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OPPT Annual Report
Fiscal Year 1997
OFFICE OF POLLUTION PREVENTION AND TOXICS
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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Foreword
EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) occupies a strategic position among the
Agency's offices. From this position — where past and present meet — OPPT is applying innova-
tive thinking to implement some of EPA's oldest statutory authorities and programs while creating
a synergy that will propel us toward the next generation of environmental protection. This past
year has been critical to our strategic direction with new projects, new achievements, and new
initiatives that I am proud to present in this Fiscal Year 1997 Annual Report.
Early in the year, OPPT finalized its reorganization/reinvention plan and, in spite of the tremen-
dous energy that goes into such an effort, the Office still achieved significant programmatic goals
and did it with good spirit. We have been working very hard to improve our efficiency in perfor-
mance, often out of the necessities imposed by a declining resource base. We have invested in ad-
vanced technologies to speed our processes and demonstrated innovation in maintaining or in-
creasing the pace of outputs for less cost.
Perhaps the most significant effort for the long term has been the development of a strategic
plan for OPPT. This plan, aligned with the results-based goals and objectives mandated by the
Government Performance and Results Act, will give us an excellent start toward achieving the
critical commitments we are making to the American people.
Many of OPPT's accomplishments owe a great deal to vital, ongoing collaboration with our
counterparts in EPA's ten regional offices and our partners in the states, industry, and public inter-
est groups. These people carry out much of the "front line" environmental protection work every
day—showing that preventing pollution pays off, that investing in reduced childhood lead poison-
ing saves millions of dollars in lower health care and education costs, that safe clean-up of PCB-
contaminated sites is demanded at the local level, and that our community right-to-know advance-
ments represent just the tip of the iceberg in empowering people with information.
OPPT's programs are multimedia in focus. Some of their effects are direct and immediately
apparent, some are integral to other programs and processes; others remain behind the scenes for
years at a time. This report illustrates that broad range of programs and impacts. In our lead pro-
gram, we are establishing the infrastructure designed to bring about environmental improvements
that will protect future generations of children. Our programs for safe chemicals and microorgan-
isms integrate many innovative concepts and applications. Our traditional functions of chemical
testing, risk assessment, and regulatory gatekeeping are being imbued with cutting-edge principles
such as pollution prevention, right-to-know, and green design, for which OPPT is recognized as a
national and international leader.
This report to our colleagues, stakeholders, and the public provides an update on our recent
activities and helps inform the ongoing dialogue as we refine our approaches to meeting the com-
plex environmental challenges facing our nation.
William H. Sanders, III, Dr. PH., P.E.
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
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Contents
OFFICE OF POLLUTION PREVENTION AND TOXICS
FY 1997 ANNUAL REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
I. PROMOTING POLLUTION PREVENTION 9
Business Applications 10
Environmental Cost Accounting 10
. Small Business Development Center Pilot Projects 11
Common Sense Initiative: Computer and Electronics Sector 12
Environmental Justice through Pollution Prevention Grants 12
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing 13
Green Chemistry : 14
Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBT) Initiative 15
Pollution Prevention Incentives for States (PPIS) Grants 16
Pollution Prevention in the Regions 17
Voluntary Standards Network & ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standards 19
II. PROMOTING SAFER CHEMICALS 21
Benzidine-Based Dyes 22
Biotechnology 22
Design for the Environment Program 23
Community College Partnership 23
Flexographic Printing 23
Garment and Textile Care Program 24
Printed Wiring Boards 24
Endocrine Disrupters 24
Exports of Chemicals 25
International Activities 25
Commission for Environmental Cooperation 25
Environment Leaders' Summit 26
Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission 26
Harmonization with Canada 27
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Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution 28
New Chemicals Program 28
Significant New Use Rules, Premanufacture Notification 28
SMART Review, ETI for Chemicals 30
Product Stewardship 30
Autobody Spray Paints 30
Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime 30
TSCA Section 4 Testing 31
Enforceable Consent Agreements and Test Rules 31
Harmonized Test Guidelines 33
Master Testing List 34
III. PROMOTING RISK REDUCTION 35
Acrylamide 35
Acute Exposure Guidelines 36
Asbestos 36
Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative 37
Formaldehyde Exposure Testing 38
"Human Health Indoors" Policy Initiative 38
Lead Programs •. 38
Public Education and Outreach Grants 39
Ongoing Lead Activities 39
Mercury 42
Mercury Task Force 42
Mexico Monitoring Program 43
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) 43
Pesticide Inerts/SAT Review 44
Refractory Ceramic Fibers 44
Relative Risk-Based Environmental Indicators Model 44
Screening Information Data Sets (SIDS) 44
TSCA Information Rules 45
Sections 8(a) and 8(d) Information Gathering Rules 45
Inventory Update Rule Amendments 45
Section 8(e) CAP Submissions 46
IV. PROMOTING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF RISKS 47
Children's Health Initiative 48
Community Environmental Partnership 48
Confidential Business Information 49
Accountability 49
State Access Project 49
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Consumer Labeling Initiative 50
Customer Service Standards 50
Electronic Access and Software Development 51
ECOSAR Software 51
Electronic Submission of TSCA Data 51
Waste Minimization Prioritization Tool 51
Facility Identification Initiative 52
Pollution Prevention Assessment Framework 52
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) 52
Facility Expansion 53
Automated Form R 53
1995 TRI Data 54
Chemical Use Data — TRI Phase 3 Expansion 54
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers 56
Uses of TRI Data 57
Tribal Program 57
OPPT PUBLICATIONS IN FY 1997 59
INFORMATION RESOURCES 63
INDEX 68
Cover photos: (children at computer, nature scene) Steve Delaney; (lead abatement) Georgia Tech Research Institute.
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T EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Year in Review
The Environmental Protection Agency's Office
of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) is
pleased to present this review of our activities
in fiscal year 1997. Employing a combination of
regulatory and partnership efforts, and work-
ing closely with our stakeholders, much
progress has been made this year on better un-
derstanding and preventing the risks from toxic
chemicals that enter our environment. The goal
of this report is to share what we-have learned
with the public and to invite active participa-
tion in our ongoing and planned programs.
Today's environmental challenges call for
flexible, cooperative approaches that tap the cre-
ativity and enthusiasm of business people, en-
gineers, chemists, the public, regulators in fed-
eral, state, and local governments, and even in-
ternational governments. Acting within the leg-
islative authorities and boundaries set by Con-
gress, OPPT has developed a wide range of tools
to accomplish its goals, including the traditional
issuing of rules and regulations as well as
nonregulatory approaches such as partnerships,
voluntary agreements, and information dissemi-
nation.
This past year marked the 20th anniversary
of the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA.
In 1976, passage of this law offered a promising
mechanism to help us better understand chemi-
cal risks, and to address these risks in a compre-
hensive, multi-media framework. The purpose
of TSCA is to ensure that the tens of thousands
of chemicals routinely used in commerce are
used safely—that they are safe for our children,
for our workers, for the general public and for
the environment. What a tremendous vision,
and what a daunting task! Together, we have
made considerable progress in the last twenty
years, but there are many more challenges
ahead. As each new fiscal year approaches, we
search for ways to accomplish our goals more
rapidly, more efficiently, and in a way that best
meets the needs of the public.
While we still do not have comprehensive
information about the risks of all chemicals that
are present in our environment, in many ways
TSCA has exceeded the promising expectations
which heralded its arrival. Representatives from
other countries routinely visit EPA to learn about
TSCA and how we implement the law. As envi-
ronmental awareness and sophistication in-
creases among the general public, and both in-
dustry and government become committed to
work in partnership to reduce risks, innovative
approaches to applying TSCA have become in-
creasingly possible.
Legislative Authorities
• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
s Section 104(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
7 JB Sections 313 and 322 of the Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Rnow Act (EPCRA)
a Pollution Prevention Act
s Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act
• Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act
a Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act
Executive Summary | 1
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Four Mission Areas
OPPTs mission statement focuses on the value-
added contributions that OPPT staff and its leg-
islative authorities can make to improve envi-
ronmental quality. Each of the four components
of OPPT's mission is discussed briefly below,
and amplified in the descriptions of OPPT's FY
1997 activities in the four chapters of this An-
nual Report.
PROMOTE POLLUTION PREVENTION: The Pol-
lution Prevention Act of 1990 made pollution
prevention national policy. This change in ap-
proach from end-of-pipe control to prevention
has focused both regulatory and nonregulatory
efforts on reducing waste at the source. What is
not created doesn't need to' be managed, de-
stroyed, or disposed. Source reduction includes
practices that conserve natural resources by re-
ducing or eliminating pollutants through in-
creased efficiency in the use of raw materials,
energy, water, and land. OPPT promotes pollu-
tion prevention through voluntary pollution re-
duction programs, engaging in partnerships,
providing technical assistance, funding demon-
stration projects, and incorporating cost-effec-
tive pollution prevention alternatives into regu-
lations and other initiatives.
PROMOTE SAFER CHEMICALS: OPPT actively
promotes the use of safer chemicals and pro-
cesses in all the basic operations of the indus-
trial sector. Through a combination of regula-
tory and voluntary efforts, OPPT is requiring,
motivating, and assisting industry to test chemi-
cals in advance of introducing them into the mar-
ketplace, design them at the molecular level to
be less toxic to humans and the environment,
and reengineer chemical processes to make them
safer and less wasteful.
PROMOTE RISK REDUCTION: While prevent-
ing pollution is central to the work of OPPT,
large amounts of toxic chemicals are already
present in the environment from past activities.
OPPT has developed aggressive programs to
minimize exposure to such highly toxic sub-
stances as lead, asbestos, dioxin, and polychlo-
rinated biphenyls.
The Mission of OPPT
Promote pollution prevention as a principle of first choice to encourage society to
care for and think about the environment in a more protective manner, preventing
harm before it occurs.
Promote the design, development, and application of safer chemicals, processes,
and technologies in the industrial sector of the economy.
Promote the reduction of risks in our homes and communities to adults and
children, particularly risks due to exposure, and encourage responsible risk
management practices throughout the life cycle of major chemicals of concern.
Promote public understanding of risks of chemicals and public involvement in en-
vironmental decision-making through the development and dissemination of in-
formation on toxic chemicals.
2 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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PROMOTE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF
RISKS: Individual members of the public must
take responsibility for the integrity of the envi-
ronment around them. To do that, the public
must have access to information and data. OPPT
is committed to providing understandable, ac-
cessible, and complete information on chemical
risks to the broadest audience possible. OPPT
believes that an informed public is better able
to make responsible decisions about protecting
itself and the environment.
Guiding Principles of OPPT
As OPPT carries out each interrelated compo-
nent of this mission, several principles guide our
activities. These include: 1) developing volun-
tary partnerships; 2) working cooperatively with
customers and interested parties to further en-
vironmental protection; 3) protecting children
and other vulnerable populations from environ-
mental risks; 4) targeting solutions to specific
situations instead of trying to come up with a
"one-size-fits-all" answer; and 5) reinventing
government through regulatory flexibility and
innovation.
VOLUNTARY PARTNERSHIPS: While the com-
mand and control techniques of environmental
regulation have served this country well in re-
ducing some of the most severe environmental
threats, today's environmental challenges and
societal conditions also invite the use of a broad
range of cooperative and voluntary approaches.
OPPT and other EPA offices now engage in many
voluntary activities with state and local govern-
ments, the business and environmental commu-
nities, and academia to prevent pollution and
achieve environmental improvement.
WORKING COOPERATIVELY: In this spirit of in-
creased cooperation, OPPT has intensified ef-
forts to communicate with our customers. While
the primary focus of OPPT was previously on
chemical manufacturers, it is clear today that our
customers also include environmental and la-
bor groups, industries that process and use toxic
chemicals, environmental justice organizations,
other federal, state, and local governments, con-
sumer advocacy groups, and the public at large.
All these parties have a stake in the issues OPPT
works on, and their input can improve the deci-
sions EPA makes.
OPPT is continuing efforts to promote envi-
ronmentally preferable choices in the design,
manufacture, and stewardship of chemicals. The
Office is engaging in dialogue with environmen-
tal and labor groups to ensure that their needs
are understood and addressed. OPPT is also
working with other government agencies to
ensure that the federal government coordinates
its programs, and that states, tribes, and local
communities have the information they need to
make informed choices.
PROTECTING CHILDRENy^ajssessing risk, it
has become increasingly^ffvicl^nt that some
populations are more vulffgiabji to the effects
of toxic substances thajiiOtfes,,.,Children may
Jgejat Mgher^^^5iveral'reasQns,;|'heir neu-
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: che^^S; they
f'potentially exposed
chemicals because of the!
and drink they take in
weight; and their beha
side and putting objects
to greater exposure.
to reduce children's
and has expanded thl
parents and the public
TARGETING SOLUJJOrNlS:
the traditional chejtpiGlt-by-i
to focus on mdiviQJjil JacmtiJl>;J
JxlyN-
-^g.ji
piayingfiut "^
tths,canll
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llheflthris"
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pal approach" "
.ole ind
Executive Summary | 3
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sectors, or the environmental problems faced by
an entire community, as appropriate. Though a
chemical approach has value in many situations,
focusing on facilities, industries, and communi-
ties allows us to tailor environmental solutions
to a given setting and each unique circumstance.
REINVENTING GOVERNMENT: Reinventing the
way we approach environmental protection has
been a high priority in OPPT. As we approach
the 21st century, we must find new ways to as-
sure a safe environment for all. OPPT's focus on
empowerment through expanded access to infor-
mation, on developing and meeting customer
service standards, and on community-based en-
vironmental protection and environmental jus-
tice reflect Vice President Gore's principles of re-
inventing government. OPPT is also working
with other Agency-wide reinvention initiatives.
OPPT staff have helped EPA's Office of Policy,
Planning, and Evaluation in directing Project XL.
Under Project XL, companies and regulated en-
tities that demonstrate they can achieve superior
environmental results than are possible under
current regulatory constraints are offered regu-
latory flexibility. Similarly, OPPT has been highly
involved in the Design for the Environment pro-
gram and the Common Sense Initiative launched
by Administrator Carol Browner in order to iden-
tify "cleaner, cheaper and smarter" approaches
to environmental protection in partnership with
industry, the environmental community, and oth-
ers.
Internal Management
Developments in FY 1997
FY1997 saw a streamlining of OPPT's internal
management processes, with completion of a
reorganization and the first steps in a multi-year
strategic planning effort, described more fully
below. Other important management changes
include increased implementation of OPPT's
vision of the "paperless office" — a fully net-
worked office that uses electronic transmission
of data and documents to enhance its efficiency.
In addition, OPPT made new strides in setting
and meeting customer service standards to en-
sure that our customers, broadly defined, are re-
sponded to promptly, intelligently, and reason-
ably on a consistent basis. OPPT is constantly
searching for better ways to enable people to
work together, whether they are employees, in-
ternal or external customers, business partners
or stakeholders. OPPT's achievements are made
possible by the combined efforts of approxi-
mately 450 staff members at EPA Headquarters
in Washington, DC and nearly 100 staff in the
ten EPA Regional Offices.
REORGANIZATION: OPPT completed a major
internal reorganization in 1997, designed to in-
crease the efficiency and effectiveness of OPPT's
core processes. The reorganization served to
"flatten" the organization by reducing the num-
ber of management layers between staff and se-
nior decision-makers. The new structure meets
the National Performance Review directive of
an 11 to 1 staff to management ratio. The reor-
ganization also shifted OPPT in the direction of
a "whole program" model by reorganizing ac-
cording to core program areas while maintain-
ing, for the most part, existing functional Divi-
sions. OPPT staff and employee unions were
closely involved in the reorganization process.
COORDINATION WITH THE REGIONS: Now
that both OPPT Headquarters and EPA's Re-
gional Office reorganizations are complete,
OPPT has stepped up efforts to communicate
and coordinate with the EPA Regions. The Re-
gional Offices manage our grants to states and
other entities, provide outreach and technical
assistance to the regulated community, encour-
4 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
age state and local government and citizens to
use publicly-available data collected by OPPT,
help state and local groups build pollution pre-
vention programs, operate PCB disposal permit
programs, participate in many multi-media and
community-based projects, and perform nearly
all enforcement and compliance assistance ac-
tivities for OPPT programs. Effective two-way
communication has stood the Office in good
stead for many years now. OPPT will continue
efforts to ensure that the Office and the Regions
are sharply focused on priority toxics concerns.
