons nearby  Hobbyists and others who use automotive paints, e.g., artists

9 Other Health Issues  42% of U.S. population live in counties that have unhealthful levels of ozone and particulates ( American Lung Association report, State of the Air, May 2008;  Sensitive populations are particularly vulnerable to air pollution  20 million Americans have asthma  9 million children have asthma, the leading serious chronic childhood disease ( Am. Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology; )

10 DfE Auto Refinishing Partnership – Strategy & Approach  Work in partnership with businesses and build a network of support to promote P2  Focus on spray painting and other related activities that release toxic chemicals  Identify key chemicals of concern and exposure points  Identify best practices and safer alternative chemicals  Identify factors that motivate change  Develop implementation strategy (tools, approaches)  Network, communicate, train, and encourage best practices to reduce risk and pollution  Evaluate response and measure results

11 Before Best Practices

12 After Best Practices

13 Findings  Over 100 shop and school site visits; numerous workshops across the country  81% of shops made changes  Some best practices were included in the new EPA paint regulation (40 CFR Part 63, Subpart HHHHH)  Changes benefit employees & community Reduced emissions Better respiratory & skin protection for workers Healthier workforce and community Cleaner, more productive work area Lower costs (less paint, less waste) Improved business/community relationships

14 Potential Emissions Reduction with Certain Best Practices  One small shop reduced overall VOC emissions by 218 lbs/yr (34%) and particulate emissions by 316 lbs/yr (99%) by adopting best practices*  If 300 small shops adopted best practices, emissions could be reduced as follows: 300 x 218 lb/yr VOCs = 65,400 lbs/yr VOCs reduced 300 x 316 lb/yr particulates = 94,800 lbs/yr particulates reduced *Using HVLP spray guns/training and conducting all spraying in a filtered spray booth.

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16 Potential Cost Savings with P2 * Estimated annual savings, based on 420 gal/yr Courtesy of the STAR Program, IWRC COST SAVINGS SAVINGS ConventionalHVLP Spray Guns HVLP Spray Guns with Proper Technique

17 Mapping Air Emissions near Schools Note: Air emissions in blue; schools in red

18 DfE Tools  Technical fact sheets, case studies  Site visits  Best practices & train-the-trainer workshops  Outreach kit (binder, folder, and CD)  DfE and virtual auto body shop websites  Best practices self-evaluation checklist  Emissions reduction calculator  Collaboration and networking

19 Employee Health Benefits  Better information on hazards and ways to protect oneself, fellow workers, and family  Reduced exposure to hazardous chemicals  Respiratory and skin protection  User-friendly control technology and more efficient practices to reduce emissions  Healthier painters, fewer lost days

20 Community Health Benefits  Reduced toxic air emissions (VOCs & particulates) and hazardous waste near schools, day care centers, and residences  Reduced odors  Cleaner air  Healthier neighborhood – reduction in Asthma Breathing and other respiratory problems Headaches Other adverse health effects

21 Gathering and Evaluating Data  Occupational asthma data (SENSOR and SWORD programs)  Asthma and air quality data (American Lung Association)  DfE Self-Evaluation of Best Practices for Schools and Businesses  DfE Emissions Reduction Calculator  OSHA Health Effects Calculator

22 On-line Resources  DfE Auto Refinish Project  Virtual Auto Body Shop  STAR® (Spray Technique & Research)  NIOSH Health & Safety Topics: Isocyanates  OSHA Auto Body Repair and Refinishing

23 DfE Web Site and Contacts Mary Cushmac DfE Automotive Refinishing Partnership

24 Topics to Explore in this Session  How can P2 be linked to employee health?  How can we better communicate P2 benefits on employee health?  What data could demonstrate P2 impacts on employee health?  How can companies be motivated to implement P2 practices for health without fear of liability for health effects?