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Emerging Contaminants - The New Frontier -

Emerging Contaminants - The New Frontier -. What is an Emerging Contaminant?. Chemicals & materials with: Perceived or real threat to human health or environment Either no peer reviewed health standard or an evolving standard May have: Insufficient human health data/science

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Emerging Contaminants - The New Frontier -

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  1. Emerging Contaminants- The New Frontier -

  2. What is an Emerging Contaminant? • Chemicals & materials with: • Perceived or real threat to human health or environment • Either no peer reviewed health standard or an evolving standard • May have: • Insufficient human health data/science • New detection limits • New exposure pathways

  3. National & International Interest • USGS Survey of 139 streams in 30 states • Contaminants found in 80% of streams • Hormones, steroids, antibiotics • Insecticides • Prescription & non-prescription drugs • Plasticizers & fire retardants • Detergent metabolites • Solvents & disinfectants • Renewable Nat’l Resources Foundation Report • European Union – REACH • Unless pre-registered, chemicals can’t be sold • Tox data must be submitted to European Chemicals Agency • If toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic, more data required

  4. How Can ECs Affect DoD? • Adverse health effects on operating forces, DoD employees, and/or public • Human health protection paramount • Reduced training/readiness • Restrictions on use of ranges • Restricted or non-availability of material • Adverse impact on mission-critical applications & industrial base • Increased O&M and/or cleanup costs • Resource drain from mission needs

  5. Examples – Past & Present • Ozone Depleting Substances – Refrigerants, fire suppressants, solvents…phased out of production! • Perchlorate - Munitions/propellant oxidizer…very low toxicity levels being set by states (2 ppb in MA) • HexavalentChromium - Heavy metal used in DoD systems/platforms…recent, revised 10-fold reduction in acceptable exposure level • PBDEs - Fire retardants…EU banned in July 06….states following with legislation • Naphthalene - Component of JP-8/fuels used throughout DoD…proposed as a carcinogen by EPA…low toxicity levels could have major impacts

  6. The Need for ActionProactive vice Reactive Health Impacts Cleanup Costs Compliance Costs Readiness Impacts Platform/Facilities Life Cycle Costs Early EC ID & Risk Management Actions $$$ $$$ Large Benefits Small Investment

  7. Imagineif the largest industrial complex in the nation could… • Predict which chemicals it used or might use pose human health and environmental risks and have a changed regulatory status. • Develop a consensus evaluation of types & magnitudes of the risks in using/releasing the chemical. • Develop risk management options and invest in high-payback actions. • Achieve and measure risk reduction.

  8. EC Directorate Strategic Priorities National Level Issues Strategic Process Improvements Engage Internal & External Stakeholders Identify, Assess & Manage DoD Risks DoD, Federal, State, NGOs, & Industry Internal DoD & Industry Partners

  9. EC Tracking Process Over-the-Horizon Scanning Watch List Action List EC Newsletter Possible DoD impacts Phase I impact assessment Probable high DoD impacts Phase II impact assessment; risk management options Risk Management Options to EC-IPT

  10. H H H H H M M M M M L L L L L Phase I EC Impact Assessment 1. 2. 3. Probability of Regulation/Re-regulation Impact on DoD Functional Categories • Decision – Move to Action List? • Initial Risk Management Options Results

  11. High risk at top right Risk management actions move ECs to lower left…lower risk Seek to quantify risk reduction Plotting EC Risk to DoD H ● ● ● Ө Ө ● ● Ө Ө Ө ● O Ө Ө Ө Probability of Occurrence O O Ө Ө Ө O O O Ө Ө L H Severity of Impact ●- High Ө - Med Risk Change O - Low

  12. Integrated Risk Management RM Options • Fill tox science gaps • RDT&E • Material substitution • Process changes • Regulatory engagement • Stockpile material • Exposure assessment & • monitoring • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) • Acquisition changes • Benchmark with industry • Risk communication • Training Extensive RM Actions ● ● ● Ө Ө ● ● Ө Ө Ө ● Probability of Occurrence O Ө Ө Ө 1 2 3 4 5 Some RM Actions O O Ө Ө Ө Accept Risk O O O Ө Ө 1 2 3 4 5 Severity of Impact

  13. ♦ ES&H ■ Readiness & Training ▲ Acquisition/RDT&E ● O&M of Assets † Cleanup TCE Phase 1 Impact AssessmentCompleted October 2006 H ♦ † Likelihood of Occurrence ● ▲ ■ L H Severity of Impact

  14. Tungsten & alloys Tetrachloroethylene Dioxin N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) 1,4-dioxane 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) Nanomaterials Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) Dichlorobenzenes Beryllium Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) Di-nitrotoluenes (DNT) Naphthalene Lead EC Watch List Recently added Notes: - Impact assessments underway for all ECs except nanomaterials.

  15. EC Action List • Perchlorate • Royal Demolition eXplosive (RDX) • Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine • Trichloroethene (TCE) • Hexavalent Chromium • Naphthalene Recently elevated from Watch List Notes: - Some risk management actions underway including research on toxicity, substitutes, & treatment.

  16. Perchlorate Risk Management Actions • DoD & EPA synchronized policies • Requires sampling in various media • Sets a “level of concern” based on NRC peer review • California Site Prioritization Protocol • Joint DoD-State initiative to cull & prioritize sites for sampling & risk management • Army-Hughes Perchlorate Substitution Studies • SERDP/ESTCP Treatment Studies • Drinking water, wastewater, contaminated sites

  17. EC Issues • What is the appropriate use of non-peer reviewed risk data/studies? • What criteria or conditions would trigger actions requiring expenditures for ECs with no established risk level? • How would we determine a threat to public health? • What justification do we use for expenditures not in the budget? • How should EC risks be communicated?

  18. EC Research Needs • Toxicology & Risk Assessments • Identify science gaps & conduct toxicity studies • Material Substitutions • Green Chemistry considerations…use less toxic chemicals where possible • Life-cycle cost analyses in acquisition • Treatment for releases • Air, drinking water, wastewater, and contaminated sites

  19. Summary • EC management requires new thinking • Proactive vice reactive • Make targeted investments before regulatory action • Base decisions on life cycle costs • Efficient process being established for tracking, assessing and developing risk management options • Leverages existing assets/resources • Potential large payback • Protects people, mission and assets

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