STRATEGIC PLANNING: OPPT has been actively
involved in internal long-range strategic planning
for a period of time. This effort, however, has been
formalized and expanded as a result of the
Agency-wide effort to implement the Govern-
ment Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of
1993. GPRA requires federal agencies to develop
long-range strategic plans by September 1997,
and to prepare annual performance plans, begin-
ning with fiscal year 1999, that will implement
the broader strategic plan. By March 2000, GPRA
requires agencies to present annual program per-
formance reports to indicate their success in meet-
ing the goals set out in their strategic plans.
President Clinton has observed that GPRA
requires the federal government to "...chart a
course for every endeavor...see how well we are
progressing, tell the public how we are doing,
stop the things that don't work, and never stop
improving..." GPRAforces a change infocus from
programmatic inputs to the achievement of re-
sults. Over time it is anticipated that the federal
government will conduct most of its long-range
planning, resource allocation, and programmatic
operations and assessment within the context of
GPRA concepts and requirements.
In 1997 OPPT drafted a strategic plan to
guide the Office's operations through 2005. The
five major program objectives of OPPT's plan
are presented below. This plan has been incor-
porated into the Agency-wide strategic plan
(available on the Internet at www.epa.gov).
OPPT will continue to articulate a more detailed
and comprehensive expression of its long-range
plans to meet internal planning needs. In 1998
OPPT will share its strategic plan with a wide
array of stakeholders to help refine OPPT's ob-
jectives, strategies, and performance measures.
After a two to three month comment period, the
plan will be finalized in Summer 1998. (For more
^-Hf-^-
OBJECTIVES
|O>y ^20(35, lead poisoning will be significantly reduced from ley- ;
KS sec, jn t|e eariy ;199Qs, witH particular emphasis on children in 1
h-risk groups. ^
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*"Jy '2005, of the approximately 3,000 high-volume chemicals in ;
-•-•---".- - ,. ',',''.,-"- ,..--'; _ - . _ _. i,1 i • ._•.' .. i ' . - ; . |j£
nmerce"and_the ,2,000 chemicals and 40: genetically :i
jKengineereed microorganisms expected to enter commerce each ',
^::tylar7EPA_wili significantly increase the introduction and use
lei^i--;----.^,--;1 V^" -•- ~^-:^--^,:-?.-.--:-.-. ,- -,_.-•;•, -, ;.^ ,- ^ vr-. ,r - ..-,-_., -.: .:. ^ . .-: ^ ,._^ . _.' -."._g
' "j| by industry of^safer or^"greener" chemicals such that fewer than ,
™ 100 cases per year will need regulatory management by EPA.
PL By 2005, reduce by 25% (from 1992 level) the quantity of toxic ':
pollutants released, disposed of, treated, or combusted for en- •••
ergy recovery. Half of this reduction will be achieved through ;
pollution prevention practices. -;
By 2005, sign international agreements for import-related Prior
Informed Consent and for both Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution (LRTAP) and United Nations Environmental Program
(UNEP) Persistent Organic Pollutants. Harmonization of 100
international test guidelines will be completed by the U.S.A. as
a member of the OECD. On Pollutant Release and Transfer Reg-
isters, the U.S.A. will make progress on harmonization with
Canada and Mexico and will take steps to encourage public
right-to-know about toxic chemicals and transfers in other coun-
tries.
By 2005, EPA will improve the ability of the public to reduce
exposure to specific environmental and public health risks by
making current, accurate substance-specific information widely
and easily accessible.
Executive Summary | 5
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information, contact the Planning and Assessment
Branch, 202-260-6394.)
Also in 1997, OPPT prepared an annual per-
formance plan to become effective in FY1999. The
performance plan includes specific annual, per-
formance goals contributing to the realization of
the longer-term strategic goals. The performance
plan also identifies performance indicators that
we will use to measure results and the resources
required to support these activities. Since the per-
formance plan incorporates our budgetary needs,
the Congress must review and ultimately ap-
prove the performance plan. In each succeeding
year OPPT will produce a new annual perfor-
mance plan and update the strategic plan.
Highlights of
OPPT'sJnJtiatives &
Achievements in FY 1997
ver 100
at any:
to select E
most significant.
^r
velop and build"
'
•ams and projects underway
iven time, it is almost impos-
idful of efforts as being the
iy projects take time to de-
ie involvement of stakehold-
ers; the developrnerlt work, although slow and
'^ipfih
to Republic, may turn out to be
icejseyeral years down the road.
Fortunately, keeping track of OPPT's activi-
Jties is becoming easier all the time, thanks to the
iaeities of the Internet. OPPT staff have been
^rofkingMi'a-to.Q^se^up-to-date program in-
formation available to the public through vari-
?F sites onthe Internet, all accessible via
flBIJIliiiBMIilillliBliilililiiFiM,^ -rtuflp
?s home page (wkw.epigov). As an example,
it is now possible for Internet users to find out
about pollution in their neighborhood just by en-
tering their zip code on the Web site.
The following pages highlight a number of
the more significant activities in OPPT in FY 1997.
NEW INITIATIVES AND MILESTONES
• New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition
Award: The first round of awards from this pro-
gram recognized five new chemical substances
developed with pollution prevention in mind.
• Human Health Indoors Policy Initiative: OPPT
and EPA's Office of Air and Radiation have
embarked on this new program to focus at-
tention on indoor environments.
• TRI Successes: FY 1997 saw the first reports for
the expanded list of TRI chemicals (over 600
chemicals listed); an increase of 25% in the
number of facilities required to submit reports
in the future (now over 31,000); and more than
1,500 community groups using TRI data in
their dealings with local government and in-
dustry.
• Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxics: The new fo-
cus on PBT chemicals is a mark of the matu-
ration of EPA's understanding of chemicals
and their ecological effects. PBTs will be
added to OPPT's public information collec-
tion strategies.
• Lead Poisoning Prevention/Awareness Grants: A
new initiative in FY 1997 will increase aware-
ness of the hazards of lead-based paint and
the need for lead poisoning prevention among
high-risk target audiences, with a primary fo-
cus on children at risk. Some $450,000 will be
awarded in FY 1998.
• Consumer Labeling Initiative: FY 1997 saw the
first label improvements announced under
the Consumer Labeling Initiative program,
for pesticide product labels.
• Pollution Prevention Assessment Framework: In
FY 1997, OPPT and EPA Region 9 developed
this compendium of risk assessment meth-
ods for chemicals that have little or no haz-
ard data or exposure data.
• 33/50 Program: The 33/50 Program marked
its conclusion in 1997, exceeding its goal of a
6 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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50 % toxic chemical reduction set back in 1991.
Total quantities reported to TRI of the 17 pri-
ority chemicals covered by the 33/50 Program
declined 56%, from 1.5 billion pounds in 1988,
the baseline year, to 664 million in 1995.
• Endocrine Disruptors: The Endocrine Disrupter
Screening and Testing Advisory Committee
was established by EPA in October 1996 to
advise EPA on a strategy for screening and test-
ing chemicals, pesticides, and drinking water
contaminants for their potential to disrupt the
endocrine system.
THE NUMBERS
H Pollution Prevention Incentives for States: 58
grants awarded, totaling $5 million.
• Environmental Justice through Pollution Prevention:
49 grants awarded, totaling $4 million.
• P2 Information Centers: Over $1 million in grants
awarded to nine P2 Information Centers.
• Premanufacture Notification (PMN): EPA re-
ceived 1,483 PMN submissions from industry
for new chemicals in FY 1997, compared to
1,892 in FY1996.
• PMN Low Volume Exemption: 471 applications
were exempted from notification require-
ments because of low production volumes in
FY 1997, compared to 413 in FY 1996.
H Polymer PMN Exemption: In the second year of
this exemption, 78 manufacturers reported us-
ing this exemption for 210 polymers. As a re-
sult industry realized cost savings of $5.25 mil-
lion; EPA saved $231,000 in processing and re-
view costs. During FY 1997 EPA also reviewed
232 polymers that could have qualified for the
polymer exemption if the manufacturers had
requested it, which would have generated even
greater saving for industry and EPA.
a Harmonization of Environmental Guidelines:
Eleven health test guidelines were codified
as final TSCA test guidelines.
Design for the Environment, Community College
Partnership: In FY 1997, six regional workshops
reached more than 600 community college in-
structors, while 18 training sessions brought out
more than 150 automotive repair instructors.
National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure
Guideline Levjzls^for Hazardous Substances
(NAC/AEGIjS>^njttee): In FY 1997, the Com-
mittee developed 176 proposed AEGLs for 17
hazardous substaWcgs^
National Lead Laboratorg^Ecredjtation.Program^ ^
Another 26 laboratoriefrw^ere^recog^^d"ItW'^
FY 1997, increasing thjjtotal number ctjae-
credited lead testing j
Pesticide Inerts: 1,1001
in pesticide f ormulat
jboratories to 126.
tigmicals used as i
i were
OPPT's Structure Activ^Team irr
H Four Corners International S^htiring-A^greement:
Since the agreement took effect on^gril 15,
1996, EPA has received 30 requests!
U.S.-based companies.
m Screening Information Data Set
United States initiated work on 29
under phase 6 of the SIDS program. OPPT
peer-reviewed 10 U.S.-sponsored and 15 non-
U.S.-sponsored Initial Assessment Reports
and reached closure in OECD on six cases.
m TSCA Section 4 Testing: During FY 1997, 35
TSCA Section 4 studies on 11 chemicals were
received by EPA and included in the elec-
tronic database.
• TSCA Section 8(e) Information Submissions: OPPT
completed initial screening of 300 submissions.
a Voluntary product stewardship agreements:
Three agreements were finalized in FY 1997
involving MEKO and toluidine and
dianisidine-based dyes.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
a Acrylates: OPPT withdrew the generic aery-
late significant new use rule (SNUR), revoked
Executive Summary | 7
-------
SNURs for 96 acrylate substances, and re-
voked Section 5(e) Consent Orders for 121
acrylate substances.
Significant New Use Rule on Benzidine-Based
Dyes: Requires persons to notify EPA at least
90 days before commencing the manufacture,
import, or processing of dyes containing two
benzidine congeners: o-toluidine and o-
dianisidine. ^jjfjlished October 7, 1996 (40
CFR Parts 2,arjd-72l)4eff ective November 20,
1996.
EX
•ant New Use Rules
J^iSl!%i>
al SNURs were issued
orrrorenensive nealth effects
ol ZH3Sn^£^r~1997}-i6
Ge ' '"' i""A'imejr
tiv
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45 new
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Agreements:
iting of phe-
FR 2607).
./reproduc-
.methylene
1997; 62 FR
'tice of MailafUlity of the 1996 version of
I J Jfl««*'Sfe?
tastejlTesting-tist was published on De-
cember 13,1996 (61 FR 65936).
Final Biotechnology Rule for microbial products
of biotechnology subject to TSCA: Published
April 11,1997 (62 FR 17910-17958); effective
June 10,1997.
Final Rule on TRI Industry Expansion. Requires
seven additional industries to begin TRI re-
porting (metal mining, coal mining, coal and
oil-fired electric generating facilities, commer-
cial hazardous waste treatment and disposal
facilities, chemical and petroleum wholesale
distribution facilities, and solvent recovery
facilities). Published May 1, 1997 (62 FR
23834), effective January 1,1998.
Chemical Use Expansion of TRI: Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) pub-
lished on October 1,1996. Over 40,000 com-
ments were received and reviewed.
• Proposed Rule to add dioxin and dioxin-like
chemicals (PCBs, polychlorinated dibenzo-
furans) to TRI. Published May 7,1997,62 FR
24887.
KEY COURT DECISIONS
• EPA successfully defended in court the dou-
bling of the number of chemicals for which TRI
reporting is required. On August 1,1997, the
U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment
of the District Court which had upheld EPA's
decision to add 286 new chemicals to the TRI
list. The Court of Appeals remanded EPA's
decision on only two of the 286 chemicals.
m EPA's rule of March 18,1996, which harmo-
nized the transboundary requirements for
PCBs with all other hazardous wastes and
allowed for the import and disposal of PCBs
in the United States, was overturned by the
U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on July
7,1997, in Sierra Club v. EPA, 118 F. 3d 1324
(9th Cir. 1997). The court found that EPA has
authority to allow PCB imports, including im-
ports for disposal, only by granting exemp-
tion petitions.
Looking Ahead
A great deal of activity that has been long in
development will be coming to fruition over the
next year, and another crop of exciting new
projects will just be starting up.
We look forward to building further on the
themes sounded in this report, bringing the com-
bined strength of our communities and public
participation into the environmental arena, and
empowering people to use innovative solutions
to protect our health and the environment.
8 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
T I. PROMOTING POLLUTION PREVENTION
The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 declared pollution prevention to be the national policy
of the United States. Pollution prevention, also referred to as source reduction, aims both to
conserve finite natural resources and to prevent waste and harmful substances from con-
taminating the environment. OPPT manages many programs that directly benefit companies and
communities in applying pollution prevention solutions to improve the environment. With the proper
information and cost accounting in place, pollution prevention often sells itself to corporate deci-
sion makers, saving companies money and resources. OPPT is committed to working through its
many partnership programs and through traditional regulatory activities to build an understand-
ing with industry and communities on the value of pollution prevention approaches.
OPPT is the primary steward for advancing prevention as the guiding principle within EPA. In
this leadership role, OPPT staff work with EPA senior management, especially the Assistant Ad-
ministrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, to develop and disseminate federal
pollution prevention policy. OPPT provides input to critical Agency planning and budgeting pro-
cesses, regional and state program guidance, and Agency "reinvention" initiatives. As in past years,
OPPT has helped clarify the formal definition of pollution prevention (P2), generate formal P2 po-
sition statements, and publish materials which document EPA's prevention progress.
For example, OPPT has produced "Pollution Prevention 1997: A National Progress Report,"
which describes the advance of pollution prevention activities among industry, across government
A Pollution
prevention staff
from Thurston
County, WA meets
with local printer
to discuss P2
opportunities.
Promoting Pollution Prevention | 9
-------
National Pollution
Prevention Progress Report
Pollution Prevention 1997; A National Progress Report examines
successes and challenges in pollution prevention at EPA and
other federal agencies, in industry, among states and tribes,
educational institutions, communities, and the non-profit sec-
tor. The report updates a similar report produced six years
ago and documents the nation's progress in achieving and
measuring pollution prevention. More than twenty outside
authors provide guest commentaries on prevention issues.
The report is available through EPA's Pollution Prevention
Information Clearinghouse, 202-260-1023.
Prevent!
A,Najt(o'nal Progra;
ion 1997
ss Report
at all levels, on college campuses and within communities. The report includes guest commentaries
from environmental experts and dozens of P2 success stories. OPPT's pollution prevention home
page on the Internet is EPA's primary source of online prevention information, with links to a wide
variety of other governmental and private prevention sources. A network of regional P2 informa-
tion centers will be up and running in 1998, offering centralized and easy access to high-quality P2
information and expertise. OPPT also coordinates EPA Headquarters' observance of Pollution Pre-
vention Week, held this year on September 15-21,1997, which featured prevention program dis-
plays and distinguished speakers.
Also in 1997, EPA granted the first James W. Craig Pollution Prevention Leadership Award,
recognizing the outstanding efforts of Dr. Joseph J. Breen, an EPA scientist who was one of the
founders of the Agency's Design for the Environment and Green Chemistry programs. This annual
award is established in memory of Jim Craig, an OPPT manager who died suddenly of cancer in
1995. The award will annually acknowledge EPA staff who effect fundamental and sustained im-
provement in the Agency's core programs and processes through the identification and integration
of practical prevention solutions to environmental problems.
This chapter presents the accomplishments and activities undertaken by OPPT during FY1997
to prevent pollution.
Business Applications
ENVIRONMENTAL COST ACCOUNTING
With a network of more than 800 participants,
the Environmental Accounting Project encour-
ages businesses to understand the full spectrum
of their environmental costs and integrate those
costs into corporate accounting and decision-
making processes. The Project supports infor-
mation exchanges, research, training, and the de-
velopment of methods for highlighting the fi-
nancial benefits of pollution prevention. FY 1997
accomplishments include an upgrade of
10 | Annual Report -of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
P2\FINANCE, a software tool designed to help
companies incorporate environmental costs into
their capital budgeting decisions, and several
publications analyzing the potential for apply-
ing environmental accounting to specific indus-
tries (See Publications section at the back of this
report). Regional initiatives this past year (in
EPA Regions 1,4,5, and 10) include training for
state technical assistance providers and permit-
ters, training for certified public accountants that
work with small businesses, and environmen-
tal accounting conferences.
In January 1997, OPPT staff began a reevalu-
ation of the Environmental Accounting Project's
strategy. Upcoming activities will include an
environmental costing handbook that empha-
sizes activity-based costing, incorporation of
health and safety costs into Project documents
and activities, and new environmental account-
ing templates compatible with widely-used
commercial accounting software packages. For
more information, contact Kris Pierre at 202-260-
3068, or Susan Mclaughlin at 202-260-3844.
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
CENTER PILOT PROJECTS
OPPT is conducting pilot programs with the
Vermont and Pennsylvania Small Business De-
velopment Centers (SBDCs) to demonstrate the
value of providing prevention-oriented environ-
mental assistance to small firms in a business
development context. The national network of
nearly 1,000 SBDCs (funded jointly by the U.S.
Small Business Administration and the states)
provides business planning, accounting, and tax
compliance assistance to small businesses. Al-
though the centers have unparalleled access to
small businesses, most of the centers lack in-
house environmental expertise.
The pilot projects are offering three types of
assistance: technical assistance that emphasizes the
adoption of cleaner technologies; compliance as-
sistance that is geared to help companies stay
ahead of the "regulatory curve;" and business de-
velopment assistance that places environmental
concerns as strategic in business decisions. To
date, both pilots have yielded promising results.
In the Vermont Pilot, the SBDC's Retired
Engineers and Professionals Program is con-
ducting on-site pollution prevention assess-
ments, and the SBDC is partnering with other
groups to launch a voluntary challenge/recog-
nition program. The Pennsylvania SBDC has
trained its own staff in environmental issues,
and is partnering with other groups in offering
environmental seminars for dry cleaners and in
reaching small firms wishing to sell to the Fed-
eral Government. For more information, contact
Ed Weiler at 202-260-2996.
Business Plan Review Service
Many young companies are unable to obtain financing because
of weak or incomplete business plans. OPPT funded a pilot
project in FY 1997 in which Environmental Capital Network
(ECN) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, commissioned seasoned
investors in environmental technology companies to critique
the business plans of start-up companies seeking equity financ-
ing. The purpose of the pilot was to see if companies found
such advice useful, and how much they would be willing to
pay for it.
So far the results seem promising. The Business Plan Re-
view Service helped a company that is developing an in-pro-
cess biomass gasification technology for the pulp and paper
and the forest products industries to close a $20 million financ-
ing deal with a major investor. In the second year of the pilot,
ECN will make an effort to serve companies developing tech-
nologies or products with multiple environmentally-sensitive
attributes. For more information, contact Ed Weiler at 202-260-2996.
Promoting Pollution Prevention | 11
-------
MHfiHUHHI
„_,
BANKERS' FORUM
OPPT facilitated an informal forum among a small group of commercial and investment bankers, bank regula-
tors, and bank trade associations in February 1997 to develop a common understanding of why and how banks
might incorporate information derived from their clients' adoption of the new ISO 14001 (Environmental Manage-
ment System) standard into routine credit or investment decision-making processes.
From the discussion, it would appear that the banking community is well aware of the potential informational
value of processes or procedures which help companies address their environmental performance systematically.
At the same time, in the absence of accepted methods for quantitatively relating environmental performance to
financial risk, bankers have little enthusiasm for endorsing or actively promoting industry's adoption of the ISO
14001 standard — or any other specific environmental management approach.
OPPT learned an important lesson from the Forum: It will take more than persuasion to enlist the support of
the banking community to promote industry's adoption of environmental management systems. Unless and until
environmental performance information can be used productively by banks, activities devoted to collecting such
information will continue to be viewed as dispensable in an increasingly competitive business environment. For
more information or a copy of the Forum proceedings, contact Ed Weiler at 202-260-2996.
Common Sense
Initiative: Computer
and Electronics Sector
OPPT works with EPA Regions 1 and 9 in head-
ing up the Common Sense Initiative Subcom-
mittee on the Computers and Electronics Indus-
try Sector. The Common Sense Initiative is an
Agency-wide innovative approach to environ-
mental protection and pollution prevention that
tackles the limitations of traditional regulatory
approaches in six industry sectors (automobile
manufacturing, metal finishing, computer and
electronics, petroleum refining, iron and steel,
and printing).
The computer and electronics sector —
which includes computers, fax machines, tele-
phones, televisions, CD players, as well as elec-
tronic components of those products such as
semiconductors and printed wiring boards —
offers a cutting-edge view of environmental
regulatory requirements in a high-tech area. The
sector is also one of the fastest growing large
employers in the United States. About 60% of
these facilities are concentrated in six states:
California, Texas, Massachusetts, New York,
Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
Three workgroups have been created in the
Computer and Electronics Subcommittee to ad-
dress barriers to electronic product recycling,
reporting and public access to environmental
information, and alternative strategies to regu-
lation. Nine projects are currently underway, in-
cluding such things as residential collections of
discarded electronic equipment and consoli-
dated reporting requirements for electronics
companies. For more information, contact Chris
Tirpak at 202-260-7538.
Environmental Justice
through Pollution
Prevention Grants
In FY1997, OPPT administered the third round
12 | Annual Report of tire Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
of grants under the Environmental Justice
Through Pollution Prevention grants program.
The program promotes three of EPA's highest
priorities—pollution prevention, environmen-
tal justice, and community-based environmen-
tal protection. Environmental justice refers to the
fair treatment of all people under the same set
of environmental laws, regulations, and policies,
regardless of their race, culture, income, educa-
tion, and other characteristics. Pollution preven-
tion activities can help reduce environmental
risks in disadvantaged and minority communi-
ties and promote private/public partnerships.
In cooperation with EPA's Regional Offices,
49 grants totaling nearly $4 million were awarded
in economically disadvantaged and minority
communities. Under this program, OPPT will
work with the Center for Hazardous Material Re-
search to develop and implement a confidential
small business pollution prevention technical as-
sistance program, and fund the Oil, Chemical &
Atomic Workers International Union to develop
pollution prevention projects in partnership with
environmental justice organizations for workers
and nearby environmental justice communities.
For more information, contact Louise Little at 202-
260-4341.
Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing
OPPT'is helping federal procurement officials
take advantage of the enormous purchasing
power of the federal government to send a clear
signal to manufacturers and service-providers
that environmental performance is an important
factor in making purchasing decisions. OPPT's
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
program is an outgrowth of a Presidential man-
date to have the federal government give pref-
erence to the purchase of products and services
which are "environmentally preferable." Envi-
ronmentally preferable products and services
are those that have a lesser or reduced effect on
human health and the environment when com-
pared with competing products or services that
serve the same purpose.
In FY1997, the EPP program reached out to
federal agencies and vendors of environmental
products through a July 1997 symposium in
Baltimore which brought together more than 400
stakeholders—from federal agencies, vendors,
state and local governments, and elsewhere —
to exchange ideas and views about environmen-
tally preferable purchasing. Feedback from the
symposium will help guide the EPP program
develop more practical and user-friendly tools.
Several pilot projects between EPA, the Gen-
eral Services Administration (GSA), and the De-
partment of Defense (DOD) have demonstrated
the practical application of EPP principles. FY
1997 accomplishments include:
• Continued outreach on the GSA/ EPA pi-
lot project. Environmental information on
cleaning products was published in a GSA
catalogue, written and video versions
were provided for U.S.Postal Service
training, and a cleaning product selection
tool on the World Wide Web is near
completion. Also, a similar effort with la-
tex paints sold through GSA is under de-
velopment.
m A DOD/EPA pilot project incorporated
innovative contract language to encourage
identification and use of environmentally
preferable construction materials by con-
tractors responsible for both interior and
exterior renovations at the Pentagon.
• Green purchasing was documented at the
Pentagon and at some of EPA's own fa-
cilities.
New pilot projects are underway or in the plan-
Promoting Pollution Prevention | 13
-------
ning stages. In addition, the EPP Program has
prepared case studies and other publications
(see Publications at the back of this document).
For more information, contact Eun-Sook Goidel at
202-260-3296.
Green Chemistry
The goal of the Green Chemistry Program is to
foster chemical methods that reduce or elimi-
nate the use or generation of toxic substances
during the design, manufacture, and use of
chemical products and processes. The program
also supports educational activities and basic
research in environmentally benign chemistry,
and promotes partnerships with academia and
industry in developing green chemistry tech-
nologies.
Winners of the 1997 Green Chemistry Chal-
lenge, an awards program that focuses on safer
chemicals, safer chemical manufacturing pro-
cesses, and alternative solvents, are listed in the
accompanying box.
RECIPIENTS OF THE 1997 GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE AWARDS:
H BHC Company (a joint venture of BASF and Hoechst Celanese Corporation) for develop-
ing a greener process to manufacture ibuprofen, the widely used anti-inflammatory drug.
The new process uses fewer steps that are more efficient and less polluting, and has been
commercialized in a Texas plant which is the largest ibuprof en facility in the world.
• Imation Corporation for its DryView™ technology, a photothermography process that
allows for 'dry' developing of exposed film. In the medical imaging industry alone,
the DryView technology has the potential to eliminate more than 3 million gallons per
year of developer, 5 million gallons per year of fixer, and 900 million gallons per year of wash water.
« Albright and Wilson for its development of THPS biocides as a new class of antimicrobial agents that are less
toxic, have lower use levels, do not bioaccumulate, and rapidly break down in the environment to non-toxic
degradation products. The technology has the potential to replace over 42 million pounds per year of more
toxic and less effective biocides in the industrial water treatment market alone.
* Legacy Systems for developing a chilled ozone process that uses only water and oxygen to remove photo-
resists and organic contaminants for the semiconductor, flat panel display, and micro machining industries. In
addition to eliminating the need for Piranha solutions (solutions that require strong acids, peroxides, and
other chemicals with health and environmental concerns), the alternative technology has the potential to re-
duce overall water consumption by more than 3.3 million gallons per year per silicon wafer wet station and
more than 5 million gallons per year per flat panel display station.
• Professor Joseph M. DeSimone of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his development of new
polymers that serve as surfactants in carbon dioxide, thus allowing the more environmentally benign carbon
dioxide to replace traditional solvent/surfactant systems that emit more than 30 billion pounds of toxic com-
pounds each year worldwide. Cleaning applications that could benefit from this technology include those in
the manufacturing and service industry (precision cleaning of microelectronics and optics), medical device
fabrication, and garment and textile cleaning.
14 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
The Green Chemistry program also supports
a variety of educational activities — including
materials development, tools, courses, and sym-
posia — to reach chemistry students and pro-
fessional chemists with a pollution prevention
message. Materials currently under develop-
ment include a green chemistry reference com-
pendium, textbook supplements, and laboratory
manuals. Tools include databases of green chem-
istry examples as well as multimedia tools such
as videos and CDs. Courses under development
include a training course for professional chem-
ists and "train the trainer" workshops targeting
the quick incorporation of green chemistry con-
cepts and examples in two-year college cur-
ricula. OPPT's partners in these educational ef-
forts include the American Chemical Society, the
National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher
Education at the University of Michigan, and the
Partnership for Environmental Technology Edu-
cation. For more information, contact Tracy
Williamson at 202-260-3960.
Persistent,
Bioaccumulative
Toxics (PBT) Initiative
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals
are stable in the environment for long periods
of time (sometimes many years), build up in the
environment, particularly in food chains, and are
toxic to humans and/or animals and plants.
There has been a great deal of interest in these
chemicals within the past few years, as PBTs have
been identified all over the world in bodies of
water such as the Great Lakes and oceans, in the
air and in soil. Some PBTs, most notably dioxins,
are extremely toxic, with the potential to cause
harmful effects when very small amounts are re-
leased into the environment. Small quantities of
dioxins are released during certain industrial and
combustion processes.
In recent years, more than 15 Agency
workgroups and task forces have been formed
to examine the scientific aspects of these pollut-
ants, evaluate opportunities for addressing
them, and take actions to reduce the risks asso-
ciated with them. In 1997, OPPT was instrumen-
tal in assembling an Agency-wide initiative to
coordinate a multi-media approach that will pre-
cipitate a reduction of PBTs in the environment.
The PBT Initiative was submitted as part of
EPA's FY1999 budget request.
The Initiative will use the full range of EPA
tools—international, regulatory, programmatic,
compliance, enforcement, and voluntary—and
will favor their prevention-based application
whenever possible, i.e., preventing new PBTs
from entering, or phased-out uses of PBTs from
re-entering, the market. Three important initial
efforts of the Initiative are the following:
International Activities: The PBT Initiative rec-
ognizes that international commitments are a
strong driver for action. Accordingly, it has em-
braced the Level 1 list of 12 pollutants in the
Canada-U.S. Binational Strategy for the "virtual
Elimination of Persistent Toxics in the Great
Lakes as an initial set of priority PBTs to target
for action. Since EPA is also engaged in a range
of other international negotiations affecting
PBTs, the PBT Initiative will have a strong work-
ing relationship with EPA's International Toxics
Coordinating Committee and other cross-office
teams which support EPA's preparation for these
negotiations.
Great Waters Activities: The PBT Initiative
coincides with the efforts of the air, water, and
geographically-based programs (Great Lakes,
Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, and National
Estuaries) to apply cross-media authorities to
achieve continued environmental progress. EPA
published its second Great Waters Report in
Promoting Pollution Prevention | 15
-------
1997, which identifies nearly the same list of
pollutants as on the Level I list of the Binational
Strategy — pollutants that transfer easily from
air (through deposition) to great water bodies
and smaller lakes, and that are the cause of many
fish consumption advisories. Collaboration be-
tween the Air and Water Offices continues on
air deposition concerns.
Prioritization: After developing an action plan
for the Level 1 pollutants under the Binational
Strategy, the PBT Initiative will move to select a
second round of priority PBTs for action. One fo-
cus maybe the Office of Solid Waste's (OSW) Waste
Minimization National Plan, which sets goals to
reduce the most persistent, bioaccumulative, and
toxic chemicals in hazardous wastes.
OPPT has embarked on several activities to
reduce the proliferation of PBTs. They include:
• Developing a PBT category in the New
Chemicals program.
• Development of a PBT test rule.
• Development of a significant new use rule
for dead PBT chemicals. "Dead" PBTs are
chemicals no longer produced or used in
this country but are still present in the en-
vironment (e.g., chlordane and PCBs).
• Identifying PBTs listed on the Toxics Re-
lease Inventory (TRI). TRI currently in-
cludes information on several PBT chemi-
cals such as chlordane, lindane, mercury
compounds, benzo(a)pyrene, and PCBs.
In May 1997, EPA proposed to list dioxins
and dioxin-like chemicals (PCBs, poly-
chlorinated dibenzofurans) on TRI. Cur-
rent reporting thresholds for TRI are too
high to capture releases of PBT chemicals
at the low levels that are actually released.
Therefore, EPA is considering lowering
the reporting thresholds for all TRI-listed
PBTs. EPA is also considering how to deal
with other chemicals on TRI that have
been identified as PBTs and whether other
PBTs should be added to TRI. EPA is also
evaluating the inclusion of PBTs on TRI
for monitoring and benchmarking activi-
ties. For more information, contact Myra
Karstadt at 202-260-0658.
Pollution Prevention
Incentives for States
(PPIS) Grants
The Pollution Prevention Incentives for States
(PPIS) grant program fosters innovative preven-
tion approaches by states and the establishment
of cross-media state and tribal pollution preven-
tion programs. Since the inception of the grant
program in 1989, EPAhas awarded approximately
$49 million. In FY1997,58 grants totaling $5 mil-
lion were awarded by EPA's Regional Offices.
Through PPIS grants, OPPT seeks to build
state pollution prevention capabilities and to test
innovative pollution prevention approaches and
methodologies at the state level. PPIS is designed
as a state-based program because EPA believes
that states have more direct contact with, and
influence over, generators. The two major na-
tional criteria for the 1997 PPIS grants were (a)
the promotion of cooperation among environ-
mental assistance providers and (b) the advance-
ment of a state's overall goals as defined in its
environmental performance agreements devel-
oped under the National Environmental Perfor-
mance Partnership System (NEPPS). Special em-
phasis was also given to partnering with Manu-
facturing Extension Partnerships centers under
the Commerce Department to develop a coop-
erative system of technical assistance at the state
level to meet the needs of industry. For more in-
formation, contact Christopher Kent at 202-260-3480.
16 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
Pollution Prevention
in the Regions
EPA's Regional Offices have been active agents
in promoting the Agency's P2 mission, pursuing
partnership opportunities with states, industry,
and a variety of other organizations to develop
innovative P2 approaches. Following are ex-
amples of Regional accomplishments in FY1997:
a P2 Integration in Regional Program Man-
agement. Nearly every Region has found
important ways to encourage P2 and multi-
media approaches in its management activi-
ties. For example, Region 1's New England
Environmental Assistance Team provides
comprehensive, multi-media compliance
and P2 assistance to selected sectors of the
regulated community. Region 4 has devel-
oped a new Regional P2 Strategy that en-
gages all Regional core media programs in
creating and conducting P2 activities in
mainstream activities. Region 5's cross-pro-
gram P2 Team created a "Waste Reduction
in Our Workplace" initiative to further waste
reduction activities within day-to-day Re-
gional activities, such as implementing P2-
friendly contracts. In Region 7, the P2 pro-
gram provides interns to the Regional me-
dia programs for P2 projects through a com-
petitive selection process.
• Regulatory Implementation. In its Pollution
Prevention in Permitting Pilot Project, Re-
gion 10 has partnered with Intel Corporation,
the world's largest semiconductor manufac-
turer, to develop an implementable Clean Air
Act Title V operating permit that incorpo-
rates both pollution prevention and permit
flexibility, and provides a model for other
companies. This project will soon expand to
focus on water permitting activities. In Re-
gion 2, Eastman Kodak Company agreed to
spend at least $12 million to cut hazardous
waste in six supplemental environmental
projects in a RCRA settlement.
Private Sector Partnerships. In Region 1, the
"CLEAN" Program has capitalized on
OECA's new small business and audit poli-
cies to help promote industry/state/EPA
partnerships, initially with metal finishers in
Maine and New Hampshire.
Cross-Regional Initiatives. The Tri-State
Geographic Initiative, led by Region 3, is a
^ *a ,f -^-T-—-^ ^ *
pP2 and Local Governments
X>PPT is helping local governments develop the capacity to
^integrate pollution prevention solutions to a wide variety of
glocal issues. OPPT works with the National Association of
g: Counties (NACo) to increase pollution prevention efforts at
the local government level. Activities include providing gen-
eral P2 outreach and information to NACo's 3QQO-plus mem-
f*Tber base and developing a Challenge Program to incorporate
^environmental considerations into local government purchas-
ir ing procedures.
E OPPT also provides P2 information and outreach to the Na-
il^ tional Association of City and County Health Officials
^"(NACCHO). A recent joint project was a fact sheet clarifying
jj__ the relationship between pollution prevention, drinking wa-
f~ ter, and public health. NACCHO is currently trying to increase
— local health department understanding of the potential uses
l_ of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in integrating pollu-
tion prevention into local public health programs. GIS map-
f__.. ping paints a picture of environmental and health related events
;: in a geographic context.
OPPT is also working with the National Association of Phy-
sicians for the Environment (NAPE) to help them develop a
national program for the "greening" of health care. Thus far,
NAPE has developed a physician's green office guide, which
is part of a larger effort to develop an entire system of "green-
ing" manuals, pledges and certificates, and training programs
for medical offices and institutions. For more information, con-
tact Danielle Fuligni at 202-260-4172.
Promoting Pollution Prevention | 17
-------
multi-media environmental study involving
the states of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Vir-
ginia, EPA Regions 3,4, and 5, the Ohio River
Valley Water Sanitation Commission, and
local environmental agencies, whose pur-
pose is to identify P2 approaches to reduce
pollution sources in the tri-state area, ad-
dressing both businesses and citizens as
sources of pollution and as partners in pre-
vention. The Great Lakes Regional Pollution
Prevention Roundtable, led primarily by
Region 5 and involving eight states and
Ontario, has created an effective regional P2
information and assistance mechanism to
help states better address regulatory and
other environmental challenges.
Targeted Industrial Sectors. The Great Print-
ers Project in Region 5, co-led by EPA's P2
Policy Staff (now in OPPTS) has enlisted the
Council of Great Lakes Governors, the Print-
ing Industries of America, the Environmen-
tal Defense Fund, and state environmental
and technical assistance agencies to make P2
the standard practice in the printing indus-
try, by developing an electronic consolidated
reporting system in Wisconsin. Region 2 has
also targeted the printing sector in the New
York City area by engaging state agencies and
printing trade associations in a Seminar Se-
ries for Printers.
Community-Based Projects. Under its South
Phoenix Pollution Prevention Project for
Metal Finishers, Region 9 has partnered with
the state, the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, the City of Phoenix, and the lo-
cal chapter of the American Electroplaters
and Surface Finishers Society to provide P2
technology transfer to metal finishers, first
reaching those located in an environmental
justice community and then more broadly
around the state.
Federal Partnerships. The National Park
Service Project in Region 8 has leveraged the
P2 expertise of the Region and the resources
of the National Park Service to successfully
reduce or eliminate solid and hazardous
waste streams in more than 35 national
parks, thereby lowering ecological risks and
saving millions of dollars.
Recognition and Award Programs. Region
10's Evergreen Award honors environmen-
tal leaders in the business community who
promote a cleaner and safer environment
and save operating costs at the same time.
Region 9's locally-based Green Business Rec-
ognition Program utilizes a multimedia
checklist to reward businesses as diverse as
auto repair shops and wineries that have
strong compliance and pollution prevention
records. In June 1997, Region 7 made eight
Pollution Prevention Awards for Environ-
mental Excellence at the Midwest Pollution
Prevention Conference in Kansas City, Mis-
souri, sponsored by Region 7 and the Region
7 Pollution Prevention Roundtable.
Prevention Tools. Region 9's planned P2
Through Technology Transfer pilot project
will help test a new P2 risk assessment frame-
work, developed in an earlier OPPT project
with Kodak, and will help regional indus-
tries promote facility-based P2 activities.
18 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
Voluntary Standards
Networks ISO 14000
Environmental
Management Standards
OPPT manages the 130-member Voluntary Stan-
dards Network, EPA's principal mechanism for
coordinating Agency input to the U.S. Techni-
cal Advisory Group on ISO 14000 and commu-
nicating EPA policies on environmental manage-
ment systems (EMSs). EPA's increasing involve-
ment in voluntary standards and EMSs is a re-
sult of:
• The new International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) Environmental
Management System standards and Au-
diting standards (ISO 14001 and 14010
respectively), which are being imple-
mented by organizations worldwide.
a The National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act (NTTAA) and OMB
Circular A-119, which require that federal
agencies use voluntary standards in their
activities where appropriate and partici-
pate in their development.
• The emergence of environmental consid-
erations in GATT and World Trade Orga-
nization agreements which govern inter-
national trade.
The Network is responding to these events with
a range of different activities:
ISO 14000 Series: The Network, working
closely with the Office of Reinvention, is devel-
oping an "EPA Position Statement on Environ-
mental Management Systems and ISO 14001"
which will be published in the Federal Register.
This notice will outline EPA's views of the ben-
efits and weaknesses of these approaches and
. explain the status of regulatory and enforcement
incentives based on EMSs and the ISO 14001
standard.
NTTAA and OMB Circular A-119: With the
Department of Energy, the Network is explor-
ing the role of the federal government in imple-
menting or integrating an EMS, providing tech-
nical assistance, procurement, and performance
indicators. Members of the Network are devel-
oping a voluntary standards checklist for EPA
rule writers. Also, a guideline for EPA employee
participation in standards developing organiza-
tions is being drafted. The Network is also work-
ing toward increasing the involvement of non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) in ISO
14000, with the goal of establishing an NGO
Working Group to participate in the standards
development and implementation processes.
OPPT and other EPA offices have also been
working with representatives from the Region
3 Environmental Science Center to develop an
ISO 14001-based EMS demonstration project. For
more information, contact Mary McKiel at 202-260-
3584, Eric Wilkinson at 202-260-3575, or Alison
Kinn at 202-260-1090.
Promoting Pollution Prevention | 19
-------
rkgrougs, Forums, arid Committees
S,l It '„"!>
«ii T
!igS!"iflw"Tj, ' "fpj-"""•' p-"»— T1pj.,i...TJJT
IfO>UMON'STATEAND
.ijL I illL : i,J[ , ; it
I 11>
f ^WSfiii
J , 2[S 1-;>! TA'S&K1* 'SS l
ACTl6N(F^SfTAy
f*!IBiariS3'!i!S^
rorum meets periodically to examine opportunities for ^
^"^^^^^^p^tA^g'^^iu^on'pieveniion'm a cross-media . ?
management practices. Con- J
I 'states and tribes on toxic eft
life-renewed a five-year cooperative lor the Forum on State
• - and Tribal Toxics Action (R3STTA| in FY 19971 During
7T1' ||ie year, 'emphasis was placect on increasing Native
T™1""" '' |m ,*» : f:i , ,,,1, ,, „ ,
jr American participation. A new Pollution Prevention
Project was formed to secure the counsel of senior state
and tribal officials to help guide pollution prevention
;• activities in EPA and to promote the prevention of pol-
lution in their own environmental programs. FOSTTA
meetings were convened three times in FY 1997 to ex-
change information on issues such as endocrine
disrupters, biotechnology, children's right-to-know leg-
islation, the Toxics Release Inventory, and the consumer
labeling initiative. Contact: Darlene Harrod, 202-260-6904.
POLLUTION PREVENTION TRADE
ASSOCIATION WORKGROUP
The Pollution Prevention Trade Association Workgroup
brings together major trade and industry associations
and EPA staff to improve cpmmunications and help these
groups promote pollution prevention among their mem-
ber companies. Contact: Phil Robinson, 202-260-3910.
MEDIA ASSOCIATION
POLLUTION PREVENTION FORUM
In cooperation with the National Conference of State
Legislatures, OPPT convenes a forum of senior state
air, water, waste and toxics program directors repre-
senting the "environmental media" associations. The
..... tact:'Lena Hann Ferris, 202-260-2237.
OFFICE DIRECTORS' FORUM
'•^^/g'^g^jj^^Cgl^^^Qjg/iJ^^^_^e^ja;an^porj[u^on
Prevention Forum integrates work being done across
EPA on cross-media and pollution prevention issues,
such as the Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxics Ini-
tiative. Contacts: "Kathy Davey, 202-260-2290; Paul Matthai,
202-260-3385: " " "
ONE AND TAG COMMITTEES
Trie ONE Committee brings together EPA, the Occupa-
tional Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the
National institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), and the Mining Safety and Health Adminis-
tration (MSHA) on a monthly basis to discuss issues of
concern and share information. Contact: Matt Gillen, 202-
260-1801. The TAG Committee meets quarterly and
brings together staff from EPA and the Consumer Prod-
uct Safety Commission (CPSC) to discuss cross-cutting
issues. Contact: David Piantanida, 202-260-2983.
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS COORDINATING
COMMITTEE
OPPT is a key player in this Agency-wide committee
which coordinates EPA's voluntary partnership pro-
grams, many of which are prevention-oriented. Contact:
EllieMcCann, 202-260-4168.
20 1 Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
V II. PROMOTING SAFER CHEMICALS
All new chemicals introduced into commerce must be evaluated by OPPT before they can
be manufactured or imported into this country. This authority, granted under the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA), is the ultimate embodiment of pollution prevention, as it
allows OPPT to prevent the introduction of unacceptably toxic chemicals into the marketplace be-
fore they can harm public health or the environment. This pre-commercial evaluation also provides
incentives for the swift introduction of safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. Through the
Premanufacture Notification program, Design for the Environment, Green Chemistry, and other
efforts, OPPT encourages the chemical industry at the earliest stages of research and design to pro-
duce and use safer chemicals.
This pre-manufacture review also extends to new genetically engineered organisms. Biotech-
nology, a new area of scientific interest and commercial activity, is developing and expanding rap-
idly. The evaluation process significantly reduces the possibility that harmful genetically engineered
organisms could be released into the environment.
All industrial chemicals currently in commerce in the United States, approximately 70,000, are
listed on the TSCA Inventory. OPPT has the enormous task of evaluating the list to identify chemi-
cals that are of most concern. The chemical information gathered, evaluated, and distributed by the
new and existing chemicals programs is the basis for much of the work within the office. Over the
years, OPPT has developed evaluation procedures and models which are used not only by this
A Genencor won a
New Chemicals
Recognition award
for its new,
environmentally
friendly
manufacture of
indigo dye.
Promoting Safer Chemicals | 21
-------
office and within the Agency, but also by the international community. OPPT is a leader in the
identification and reduction of risks from chemicals, and is working with states, local communities,
industry, federal agencies and other interested and concerned partners, including some in the inter-
national community, to ensure improved health and safety for workers and better environmental
protection.
Benzidine-Based Dyes
OPPT is proposing a significant new use rule
(SNUR) under TSCA which would require per-
sons to notify EPA at least 90 days before com-
mencing the manufacture, import, or process-
ing of dyes containing two categories of benzi-
dine congeners (o-toluidine and o-dianisidine)
which are hazardous to human health. Compa-
nies that wish to manufacture, process, or use
these benzidine congener dyes will need to sub-
mit a significant new use notice to EPA. The re-
quired notices will give EPA the opportunity to
evaluate the intended new use and associated
activities before these dyes can be reintroduced
into the marketplace, thus protecting against
potentially adverse exposure. Two leading
I
manufacturers have already agreed to reduce or
eliminate the risks associated with these dyes.
Similar negotiations with other leading manu-
facturers will begin in the near future. For more
information, contact Carolyn Grandson at 202-260-
1560.
Biotechnology
The final biotechnology rule for microbial prod-
ucts of biotechnology subject to TSCA was pub-
lished in the Federal Register on April 11, 1997
(62 FR 17910-17958), and became effective on
June 10,1997. The final regulations will be codi-
fied in Part 725 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations.
Under the new regulations, persons intend-
ing to manufacture, import, or process interge-
neric microorganisms for commercial purposes
in the United States are required to file informa-
tion with EPA at least 90 days prior to initiating
such activities, unless the microorganism or the
activity is eligible for an exemption from report-
ing. Intergeneric microorganisms are microorgan-
isms resulting from deliberate combinations of
genetic material originally isolated from organ-
isms of different taxonomic genera. EPA selected
these microorganisms for regulatory scrutiny
because of the degree of human intervention in-
volved, the significant likelihood of creating new
combinations of traits, and the greater uncertainty
regarding the effects of such microorganisms on
human health and the environment.
While fully protecting human health and the
Farming the plot with the PC-2 strain for alfalfa
22 j Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,, FY 1997
-------
environment, the final rule includes a number
of reporting exemptions that will help reduce
the reporting burden on the biotechnology in-
dustry. OPPT's draft guidance for industry,
Points to Consider in the Preparation ofTSCA Bio-
technology Submissions for Microorganisms, can be
downloaded from OPPT's Internet site
(www.epa.gov/ opptintr/biotech).
OPPT's Internet site also has information on
microbial biotechnology products reviewed un-
der TSCA. These new products include the inter-
generic Sinorhizobium meliloti Strain KMBPC-2. A
September 1997 Consent Order allowed limited
distribution of this organism for use as an alfalfa
seed inoculant. This microorganism will be the
first commercialized for environmental use un-
der TSCA. For more information, contact David E.
Giamporcaro at 202-260-6362.
Design for the
Environment Program
The Design for the Environment (DfE) Program
helps industry make more informed environ-
mental decisions about the use of alternative
chemicals, processes, and technologies to pre-
vent pollution. The DfE program works through
voluntary partnerships with industry, profes-
sional organizations, state and local govern-
ments, other federal agencies, and the public.
Of the numerous projects underway in FY1997,
four are highlighted below. For more information
on the DfE program and specific projects, access the
DfE Web site at www.epa.gov/dfe or contact Irina
Vaysman at 202-260-1312.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP
The DfE Program has joined forces with the Part-
nership for Environmental Technology Education
(PETE) to form the DfE-PETE Alliance. PETE is a
nonprofit organization established to promote en-
vironmental technology education through cur-
riculum development and professional develop-
ment training for environmental educators. The
DfE-PETE alliance incorporates DfE and P2 in-
formation into the curricula of 650 community
and technical colleges nationwide.
In FY 1997, PETE hosted six regional work-
shops introducing more than 600 community
college instructors to newly developed curricula
and videos. A series of 18 sessions across the
country brought more than 150 automotive re-
pair instructors together for training in teach-
ing P2 and DfE concepts. Another 76 chemistry
instructors learned instructional techniques us-
ing small scale or micro-scale chemistry. The sec-
ond year of the DfE-PETE Alliance will continue
these initiatives and focus on the printing indus-
try and auto fleet maintenance. For more infor-
mation, contact Carol Hetfield at 202-260-1745 or
Irina Vaysman at 202-260-1312.
FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING
The DfE Flexography Project is working in part-
nership with the flexographic printing industry
to evaluate the environ-
mental and cost perfor-
mance impacts of using
three different types of
ink (solvent-based; wa-
ter-based; and ultravio-
let (UV)-curable) on a
wide variety of sub-
strates.
With performance
data, as well as infor-
mation on health and
environmental risks,
printers will be more
likely to select alterna-
tive water-based and
UV-cured inks for a
A press worker attends a central impression
flexographic press during a DfE Flexography
Project on-site performance demonstration.
Promoting Safer Chemicals | 23
-------
broader range of applications.
The Project is running field demonstrations
during the winter of 1997-98 at volunteer print-
ing facilities across the United States and in two
plants in Europe. The inks have also been tested
in a controlled laboratory setting at the Printing
Pilot Plant of Western Michigan University. A
full technical report will be available in 1998,
along with outreach tools, including case stud-
ies, videos, and training materials, to help press
operators and facility owners make informed
decisions about ways to improve environmen-
tal performance and their competitive market
position. For more information, contact James Rea
at 202-260-0720.
GARMENT AND
TEXTILE CARE PROGRAM
In FY 1997, the DfE Dry Cleaning Project ex-
panded its efforts to promote environmentally
benign alternative technologies for garment and
textile care. Renamed the Garment and Textile
Care Program, this partnership between EPA
and the dry cleaning industry takes a systems
approach to the development, fabrication,
manufacture, distribution and care of garments
and textile products.
The historical focus of the Project has been
to encourage alternatives to perchloroethylene,
or "perc." The expanded project is working co-
operatively with key stakeholders to develop a
ten-year strategy for the reinvention of the gar-
ment and textile industry. One product of this
project is that hundreds of professional dry
cleaners have incorporated wet cleaning into
their routine garment care. Another alternative
technology, liquid CO2, is in the testing and
evaluation phase and will become commercially
available in 1998. These and other alternative
technologies are presented in Cleaner Technology
Substitutes Assessment for Fabricare, a technical
report on the program's efforts that is currently
undergoing peer review and is expected to be
released in Summer 1998.
The Project has also established an informa-
tion help line for dry cleaners; developed a Wet
Cleaning Curriculum which will be used by
technical training institutes and dry cleaning
trade associations; and published a range of
outreach material including a Resource Guide
that lists pollution prevention resources for dry
cleaners. For more information, contact Cindy
Stroup at 202-260-3889.
PRINTED WIRING BOARDS
In FY 1997, DfE Printed Wiring Board (PWB)
Project participants completed a draft Cleaner Tech-
nologies Substitutes Assessment (CTSA) for the "mak-
ing holes conductive" step of PWB manufactur-
ing. The alternatives examined would replace a
current technology that uses formaldehyde and
other toxic chemicals, consumes large quantities
of water and energy, and generates a significant
amount of hazardous waste.
In addition to this effort, the DfE project part-
nership team began a second assessment to
evaluate several lead-free alternative surface fin-
ish technologies which can replace the "hot air
solder leveling" process. The assessment will
look at the potential health and environmental
risks, performance, and costs of alternative tech-
nologies. For more information, contact Kathy Hart
at 202-260-1707.
Endocrine Disrupters
Chemicals that can behave as hormones and dis-
rupt endocrine systems are an emerging concern
because of the potential hazard they pose to re-
productive and developmental systems in wild-
life and possibly in humans as well. A great deal
of research and discussion is now underway
within the scientific community regarding the
24 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
adverse impacts of these chemicals. Children
and fetuses may be at particular risk, but addi-
tional research is needed to determine the ex-
tent of the risk and identify the specific chemi-
cals that pose a problem.
EPA is required to establish a mandatory
screening and testing program for pesticides by
August 1998 under the 1996 Food Quality Pro-
tection Act, and is authorized to screen and test
certain chemicals under the 1996 Safe Drinking
Water Act. EPA established an Endocrine
Disrupter Screening and Testing Advisory Com-
mittee (EDSTAC) in October 1996, charged with
developing recommendations for an endocrine
disrupter screening and testing strategy respon-
sive to these legislative mandates. EDSTAC has
decided to consider human health and ecologi-
cal effects; estrogenic, androgenic, anti-estro-
genic, anti-androgenic and thyroid effects; and
pesticides, industrial chemicals, and important
mixtures in its deliberations.
EDSTAC, which was established under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, operates in an
open public forum, with four workgroups. Rec-
ommendations are expected to be issued in
Spring 1998 and will be peer reviewed by EPA's
Science Advisory Board and the FIFRA Scien-
tific Advisory Panel, and will include consulta-
tion with the National Academy of Sciences. For
more information, access the EDSTAC home page at
www.epa.gov/opptintr/opptendo, or the Endocrine
Disrupter Working Group home page at www.epa.
gov/endocrine/frametext.html; or contact Gary Timm
at 202-260-1859 or Anthony Maciorowski at 202-
260-3048.
Exports of Chemicals
TSCA requires EPA to notify importing countries
of the export or the intended export of industrial
chemicals or mixtures that are subject to certain
regulatory actions under the law. Approximately
1,100 chemicals come under this requirement.
These notices also satisfy the information ex-
change provisions of the Prior Informed Consent
(PIC) procedures under the United Nations En-
vironment Programme. For chemicals banned or
severely restricted in the U.S. and subject to the
PIC procedures, EPA forwards to the designated
national authority of the importing country in-
formation on the chemical's regulatory controls.
In FY1997, 9,429 Section 12 (b) notices were re-
ceived by EPA from exporters.
As a member of the Organization for Eco-
nomic Cooperation and Development (OECD),
the U.S. participates in a Complementary Infor-
mation Exchange Procedure intended to help
countries coordinate their chemical control ac-
tivities. In FY 1997,170 Federal Register notices,
brochures, and other documents describing
OPPT activities were sent to member countries,
the most ever distributed in a year since the pro-
gram began. For more information, contact Lisa
Faeth at 202-260-1817.
International Activities
COMMISSION FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION
The Commission for Environmental Coopera-
tion (CEC) facilitates cooperation and public
participation in fostering conservation, protec-
tion, and enhancement of the North American
environment for the benefit of present and fu-
ture generations. The CEC was established by
the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) countries in 1994 to address environ-
mental concerns in the context of increasing eco-
nomic and social links among Canada, Mexico,
and the United States. Under its charter, the
North American Agreement for Environmental
Cooperation (NAAEC), the three countries agree
Promoting Safer Chemicals | 25
-------
to a core set of principles, including reporting
on the state of the environment, effective en-
forcement of environmental law, improved ac-
cess to environmental information, and promot-
ing the use of economic instruments to achieve
environmental goals.
OPPT has been most active in Council Reso-
lution #95-5, Sound Management of Chemicals,
which focuses on chemical pollutants trans-
ported across national boundaries through air
and watersheds and traded products. The first
four substances addressed under the Sound
Management of Chemicals Program were PCBs,
mercury, DDT, and chlordane. Action plans for
PCBs, DDT, and chlordane have been signed by
environmental ministers of the three countries.
The action plan for mercury will be signed in
FY1998. For more information, access the CEC Web
site at www.cec.org.
ENVIRONMENT LEADERS' SUMMIT
On May 5-6, 1997, EPA Administrator Carol
Browner hosted the Environment Leaders' Sum-
mit of the G7 countries plus Russia (known as
"G7 +1" or "The Eight") in Miami, Florida. At
the Summit, the eight countries agreed to a dec-
laration on Children's Environmental Health
and related implementation actions. These
documents provide a framework for domestic,
bilateral, and international efforts to improve the
protection of children's health from environmen-
tal threats and specify concrete actions to incor-
porate consideration of children into environ-
mental science, risk assessments, and risk man-
agement. The Eight also agreed on specific poli-
cies and actions regarding lead, drinking water,
air quality, environmental tobacco smoke, en-
docrine disrupters, and global climate change.
The Eight agreed to work to reduce blood
lead levels in children to below 10 micrograms
per deciliter. They also committed to the spe-
cific actions outlined in the OECD Declaration
on Lead Risk Reduction. These commitments
extend to a global scale several policies that
OPPT played a major role in developing.
The Eight agreed to exchange monitoring
data on microbial problems in drinking water
and to collaborate on research to develop disin-
fectant technologies. With regard to endocrine
disrupters, the Eight pledged to coordinate and
cooperate on a research agenda and to support
the OECD initiative to develop a battery of
screening and testing guidelines that considers
the special susceptibilities of children.
Indoor air quality for children also drew at-
tention. The Eight will exchange information
on risks to children from indoor contaminants
and from environmental tobacco in particular.
Recognizing the problem of global climate
change, the Eight expressed their special con-
cern that children are among the most suscep-
tible to more severe heat waves, more intense
air pollution, and the spread of infectious dis-
eases which are among the potential conse-
quences of climate changes. For more information,
contact Joe Carra at 202-260-1815.
GORE-CHERNOMYRDIN COMMISSION
High-level cooperation between the United States
and Russia takes place at many levels in this com-
mission. Administrator Browner and her Rus-
sian counterpart co-chair the Commission's En-
vironmental Committee; Health and Human Ser-
vices Secretary Donna Shalala co-chairs the
Health Committee Chair with the Russian Min-
ister of Health. Areas of cooperation under the
purview of these committees extend from micro-
nutrient malnutrition in Russia to protection of
the Arctic ecosystem.
OPPT co-chairs the Environmental Health
Subcommittee, which provides a link between
the Environment Committee and the Health
26 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
Committee. This subcommittee is promoting en-
vironmental health in Russia through the trans-
fer of basic principles, methods, and technologies,
with a current focus on lead and pesticides.
Lead. The subcommittee has helped the Rus-
sians identify their areas of greatest lead expo-
sure. From this collaboration, the Russians de-
veloped a White Paper on the problem of lead
in Russia which recommends specific actions
and calls for a Russian federal targeted program.
At the urging of Vice President Gore, the Rus-
sians are beginning to implement this program.
A workshop was held on phasing out lead from
gasoline. Experts from the U.S. met with their
Russian counterparts to discuss the U.S. experi-
ence with a phase-out.
U.S. experts from the Centers for Disease Con-
trol worked with local authorities inSaratov to study
the extent of lead problems in that Russian city.
Blood lead samples were taken from 600 kinder-
garten children. About 25% of them had lead lev-
els exceeding 10 micrograms per deciliter ()j,g/dl),
a percentage comparable to highly-exposed, poor
inner city children in the U.S. However, 84% of
children in the vicinity of a battery recycling plant
in Saratov had levels exceeding 10 (J-g/dl. The
Saratov study is now being duplicated in three other
Russian cities — Ekatrinburg, Krasnouralask and
Volgograd. About 1,000-2,000 children will be
tested in these cities using a new portable blood-
lead analyzer. This new U.S.-developed technol-
ogy is being used in an operational setting for the
first time in these cities. This technology has many
advantages over standard practice including much
reduced cost, instant results, and less opportunity
for mishandling or misanalyzing samples. While
these advantages are critical in the struggling Rus-
sian economy, the technology could also be ex-
tremely helpful in screening large numbers of chil-
dren in any country, including our own.
Pesticides. At a workshop on pesticides held
in Russia, three areas for cooperation were iden-
tified: (1) harmonization of registration and
regulation; (2) safe storage and disposal of pes-
ticides; and (3) monitoring of health effects, epi-
demiological research and prevention programs.
Beyond the immediate projects on lead, pes-
ticides, and other environment and public health
problems, EPA's efforts are also playing a sig-
nificant role in building lasting bridges of col-
laboration and friendship between our two
countries. For more information, contact Joe Carra
at 202-260-1815.
HARMONIZATION WITH CANADA
In September 1997,10 OPPT managers travelled
to Canada to meet with their counterparts in
Environment Canada and Health Canada to
share information concerning new chemical,
existing chemical, and testing programs in the
two countries, improve understanding and co-
ordination on chemical activities, and explore
mutually beneficial activities. Major differences
and the strengths and weaknesses of both
country's programs were discussed, as well as
specific activities with the Four Corners pilot
project, Mutual Recognition of Assessments
(MRAs), and the upcoming New Chemicals
Workshop in Mexico.
The Four Corners Pilot Project is an infor-
mation sharing system for new chemicals that
have gone through U.S. review but are not yet
on the Canadian chemical inventory. It was the
consensus of Health/Environment Canada and
EPA that more experience is needed with the
project before any conclusions regarding its fu-
ture can be drawn. During the meeting U.S. and
Canadian industry representatives met with the
government representatives to discuss
industry's concepts of how a Mutual Recogni-
tion of Assessments agreement might work be-
tween the U.S. and Canada. It was also con-
Promoting Safer Chemicals | 27
-------
eluded that a joint U.S./Canada risk assessment
workshop should be held after the completion
of the Four Corners project. For more information,
contact Becky Cool at 202-260-8539.
LONG-RANGE TRANSBOUNDARY AIR
POLLUTION (LRTAP)
Under tine auspices of the United Nations Eco-
nomic Commission for Europe, OPPT partici-
pates in negotiations of the Convention on Long-
Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP).
These negotiations center around development
of national air emissions inventories and the
control of heavy metals and persistent organic
pollutants (POPs). POPs from major stationary
sources and mobile sources, and management
and control of products containing POPs and
heavy metals are also under discussion. The
major product categories of concern to OPPT
under these negotiations include-leaded gaso-
line and the use of PCBs and mercury in prod-
ucts. The LRTAP POPs negotiations are ex-
pected to conclude in 1998, while the LRTAP
heavy metals negotiations are on a somewhat
slower schedule. F.or more information, contact
Lin Moos at 202-260-1866.
New Chemicals
Program
SIGNIFICANT NEW USE RULES,
PREMANUFACTURE NOTIFICATIONS
OPPT may issue a significant new use rule
(SNUR) when potential new uses of a new or
existing chemical could result in increased ex-
posures or releases of the substance and pose
an unreasonable risk to human health or the
environment. A total of 45 significant new use
rules were issued in FY 1997. These rules pro-
vide OPPT with the opportunity to review the
interaction of the chemical in a different process
and for different uses.
In addition, four new chemical SNURs were
revoked. In a separate effort on acrylates, OPPT
withdrew the generic acrylate SNUR, revoked
SNURs for 96 acrylate substances, and revoked
Section 5(e) Consent Orders for 121 acrylate sub-
stances based on a review of carcinogenicity data
on two acrylate substances which eliminated the
health hazard for this category.
Under Section 5 of TSCA, OPPT reviews
chemical information submitted by manufactur-
ers to detect if newly developed chemicals pose
a threat to human health and the environment.
In FY 1997, the New Chemicals Program re-
viewed 1,483 premanufacture notifications
(PMNs) and received testing data on another 36
substances. For more information on PMN statis-
tics, contact Becky Cool at 202-260-8539.
OPPT has been working on a PMN form that
can be used by industry to transmit PMN data
to EPA electronically. As part of the OPPT Elec-
tronic Commerce project, OPPT staff have met
with industry representatives to investigate op-
tions that would satisfy both EPA's needs in
tracking and reviewing PMN data, and
industry's needs for a simple, affordable, and
dependable electronic transmittal system. When
developed, printable forms will also be included
on the New Chemicals Program's Web site on
the Internet.
As part of OPPT's customer service stan-
dards, later this year OPPT anticipates meeting
the request of chemical manufacturers for regu-
lar posting of early PMN regulatory outcomes
on the NCP Web site. For more information, con-
tact Anna Coutlakis at 202-260-3592.
The NCP Web site (www.epa.gov/opptintr/
newchem) is intended to communicate general
information about the program and procedures
for review of new industrial chemicals. Target au-
28 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
%r
1997 New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition Award
I" The New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition Project recognizes selected PMNs submitted for new chemi-
^ cal substances that may constitute safer substitutes or be developed via pollution prevention processes. Recipients
P for 1997 are listed below. For more information, access www.epa.gov/opptintr/newchem.htm, or contact Roy Seidenstein at
'"''" ''' '''"' "''" ' " ' '"' "' ' '
Genencor develpped a biotechnology pathway to environmentally friendly manufacture of indigo dye. Genencor's
process uses an intergeneric microorganism, glucose and other microbial nutrients instead of hazardous reagents
like aniline, formaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid to cre-
ate this commercially important dye, which is used to
color blue jeans, among other things.
Union Carbide developed a "splittable surfactant" to
meet customer needs at industrial laundry and metal-
working operations. The product satisfies the effluent
composition limits of publicly owned treatment works
(POTWs). Customers can use the new technology to
reduce biological oxygen demand (BOD) and fats, oils,
and grease in effluent, rather than using other more
toxic surfactants or simply diluting the effluent to meet
POTW requirements.
Conrad Industries developed an innovative chemis-
try/process for recycling many plastics not currently
recycled and does not require sorting of different plas-
tics in the waste stream. The technology chemically
converts used plastic into fuel-grade petroleum feed-
stocks.
Engelhard manufactured a new yellow pigment that
replaces heavy metal and diaryl-based formulations.
This innovation is expected to reduce human and en-
vironmental exposure to heavy metals like lead and
chromium and to diaryl compounds and byproducts
like dichlorobenzidene, which are used in other yel-
low pigments. A shift to this new product would lower
the risk to society of adverse health effects associated
with the use and release of heavy metals or benzidine
derivatives.
Huls America developed a non-phosgene process to
manufacture isocyanates. Isocyanates are typically
Sharon Haynes, Union Carbide senior laboratory technician
in South Charleston, and Albert Joseph, development
scientist, inspect an emulsion after Union Carbide's new
TRITON SP series surfactant has been deactivated,
separating the emulsion into two distinct materials. When
used in laundry detergents, the deactivation allows for rapid
separation of major pollutants that can be recycled or
treated, and the clean effluent discharged.
manufactured using phosgene, a highly toxic and dan-
gerous gas. Huls America's new phosgene-free process avoids the many health and environmental hazards re-
lated to the use of phosgene. Also, the process yields a blocked isocyanate intermediate, which can be stored,
handled and transported more safely than other isocyanates.
Promoting Safer Chemicals | 29
-------
diences are industrial submitters, EPA personnel,
and researchers and other members of the gen-
eral public. For more information, contact Dave
Schntz at 202-260-8994.
SMART REVIEW, ETI FOR CHEMICALS
As part of its regulatory review of new chemi-
cal substances for health and environmental
risks, OPPT also gives industry suggestions on
ways of making new chemicals more safely. In
1997, 155 PMNs went through a preliminary
SMART Review (Synthetic Method Assessment
for Reduction Techniques), and 19 of them were
given a more detailed review. Potential solutions
were identified for 70 PMNs and their
submitters were contacted.
OPPT is developing a computer program of
the review process that can be used with exist-
ing OPPT databases of green chemistry tech-
nologies to allow chemical manufacturers to
conduct their own SMART reviews on new
chemicals prior to submitting PMNs. For more
information, contact Greg Fritz at 202-260-7174.
OPPTs Environmental Technology Initiative
(ETI) for Chemicals works within the New
Chemicals Program to promote risk reduction
within industry sectors as a whole, rather than
on a case-by-case basis. Funded originally un-
der the government-wide ETI, OPPT's own ETI
for Chemicals is encouraging innovation in
chemistry, production technologies, and han-
dling and disposal practices, for all chemicals,
both new and existing. For more information, con-
tact Ken Moss at 202-260-3395.
Product Stewardship
AUTOBODY SPRAY PAINTS
EPA is working with NIOSH, OSHA, and other
partners to develop and implement a product
stewardship program for autobody spray paints.
EPA has developed product stewardship re-
quirements under TSCAfor coatings used dur-
ing auto refinishing. Coatings manufacturers
have begun to reformulate their products to re-
lease smaller amounts of volatile organic com-
pounds, as required by;the Clean Air Act.
The goals of the project are to reduce risks
by (1) improving the use of respiratory protec-
tion and innovative engineering controls; and
(2) integrate industry reformulation efforts with
improvements in worker protection measures
during application of coatings.
The project is intended as a model for other
use categories with risk reduction potential.
During the past year, the partners have devel-
oped a draft training outline which will become
a standard training module for improving the
use of respiratory protection and other means
of controlling worker exposure, and integrating
these measures with other pollution prevention
measures to reduce risk. A voluntary certifica-
tion program is also under development, and
the partners are identifying metrics for measur-
ing improvements over time. For more informa-
tion, contact Scott Prothero at 202-260-1566.
METHYL ETHYL KETOXIME
On July 28,1997, OPPT signed a Product Stew-
ardship Program (PSP) Memorandum of Under-
standing (MOU) with AlliedSignal Inc. cover-
ing methyl ethyl ketoxime (MEKO), a high pro-
duction volume chemical used primarily as an
antiskinning agent in alkyd surface coatings and
paints. The MOU addresses issues such as
chemical testing, pollution prevention, waste
minimization, exposure reduction, and chemi-
cal hazard/risk information communication
activities that AlliedSignal has voluntarily
agreed to undertake.
AlliedSignal agreed to co-sponsor testing of
30 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
MEKO in the international Screening Informa-
tion Data Set program (see Chapter 3). The com-
pany also agreed that steps to reduce and/or
eliminate releases of and exposures to MEKO
will be included in the company's pollution pre-
vention (P2) program for MEKO operations. In
order to measure P2 progress, AlliedSignal will
provide annual reports of releases to EPAf or the
next five years, similar to TRI release informa-
tion. AlliedSignal also agreed to communicate
the "lessons learned" from the company's P2
program to all of its MEKO customers in an at-
tempt to facilitate their prevention practices.
OPPT has now signed four Product Steward-
ship Program MOUs. The other three cover the
diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, seven alkyl
glycidyl ethers (AGEs), and six siloxanes. For more
information, contact Dave Williams at 202-260-3468.
TSCA Section 4 Testing
Under Section 4 of TSCA, EPA can require pro-
ducers, importers, and processors to test their
chemicals and submit the results of that testing
to EPA for review and possible risk management
action. Some of this testing is aimed at OPPT's
concern with the risks to children from expo-
sure to environmental toxicants. EPA makes test-
ing data publicly available to help the public un-
derstand the risks posed by exposure to chemi-
cals and to facilitate public involvement in en-
vironmental decision-making.
Since 1979, approximately 550 chemicals
have been the subject of testing actions. The ac-
tions include formal TSCA Section 4 Test Rules,
TSCA Section 4 Enforceable Consent Agree-
ments, and Voluntary Testing Agreements. Dur-
ing FY 1997, 35 TSCA Section 4 studies on 11
chemicals were received by EPA, placed in the
public docket, and referenced in EPA's TSCA Test
Submissions (TSCATS) electronic database. Cur-
rently more than 300 chemicals are being tested
by industry for a variety of health and environ-
mental effects, chemical fate, and exposure moni-
toring in OPPT's TSCA Chemical Testing Pro-
gram. Another 200 chemicals are the subject of
regulatory or voluntary actions aimed at devel-
oping the needed test data. All studies conducted
by industry under TSCA Section 4 are performed
in accordance with established test methods
("guidelines") and must adhere strictly to EPA's
Good Laboratory Practice Standards regulations.
In August 1997 OPPT initiated work on a sur-
vey to assess customer satisfaction with the TSCA
testing program and to gather information on
ways to improve it. The survey will be conducted
in 1998. For more information, access the OPPT
Chemical Testing and Information Gathering home
page ativww.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/index.htm or
contact Dave Williams at 202-260-3468.
ENFORCEABLE CONSENT
AGREEMENTS AND TEST RULES
During FY 1997, OPPT initiated or developed
TSCA Section 4 Test Rules and Enforceable Con-
sent Agreements (EGAs) to require industry to
conduct health and environmental effects stud-
ies on the chemicals listed below. Most of the
chemicals are produced domestically or im-
ported in high volumes and have substantial
human or environmental exposure.
Also in FY 1997, OPPT revised the data tables
that reflect the results of all final studies received
by EPA to date under Section 4 Test Rules and
Enforceable Testing Agreements. OPPT is cur-
rently exploring a number of options for pro-
viding enhanced public access to this informa-
tion (approximately 600 studies on almost 150
chemicals), including making it available on the
Internet. For more information, contact Gerry Brown
at 202-260-7248.
Promoting Safer Chemicals | 31
-------
test data between the U.S. and other countries.
OPPT has published 118 human health,
ecotoxicity, environmental fate, and physical
chemistry guidelines. OECD has published 55
guidelines in these areas. OPP has 97 test guide-
lines in these areas as well as 129 pesticide-spe-
cific guidelines.
Currently, all of physical/chemical proper-
ties and environmental fate guidelines, 30 health
effects guidelines, and six ecotoxicity test guide-
lines have been harmonized between EPA and
OECD. Ten health effects guidelines and 13
ecotoxicity guidelines have beenharmonized be-
tween OPPT and OPP, and some of the new con-
solidated guidelines incorporate recent signifi-
cant advances in scientific knowledge and meth-
odologies, particularly in the areas of neurotox-
icity, developmental neurotoxicity, and develop-
mental and reproductive biology. They are avail-
able to the public through the EPAInternet home
page and the Government Printing Office bul-
letin board. On August 15,1997, OPPT issued
11 revised TSCA test guidelines (62 FR 43820)
resulting from the harmonization effort. For more
information, contact Michael Cimino at 202-260-
3451 or Roger Nelson at 202-260-8163.
MASTER TESTING LIST
A cornerstone of OPPT's TSCA Chemical Test-
ing Program is the Master Testing List (MTL),
which compiles the list of chemicals that deserve
the highest consideration and warrant testing.
The 1996 MTL (issued on December 13,1996,61
FR 65936) contains over 600 specific chemicals
and more than 15 categories. Virtually all of the
listed chemicals and categories are currently un-
dergoing testing or are the subject of testing ac-
tion development or testing needs development
activities. Since 1992, more than 350 chemicals
and 4 chemical categories have been added to
the MTL and 150 have been removed.
In issuing the 1996 MTL, EPA encouraged
responsible companies with product steward-
ship programs to recognize the importance of
promptly filling the cited data needs for chemi-
cals listed on the MTL, on a voluntary basis
rather than through rulemaking action. Copies
of the 1996 MTL are available through OPPT's
Public Docket and TSCA Hotline; an electronic
copy can be downloaded from the Internet at
www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/index.htm.
For more information, con tact Dave Williams at 202-
260-3468.
34 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
PROMOTING RISK REDUCTION
Twenty years ago, Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act in an effort to under-
stand and address the risks posed by chemical substances to human health and the envi-
ronment. TSCA gives EPA the authority to regulate the unreasonable risks of a chemical at
any stage in a product's life cycle, including its production, importation, processing, distribution in
commerce, use, and disposal. Lead, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxin are
leading examples of chemicals that warrant attention throughout their life cycle. This chapter re-
views OPPT's accomplishments in FY1997 and the variety of tools used to control the risks associ-
ated with these chemicals.
Acrylamide
Acrylamide grouts are used to seal leaks in sew-
ers and manholes and, to a lesser extent, in struc-
tural water control and geotechnical applications.
Acrylamide is a known human neurotoxicant and
has been classified by EPA as a probable human
carcinogen. The risk is to grouting workers who
are exposed through inhalation and dermal con-
tact to high levels of the substance. These work-
ers face very high individual neurotoxic and can-
cer risks. The upper-bound estimated lifetime
cancer cases arising from grouting exposures is
somewhat greater than one in every 100 workers
engaged in sewer grouting, and four in every 100
engaged in manhole grouting.
An OPPT regulatory investigation concluded
that grouting work entailed exposures that no
A Lead abatement.
Promoting Risk Reduction | 35
-------
protective practices short of a ban could reduce
to an acceptable level. Based on that study, EPA
proposed a rule in 1991 that would have banned
all uses of the grout, as well as an alternative
grout, N-methololacrylamide (NMA). Since pub-
lication of that proposal, further investigation and
analysis led EPA to conclude that the cost of ban-
ning NMA may outweigh the benefits, and NMA
was therefore dropped from the draft final rule.
The decision to leave a viable substitute in
place reinforced EPA's effort to eliminate worker
exposure to acrylamide; however, it elicited
questions regarding the suitability of NMA as a
substitute. Accordingly, the rulemaking record
was reopened to address these questions. The
results of the reopening reaffirmed the decision
to ban acrylamide grouts, and the final rule is
expected to be published in 1998. For more infor-
mation, contact Ed Brooks at 202-260-3754.
Acute Exposure Guidelines
The 34-member National Advisory Committee
for Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Haz-
ardous Substances brings together public and
private sector scientists to develop short-term
exposure limits for acutely toxic chemicals. Its
goal is to establish scientifically credible acute
exposure guideline levels (AEGLs) for 300 to 400
chemicals at the rate of 30 to 40 chemicals per
year. Up to 12 AEGLs can be developed for each
chemical. AEGLs can be of critical use in deal-
ing with accidental releases of acutely toxic
chemicals in the workplace, along transporta-
tion routes, and in local communities.
In FY1997, the Committee's first full year of
operation, the Committee developed 176 pro-
posed AEGL values for 17hazardous substances.
Recently, discussions and meetings have
taken place with representatives of the Organi-
zation for Economic Cooperation and Develop-
ment (OECD) as a prelude to the participation of
European countries in the Committee's activities.
If this effort is successful, it would represent a
major step in establishing a uniform set of short-
term exposure limits for a broad range of appli-
cations worldwide. For more information, contact
Roger Garrett at 202-260-4302 or Paul Tobin at 202-
260-1736.
Asbestos
Asbestos removal projects in schools and pub-
lic and commercial buildings are subject to fed-
eral regulation by the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), EPA's Office of
Air and Radiation (OAR), and OPPT under
TSCA. OPPT requires schools to inspect their
buildings for asbestos, prepare management
plans, and ensure that asbestos abatement
projects are conducted by properly trained and
accredited contractors. OPPT's Asbestos Model
Accreditation Plan (MAP) sets forth standards
for the training and accreditation.
Both the MAP and OSHA's construction
standard for asbestos were amended in 1994-95.
EPA and OSHA subsequently became aware of
inconsistencies in their regulations, and formed
an interagency workgroup to deal with the prob-
lem. In 1997, the workgroup produced a tenta-
tive plan for resolving the inconsistencies, which
calls for EPA to amend its TSCA-based asbestos
regulations. During the course of the upcoming
rulemaking, EPA will be considering comments
and suggestions from stakeholders on ways to
streamline and add flexibility to the TSCA as-
bestos programs.
Since states play a significant role in the ad-
ministration of the TSCA asbestos programs,
EPA held a conference in May 1997 to discuss
the potential amendments with the states. Forty
states and the District of Columbia sent repre-
sentatives to the conference, as did the National
Conference of State Legislatures and OSHA. For
36 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
more information, contact Cindy Foumier at 202-
260-1537.
Chicago
Cumulative
Risk Initiative
OPPT takes part in a cooperative effort to address
cumulative exposure, hazard, and risk issues af-
fecting residents of Cook County, Illinois and
Lake County, Indiana. The effort, called the Chi-
cago Cumulative Risk Initiative (CCRI), has its
origins in a 1996 petition from 11 community
advocacy groups requesting that EPAregulate air
deposits of dioxins, furans, mercury, cadmium,
and lead from incinerators in the two counties.
The petition was denied but OPPT felt that the
environmental justice issues raised called for a
more comprehensive, cooperative investigation
and response. Members of CCRI include EPA Re-
gion 5, the Office of Research and Development;
the Office of Air and Radiation; the Office of En-
vironmental Justice; Indiana and Illinois officials;
and 11 Chicago-area advocacy groups. CCRI has
organized its work into four phases.
Phase I of CCRI involves the development of
a cumulative "environmental loading profile"
to catalog the source and nature of toxic emis-
sions in the study area. The profile will be final-
ized during the first two quarters of FY 1998.
Phase I also involves the development of a user-
friendly, PC-based program that enables users
to statistically and graphically analyze emissions
and ambient data from the study area. Work is
underway to make a nationally applicable pro-
gram available by the end of FY 1998.
Phase II will bring together interested par-
ties in a workshop (scheduled for third quarter
of FY 1998) to discuss and reach accords on the
environmental loading profile, the cumulative
risk assessment, and customer service issues.
fr-
-* -» . T ^-
Regional Efforts on Asbestos
-1
Region 10: Video for Asbestos School Coordinators
|£ Even though asbestos regulations have been in place for many j
|- years, EPA staff have found widespread misunderstanding and
confusion on how to implement the regulations, as well as how :
|^to manage asbestos in school buildings to best protect children ";
rand others from asbestos exposure. The quality of school asbes- ;
Jos programs depend heavily on the knowledge, dedication, and ;
work of tfie asbestos management coordinator who is required j
itq be responsible for asbestos-related activities. EPA Region 10 ;
: has_developed a 19-minute video to help school asbestos coor- '\
Jinators understand their responsibilities, comply with the fed-
^eral requirements, and protect the health of the school's occu-
pants. Designed to be used in conjunction with the manual, How
to Manage Asbestos in School Buildings: AHERA Designated Person's
- Self 'Study Guide (1996), the video is available through the TSCA \
Hotline, the National Technical Information Service, and EPA's
Public Information Center. For more information, contact Jayne
Carlin at 206-553-4762.
Region 7: "New Schools"Initiative
Region 7 has taken a leadership role in the national "New
Schools" initiative. This involved a comprehensive review of
records and reports to generate a list of schools in the Region
that had not submitted asbestos management plans to the gov-
ernors or delegated agencies. A related outreach effort included
compliance and technical assistance to schools that were not
knowledgeable of the TSCA requirements, which also .helped
remind many schools that submitted management plans in 1988
but have since ignored their ongoing responsibilities. As the
first phase of obtaining compliance, the initiative has also gen-
erated a list of prospective inspections for the future.
Phase III will involve a cumulative risk analy-
sis that addresses the most significant environ-
mental hazards; their sources and exposure
pathways; risks of various health effects from
multiple exposure sources and pathways; and
locations and other characteristics defining sen-
sitive populations. The initial planning phase
Promoting Risk Reduction | 37
-------
has been completed and work has started on
methods development.
Phase IV, pollution prevention and
remediation activities, is in its initial planning
stages. For more information, contact James Boles
at 202-260-3969.
Formaldehyde
Exposure Testing
Composite wood panels containing urea-form-
aldehyde (UF) adhesive resins are commonly
used as building materials in constructing
homes and in manufacturing cabinets and fur-
niture. These materials and products are a sig-
nificant source of indoor concentrations of form-
aldehyde, a gaseous chemical that causes irrita-
tion of the eyes and respiratory system in hu-
mans. Formaldehyde has also been, demon-
strated to cause cancer in laboratory animals.
Formaldehyde emissions from panels used in
manufactured (mobile) housing were first regu-
lated in 1984 by the Department of Housing and
Urban Development and the panel-producing
industry has since adopted voluntary emission
standards for their products. However, EPA has
been investigating the need for lower emission
standards or other controls that would reduce
human exposure to indoor formaldehyde con-
centrations that can cause irritation.
OPPT is currently reviewing peer review
comments on results of a cooperative EPA/in-
dustry pilot study designed to evaluate meth-
ods and techniques of testing formaldehyde ex-
posure in conventionally-built and manufac-
tured housing. In FY1998, OPPT will complete
its analysis of the peer reviewers' comments and
refine its indoor air models to account for the
pilot study results. A public meeting will then
be held to obtain public input on the implica-
tions of the results and the need for further ex-
posure testing. For more information, contact
George Semeniuk at 202-260-2134.
"Human Health Indoors"
Policy Initiative
In FY 1997, OPPT embarked on a new Human
Health Indoors Policy Initiative in conjunction
with EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. The qual-
ity of indoor environments is an important en-
vironmental health issue. Studies indicate that
people spend as much as 90 percent of their time
indoors and that indoor levels of many pollut-
ants are often two to five times higher than out-
door levels. Children, the elderly, and those with
chronic illnesses, who spend an even greater
time indoors, are more susceptible to pollutants
than the general population.
Healthy living requires attention to the de-
sign, construction, operation, and maintenance
of homes, schools, workplaces, and to the proper
selection and use of products indoors. To meet
future challenges in the protection of human
health indoors, the interim Human Health In-
doors Policy Committee, co-chaired by the As-
sistant Administrator for Air and Radiation and
the Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pes-
ticides, and Toxic Substances, will produce a
concise action plan that identifies EPA's vision
for the 21st century, and establishes goals, guid-
ing principles, research agendas, and program
commitments. For more information, contact
Doreen Cantor at 202-260-1777.
Lead
Programs
Exposure to lead can produce serious health ef-
fects, particularly in children. Lead poisoning
can result in IQ deficiencies, reading and learn-
ing disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced at-
38 I Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
tention span, hyperactivity, anti-social behavior,
and other problems. Years of using leaded gaso-
line and lead-based paint have spread this metal
liberally throughout the environment. Despite
the strides made over the past ten years in pre-
venting childhood lead poisoning, nearly one
million children age five and under may still be
exposed to lead in the environment.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH GRANTS
In FY 1997, OPPT initiated a new outreach ef-
fort the Lead Poisoning Prevention and Lead
Hazard Awareness Public Education and Out-
reach Grant Program. Its purpose is to deliver
public education and outreach products and
services to increase lead-based paint hazard
awareness and promote lead poisoning preven-
tion among high-risk target audiences (prima-
rily low-income, minority communities located
in large metropolitan areas, or communities
which consist predominantly of older housing).
Children living in these communities are espe-
cially at risk for elevated levels of lead exposure.
Funds totaling approximately $450,000 will
be awarded in FY 1998 for the first round of
grants under this program. These grant funds
will be used for projects that deliver lead haz-
ard awareness and poisoning prevention infor-
mation to parents, to care-takers or service pro-
viders (e.g., pediatricians) of children under six
years of age, and to other vulnerable popula-
tions (e.g., pregnant women) in high-risk target
audiences. For more information, contact Megan
Carroll at 202-260-7269.
ONGOING LEAD ACTIVITIES
OPPT works to reduce exposure to lead and the
risks of lead poisoning through a variety of on-
going programs alone and in conjunction with
the Department of Housing and Urban Devel-
opment (HUD) and other agencies. Ongoing ac-
tivities include:
• Laboratory Accreditation: OPPT maintains a
National Lead Laboratory Accreditation
Program to as-
sure home-
owners that
laboratory
analyses of
lead samples
are conducted
properly. In FY
1997, the pro-
gram recog-
nized 26 addi-
tional labora-
tories, increas-
ing the total
number of ac-
credited lead
laboratories to
126. For more
information,
contact John
Scalera at 202-
260-6709.
• NHANES Data: EPA is setting goals for the lead
program for the short and long-term (includ-
ing national childhood lead poisoning rate
goals), and planning programs that focus on
the highest risk areas. To this end, EPA is ana-
lyzing recent survey data from the Department
of Health and Human Services (NHANES 3,
Phase 2) which shows declines in blood lead
across the U.S. population. This effort is being
coordinated with the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and other federal agencies. For more infor-
mation, contact Dane Screws at 202-260-1562.
• Identifying Paint Hazards, Dust, Soil: OPPT is
working on a proposed rule, as required by
Congress, for identifying lead-based paint
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STUbjts ON LEAb
« Renovation and Remodeling Study. As directed in Section 402 of Title X EPA has under-
taken a study to determine the extent to which renovation and remodeling (R&R) activi-
ties may create a lead exposure hazard for building occupants or for the workers them-
selves. Air arid settled-dust samples collected in Phase I of the study showed higher than
permissible levels of lead, but blood samples from R&R workers (Phase II) showed little
evidence that blood-lead concentrations were exceeding permissible levels. Building oc-
cupants, however, may be exposed to considerable amounts of lead in settled dust which
far exceeds the current levels in EPA's interim guidance for lead dust. Phase III is examin-
ing whether R&R activities are associated with elevated blood-lead levels in children.
Phase IV will focus on blood-lead levels in potentially high exposure populations of his-
toric building painters and R&R professionals. Final reports on Phases III and IV will be
available within the next year. For more information, contact Darlene Watford at 202-260-3989
or Dan Reinhart at 202-260-1585.
• Laboratory Study of Lead-Cleaning Efficacy. In the past, EPA has recommended using
trisodium phosphate (TSP) detergent to clean lead-contaminated dust from surfaces after
residential lead hazard control work to achieve post-abatement clearance standards. How-
ever, phosphate detergents have negative impacts on the ecology of aquatic ecosystems.
EPA conducted this laboratory study to evaluate the cleaning efficacy of 34 commercially
available cleaners in removing lead-contaminated dust from residential surfaces. Based
on the results, EPA recommends that either a general all purpose cleaner or a cleaner
made specifically for lead should be used for both general cleaning and post-intervention
cleaning, rather than water alone. The study also indicates that the effort-put into the
cleaning may be more important than the choice of cleaner. For more information, contact
Ben Lim at 202-260-1509.
• Lead-Based Paint Abatement and Repair and Maintenance (R&M) Study in Baltimore.
This study examined the effectiveness of different levels of repair and maintenance pro-
grams in lowering the risk of lead exposure to children. Designed as a longitudinal trial,
the study investigated three levels of repair and maintenance (R&M) and outreach to fami-
lies aimed at reducing children's exposure to lead in paint and settled dust in their homes,
as well as two control groups. The costs for R&M work were capped at $1650, $3500, and
$7,000 for R&M Levels I, II, and III respectively. All three levels of R&M intervention were
associated with statistically significant reductions in house dust lead loadings; however,
dust lead concentrations were significantly reduced following intervention in R&M II and
IH, but not in R&M I. The study provided useful information indicating that certain types
of interim controls can maximize benefits by lowering the rate of lead exposure to chil-
dren at lower costs than comprehensive abatements. For more information, contact Ben Lim
at 202-260-1509.
40 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
hazards, lead-contami-
nated dust, and lead-con-
taminated soil. A compre-
hensive risk analysis and
economic analysis are cur-
rently under peer review.
OPPT anticipates publica-
tion of the proposed rule
in FY1998. For more infor-
mation, contact Jonathan
Jacobson at 202-260-3779.
CD-ROM. Project: OPPT is
developing a centralized
database of its reports on
lead topics, including lit-
erature searches, statistical
reports, and sampling and
analysis reports. The data-
base will be available at
EPA and on CD-ROM
(along with user docu-
mentation) for public dis-
semination. For more infor-
mation, contact Sam Brown
at 202-260-2282.
Lead-Based Paint Archives:
The Archive is a collection
of real world samples from
testing of portable X-ray
fluorescence (XRF) instru-
ments (which test the
amount of lead in a
painted surface). Data are
used to produce up-to-
date performance infor-
mation on the instru-
ments. The Archive is cur-
rently being turned over to
HUD. For more information,
contact Sam Brown at 202-
260-2282.
r Regional Initiatives on Lead
_ PA's Regional Offices have initiated a number of creative approaches to prob-
lems of lead, a sample of which follow:
3: Philadelphia Lead Education and Real Estate Disclosure Compliance
;. Focusing
£ -- .?• -:,.--•• ..f ---.-:
iwn on inner city residents who
^±"-^-,,:-- -'.:i'.r v .:::-,,..,'; /-.,:. ..'- ,..J:'T, , .
ig^bear a disproportionate bur-
Egden $f the threat from lead
paint, Region 3 has imple-
^ KjmentecLa Landlords. Educar_
tion Strategy to inform other-
; wise hard-to-reach landlords
about the federal and local
j^- ;lead disclosure laws. In com-
£rr rrrunity-based lead education
The Story Tree Gang in performance
projects in North Philadelphia (a high-risk area for lead), a group of teenagers
-"-• called the "Story Tree Gang" educate local residents using puppetry, music,
; Storytelling, etc. Region 3 is working with a variety of local community groups,
: including Healthy Families/Healthy Homes, the Philadelphia Tenants Action
•• Group, Parents Against Lead, and the Philadelphia Urban Resources Partner-
- ship. The region is using Philadelphia as a model to help officials of the District
..I., ^of Columbia expand DCs lead poisoning prevention program. For more infor-
mation, contact Gerallyn Vails at 215-556-2084.
Region 9: Compliance Assistance Outreach for the Real Estate Disclosure Rule.
To ensure that families receive both specific information on the lead history of
housing that they are planning to buy or rent and general information on lead
exposure prevention, EPA Region 9 conducted extensive outreach to high risk
areas, including presentations, mailings, partnerships with local lead poison-
ing prevention organizations, and federal assistance to other outreach organi-
zations. More than 15,000 copies of lead poisoning prevention materials were
developed and distributed in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese through
dozens of community groups. In a pilot survey in summer 1997, EPA Region 9
found that 86 % of prospective tenants and buyers in a northern California area
received a lead hazard information pamphlet, and that all real estate offices
were utilizing a disclosure form in their sales contracts. While this preliminary
study is encouraging, the region is planning an aggressive enforcement cam-
paign to ensure that the public is receiving the required information. For more
information, contact Harold Rush at 415-744-1094 or Helen Burke at 415-744-1126.
Promoting Risk Reduction | 41
-------
• Lead-Based Paint Debris Disposal Rule: HUD,
HHS, several states, advocacy groups, and the
regulated community have expressed con-
cerns that the costs of testing and disposal of
debris containing lead-based paint under
RCRA are a significant obstacle to the financ-
ing of lead abatement. Stakeholders have also •
expressed concerns that some waste which
contains lead-based paint is not explicitly regu-
lated by RCRA. OPPT (in conjunction with the
Office of Solid Waste) is analyzing alternative
management and disposal standards which
could be issued as a proposed rule under TSCA
for lead-based paint debris. OPPT anticipates
proposing this rule by early 1998. For more in-
formation, contact Tim Torma at 202-260-4595.
• New Training Materials. In September 1997,
EPA and HUD announced a new training
program entitled, "Lead-Safe Practices for
Building Maintenance Staff." Designed for
apartment building supervisors and workers,
the program provides instruction in work
practices and techniques that can be used to
prevent lead hazards when conducting main-
tenance work in multi-unit rental properties.
Program materials incorporate an interactive
learning format, including the use of video
instruction and tools for training workers
onsite. For more information, contact Jack
Primack at 202-260-3407.
• State Authorization (Section 402 Rules). States
and tribes have until August 31,1998 to ap-
ply to EPA for authorization to set up their
own training, certification, and accreditation
requirements (and workplace standards) to
ensure the proficiency of contractors who
conduct lead-based paint inspections, risk
assessments, and abatements in residences
and day care centers. Over the next year,
OPPT will be working through Regional Of-
fices and the Forum on State and Tribal Toxics
Action (FOSTTA)to help states and tribes de-
velop programs that will meet with EPA ap-
proval. OPPT will also be developing a regu-
lation to formally implement the federal
implementation program in non-authorized
states and tribal lands, and to establish certi-
fication and accreditation fees. For more infor-
mation, contact Mark Henshall at 202-260-5089.
• Buildings and Structures. EPA is in the process
of developing regulations for lead-based ac-
tivities in buildings and structures. These
regulations will be similar to the rules for resi-
dences and day care centers; however, they
will reflect differences in job structure, type
of paint used, building materials and design,
and potential for exposure to lead-based paint
in the industrial painting sector. EPA held a
meeting in September 1997 to gain a better
understanding of the industrial painting sec-
tor and will continue to gather information
on the industry over the next year. EPA ex-
pects to publish a proposed rule for public
comment in late 1998. For more information,
contact Ellie Clark at 202-260-3402.
Mercury
MERCURY TASK FORCE
EPA's Mercury Task Force was established so
that programs throughout EPA could share in-
formation and promote mercury risk manage-
ment actions. The task force is chaired by OPPTS,
Region 5, and the Office of Water. Thus far, the
task force has developed an Agency position on
the Department of Defense's sales of its hold-
ings of 11 million pounds of surplus mercury;
identified the need to investigate protective
mercury stabilization technologies for high con-
centration mercury wastes; raised awareness
that a multi-media approach is necessary with
mercury issues; and developed a regular forum
42 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
for information exchange. For more information,
contact Karen Maker at 202-260-3894.
MEXICO MONITORING PROJECT
Under the auspices of the North American Com-
mission for Environmental Cooperation, OPPT
is involved in the implementation of the North
American Regional Action Plan (NARAP) on
Mercury. Working cooperatively with the Mexi-
can government, OPPT is assisting in the devel-
opment of a national monitoring program for
mercury and other heavy metals in Mexico. The
ultimate goal is for Mexico to use the data ob-
tained from the monitoring program to estab-
lish management plans for the prevention or
minimization of anthropogenic inputs of mer-
cury and other heavy metals to the environment.
A mine tailings site in Zacatecas, Mexico has
been selected as the location for a pilot monitor-
ing project. The pilot will serve as a template
for the development of the national monitoring
program which will also establish a database for
heavy metals. During the course of the pilot,
OPPT will be helping Mexico improve its capac-
ity to perform cost-effective sampling and analy-
sis techniques for the monitoring program. In
addition, OPPT will support efforts to establish
a tri-national comparative database with the
United States and Canada. For more information,
contact Greg Susarike at 202-260-3547.
Polychlorinated
Biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs are mixtures of a certain class of carcino-
genic synthetic organic chemicals which are no
longer allowed to be manufactured in the United
States. OPPT has been working on new disposal
regulations — the first comprehensive review
of PCB disposal requirements in 19 years — and
expects to issue a final rule in FY1998. The new
rule will lower costs to the regulated commu-
nity, reduce duplication, and harmonize disposal
standards with other federal programs.
To lessen the chances for mismanagement of
PCB wastes, OPPT published a rule on March 18,
1996, whichharmonized the import requirements
for PCBs with all other hazardous wastes and al-
lowed for the import and disposal of PCBs in the
United States. On July 7,1997, the U.S. Ninth Cir-
cuit Court of Appeals overturned this rule in Si-
erra Club v. EPA, 118 E 3d 1324 (9th Cir. 1997). The
Court concluded that EPA lacked authority to is-
sue the rule under section 6(e) (1) of TSCA. Instead,
the Court found that Congress intended for EPA
to regulate the import of PCBs under TSCA sec-
tion 6(e)(3). Section 6(e)(3) bans the manufacture
of PCBs (which includes the import of PCBs) un-
less EPA issues an exemption in response to a pe-
tition under section 6(e)(3)(B). Thus, the court
found that EPAonly has the authority to allow PCB
imports, including imports for disposal, by grant-
ing exemption petitions. The Agency cannot issue
a general rule under section 6(e)(l) allowing im-
port for disposal. EPA is currently assessing the
impacts of the decision on the future
transboundary management of PCB waste.
Also on the international front, in February
1997, environmental ministers of Canada,
Mexico and the United States approved the PCB
Regional Action Plan for North America. This
plan seeks to achieve the regional goals of vir-
tual elimination of PCBs in the environment,
environmentally sound management of existing
PCBs throughout their life cycle, and manage-
ment of PCBs as one element of comprehensive
environmental management programs. The
three nations are currently working together on
the implementation of the action items outlined
in the PCB Regional Action Plan. For more infor-
mation, contact Peter Gimlin at 202-260-3972 or
Tony Baney at 202-260-3933.
Promoting Risk Reduction | 43
-------
Pesticide
inerts/SAT Review
InFY 1997, OPPTs Structure Activity Team (SAT),
a group of in-house expert scientists who evalu-
ate the potential health and environmental haz-
ards of new and existing chemicals, assessed ap-
proximately 1,100 chemicals used as inerts in
pesticide formulations. To do the assessment, the
SAT gathered readily available physical/chemi-
cal property and toxicity test information on the
chemicals. This information was then supple-
mented with an analysis of structure-activity re-
lationships. Each chemical was then reviewed in
terms of its potential health, environmental, and
ecological effects. The Office of Pesticide Pro-
grams will use the SAT findings to screen pesti-
cide formulations. For more information, contact
Becky Jones at 202-260-3461.
Refractory Ceramic Fibers
Refractory ceramic fibers are a probable human
carcinogen, and are used in industrial settings,
primarily as a lining in high temperature fur-
naces, heaters, and kilns, where they could pose
a hazard to workers. In FY1997, the Refractory
Ceramic Fiber Coalition completed the fourth in
a five-year program of worker monitoring. The
data show continued reductions in most areas.
Once all data have been collected, EPA will work
with OSHA and NIOSH to determine whether
or not these fibers should be regulated. For more
information, contact Sam Brown at 202-260-2282.
Relative Risk-Based
Environmental
Indicators Model
OPPT has developed an environmental indica-
tors model to measure the impacts of TRI chemi-
cals on chronic human health of the general
population. This computer-based screening tool
permits quick but sophisticated risk-based
analyses of TRI release information by a wide
array of users, and should promote the public's
understanding of risk-related issues. The flex-
ibility of the model also allows for trends analy-
sis, ranking and prioritizing chemicals for stra-
tegic planning, risk-related targeting, and com-
munity-based environmental protection.
Under development since 1991, the method-
ology for the indicators model was revised in
1997 and reviewed by the EPA Science Advisory
Board. A prototype Windows 95 version of the
model is currently being tested. OPPT has pur-
sued a variety of applications of the model in
several EPA offices. For example, early analyses
of multi-media and air-specific emissions were
utilized in the Baltimore Environmental Partner-
ship and welcomed by the community. In an-
other activity, the toxicity weights developed for
the indicators were used by OECA in its Sector
Facility Indexing Project as a first step in pre-
senting risk-related issues for five industry sec-
tors. OECA's Federal Facilities Office also pub-
lished a report based in part on risk-related
analyses provided by the Indicators model.
OPPT is modifying the Relative Risk-based
Chronic Human Health Indicator to allow it to
be used in environmental justice evaluations of
the distribution of environmental impacts across
populations in particular geographic areas. For
more information, contact Nicolaas W. Bouwes at
202-260-1622 orStevenM. Hassur at 202-260-1735.
Screening Information
Data Set (SIPS)
OPPT is working with the Screening Informa-
tion Data Set (SIDS) Program, a voluntary pro-
gram operated through OECD, to share the bur-
| Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
den of testing high production volume chemi-
cals and assessing their risks. When complete
data sets and risk assessments become available,
member countries can take consistent action to
reduce the risk of chemicals of concern to hu-
mans and the environment.
In FY 1997, OPPT peer-reviewed 10 U.S.-
sponsored and 15 non-U.S.-sponsored SIDS Ini-
tial Assessment Reports. The reports for the 10
U.S.-sponsored chemicals are being finalized.
OPPT took a more active role in chemical
selection in FY 1997, informing industry of 92
candidates for U.S. sponsorship and asking
sponsors to come forward for about 15. When
this approach proved unsuccessful, OPPT in-
formed industry that it would initiate work in-
house on 30 chemicals as U.S.-sponsored chemi-
cals if industry failed to sponsor an adequate
number. After this announcement, companies
began to assume sponsorships, making an EPA
in-house effort largely unnecessary. The total
number of U.S.-sponsored chemicals initiated in
FY 1997 was 28, with 22 of those sponsored by
industry. A total of 77 chemicals have been initi-
ated in the OECD SIDS program.
OPPT intends to continue working with
U.S. industry to move these chemicals through
the process and, in the next year, assist in the
selection and induction of additional U.S.-spon-
sored chemicals into the SIDS Program. The
SIDS Program complements OPPT's Chemical
Testing Program by saving resources in nego-
tiating testing agreements. Approximately
three-quarters of the SIDS assessments are con-
ducted by other countries. Information on com-
pleted cases is available through the United
Nations' International Register of Potentially Toxic
Chemicals. For more information, contact Vanessa
Vu at 202-260-1243.
TSCA Information
Rules
SECTIONS 8(A) AND 8(D)
INFORMATION GATHERING RULES
OPPT uses the authority of TSCA Sections 8(a)
and 8(d) to require chemical producers, import-
ers, and processors to submit unpublished
health and safety data and exposure data to EPA.
OPPT usually issues these rules at the request
of the TSCA Interagency Testing Committee.
During FY 1997, and in response to the
Clinton Administration's call for "reinventing
government," OPPT completed work on major
revisions to its TSCA Section 8(d) health and
safety data reporting rule. The revisions, sched-
uled for publication in early FY 1998, are ex-
pected to result in substantial cost savings for
industry as well as EPA. Specifically, the revi-
sions involve the types of studies and the grade/
purity of each substance for which reporting is
required, the length of the reporting period, and
the adequacy of the file search needed by indus-
try to comply with the requirements of Section
8(d). For more information, contact Keith Cronin at
202-260-8157.
INVENTORY UPDATE
RULE AMENDMENTS
The Inventory Update Rule (IUR) updates the
TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory every
four years by collecting basic production infor-
mation for about 9,000 chemical substances with
high production volume (10,000 pounds or more
annually). This information helps EPA screen
chemicals based on their relative risk potential
and set national priorities for more in-depth risk
assessment and risk management activities.
Promoting Risk Reduction [ 45
-------
During FY 1997, the IUR workgroup final-
ized its technical and economic analyses for pro-
posed amendments to the IUR. Proposed
amendments to the IUR (originally called the
Chemical Use Inventory) will adjust thresholds
and exemptions, add exposure-related informa-
tion, and make some basic administrative and
confidential business information (CBI) changes.
The amendments are expected to enhance the
effectiveness of current and future data, reduce
CBI claims, and support private sector steward-
ship efforts. A draft rulemaking package is
scheduled for Agency review in the second quar-
ter of FY 1998; IUR amendments are expected
to be proposed in the Federal Register in Spring
1998. For more information, contact Susan Krueger
at 202-260-1713.
SECTION 8(E)
CAP SUBMISSIONS
TSCA Section 8(e) requires anyone with infor-
mation that a chemical presents a "substantial
risk" of injury to health or the environment to
report that information to EPA. Between 1978
and 1992, the Agency received approximately
1,350 new 8(e) submissions. A voluntary Com-
pliance Audit Program (CAP) in 1992 stemming
from an enforcement case produced 10,522 new
8(e) submissions. To handle this large increase
in submissions, OPPT developed a triage-based
screening process. Results of the screening are
recorded in the 8(e) triage database, which is
publicly available. During 1997, OPPT com-
pleted an initial screening of 300 submissions.
This included both new submissions and the
remaining TSCA 8(e) CAP submissions.
OPPT will continue to screen and share in-
formation submitted under TSCA 8(e) and its
voluntary analog, FYI (For Your Information)
submissions. The volume of submissions is
highly variable, but it is estimated that 200 to
300 8(e) and FYI submissions will require screen-
ing annually. OPPT is working with industry to
develop an electronic format for 8(e) and other
TSCA reporting requirements. A quality assur-
ance review of the most recent version of the
8(e) triage database is expected to be completed
in FY 1998. For more information, contact Terry
O'Bryan at 202-260-3483.
46 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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IV. PROMOTING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF RISKS
Recognizing that public information is a vital link in improving public health and environ-
mental protection, OPPT continues to find innovative ways to promote public understand-
ing. This chapter discusses OPPT's efforts to empower the public with information, form
partnerships, increase public awareness, and improve data quality and access with the intention of
encouraging greater and informed public involvement in decision-making.
In meeting this goal there is no more valuable resource than the Toxics Release Inventory, a
publicly available, annual inventory maintained by OPPT. TRI is a database of toxic chemical re-
leases and transfers from manufacturing and federal facilities nationwide. TRI was established by
the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) which promotes
planning for chemical emergencies and the public's right to know about toxic and hazardous chemi-
cals in their communities. Over the years, TRI has evolved into one of the most widely-used and
action-motivating information resources in the environmental arena.
Public empowerment has also received a boost from the widespread availability of information
on the Internet. OPPT has devoted considerable time over this past year to building and expanding
its coverage on the World Wide Web, and continues to work on making databases and other types
of information available through the Internet.
FY 1997 also saw the conclusion of the 33/50 Program, which exceeded its goal of spurring
significant reductions in toxic releases by participating companies. During this past year, the Ford
A Public meeting
of the South
Baltimore
Environmental
Partnership
Promoting Public Understanding of Risks | 47
-------
Foundation and Harvard University recognized the 33/50 Program in their Innovations in American
Government program, highlighting it as among "the best that American government has to offer"
and one of the nation's leading examples of government reinvention.
Children's
Health Initiative
' OPPT has made great strides in protecting
children's health. In conjunction with OPP, a
Strategy on Environmental Health Threats to
Children was developed which describes our
commitment and plan to implement EPA'sNa-
tional Agenda To Protect Children from Environmen-
tal Health Threats. Over the years, OPPT has
worked to improve our understanding of the
risks posed to children by environmental chemi-
cals. A major accomplishment has been the de-
velopment of new test guidelines to assess pre-
natal toxicity and reproductive toxicity.
An interagency workgroup began to gener-
ate these guide-
lines in the early
1990s under the
leadership of
OPPT and OPP.
Originally, the
prenatal toxicity
test was designed
to assess potential
toxicity to a devel-
oping organism
only during the
embryonic stage
of development.
This guideline has
now been modi-
fied to include ex-
posure during the
fetal stages as
well. The repro-
ductive toxicity test was designed to detect ef-
fects from both prenatal and postnatal exposures
over two generations. This guideline has been
modified to include a more thorough assessment
of the reproductive and immune systems, growth
and development, sexual maturation, and senes-
cence. The guidelines were also modified to in-
clude endpoints for the detection of endocrine
disrupters and some neurological endpoints that
will trigger a decision on the appropriateness of
conducting a separate and more thorough devel-
opmental neurotoxkity test.
The prenatal and reproductive toxicity
guidelines were finalized in FY1997. They will
be harmonized with similar efforts by OECD.
For more information, contact Jennifer Seed at 202-
260-1301.
Community
Environmental Partnership
The South Baltimore Community Environmen-
tal Partnership is OPPT's first "hands-on" project
to identify more effective ways to address envi-
ronmental issues by enabling communities to take
the lead in decisions that affect their local envi-
ronment. In May 1996, OPPT and the Region 3
Office joined with local Baltimore residents,
business representatives, and state and local
government officials to start a community-based
approach to environmental protection for South
Baltimore and Northern Anne Arundel County.
This project is taking place in a working class,
heavily industrialized area that includes the
neighborhoods of Cherry Hill, Brooklyn, Brook-
lyn Park, Curtis Bay, and Wagner's Point.
48 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
The partnership opened an office in the com-
munity (March 1997), selected a new executive
leadership committee (May 1997) which provides
more day-to-day leadership and management
capabilities, and is in the process of applying to
become a non-profit organization. Non-profit
status will allow the partnership to apply for
the grant and foundation money necessary to
maintain a strong presence in the community.
In April 1997, four working committees (Eco-
nomic Development; Trash, Illegal Dumping,
and Housing; Human Health Effects; and
Water Quality, Parks, and Natural Resources)
presented their preliminary findings and recom-
mendations for action. A fifth committee, the Air
Committee, is working hard to complete its as-
sessment of the community's air quality and to
finish its plan for action. Currently, the commit-
tees are conducting environmental education
workshops and a variety of community clean-
up activities.
Building consensus in a community is not
easy, but the Baltimore project is moving for-
ward. Ultimately, this project will serve as a
model for other communities addressing their
environmental and economic concerns. For more
information, contact Hank Topper at 202-260-6750.
Confidential
Business Information
ACCOUNTABILITY
OPPT receives and manages a large amount of
confidential business information (CBI) on the
thousands of toxic chemicals in its purview. Pro-
tecting this material from unauthorized disclo-
sure is a major priority for the office. In FY1997,
OPPT undertook several major efforts to im-
prove TSCA CBI accountability. OPPT examined
the processing and review functions of the pro-
gram thoroughly and developed an action plan
for program improvement. OPPT conducted a
complete ana!;rsis of the CBI tracking system —
focusing on system stability, integrity, and over-
all data management capabilities. OPPT staff
have also investigated other data management
systems and conducted onsite testing of alter-
native tracking systems in Fall 1997.
Audits were done on more than a half million
CBI records covering all CBI received by the Con-
fidential Business Information Center (CBIC) be-
tween October 1993 and December 1996. CBIC is
the official point of receipt, distribution and stor-
, age for TSCA CBI documents. Additional audits
are being conducted to cover the CBI received by
EPA for FY 1997. Continuing in FY 1998, frequent
audits will be conducted to ensure that the new
document accountability and protection measures
are remaining effective.
As a result of a probe into CBIC's account-
ability procedures, OPPT initiated an internal
CBI "data call-in" which gave OPPT staff a
chance to assess their continuing need to retain
CBI in secure work areas. For more information,
contact Deborah Williams at 202-260-1734.
STATE ACCESS PROJECT
Despite the important role states play in environ-
mental and public health protection, they do not
always have available the scientific health and
safety data necessary to make the best possible
chemical management decisions. Afour-state pi-
lot project conducted in 1995 offered the states of
New York, Georgia, Illinois, and Wisconsin ac-
cess to all TSCA-derived data, including CBI. The
states reported that the data were not available
elsewhere, would improve chemical manage-
ment goals, and could provide the basis for regu-
latory relief to industry. Both states and industry
trade groups have urged EPA to make TSCA data,
including CBI, more widely available to states.
Promoting Public Understanding of Risks | 49
-------
Over the past year, OPPT has been developing a
vehicle by which states will routinely secure ac-
cess to all TSCA data. OPPT expects this vehicle
to be in place in 1998. For more information, con-
tact Scott M. Sherlock at 202-260-1536.
Consumer
Labeling Initiative
The goal of the Consumer Labeling Initiative is
to foster pollution prevention, empower con-
sumer choice, and improve consumer under-
standing of safety, environmental, and health in-
formation on household consumer product la- ,
bels. Initial efforts focused on indoor insecti-
cides, outdoor pesticides, and household hard
surface cleaners, including antimicrobial and
floor, basin, tub, and tile products. This is a
multi-phase pilot project done in partnership
with local, state, and federal agencies, manufac-
turers of consumer products, trade associations,
public interest groups, market research experts,
and others.
FY 1997 saw the first label improvements
announced under the program for pesticide
product labels. These included:
• Changing label headings to replace the
term "inert" with "other ingredients";
• Replacing the heading "Statement of Prac-
tical Treatment" with "First Aid;"
B Using common names instead of the com-
plex, formal chemical names of ingredi-
ents; and
• Putting toll-free emergency telephone
numbers on all pesticide product labels.
EPA's National Pesticide Telecommunica-
tions Network number can be used by
small companies that cannot afford to
maintain their own hotlines.
Also announced in FY 1997 was a one-year effort
to identify the best way to communicate mean-
ingful information on product ingredients to con-
sumers, and to convey useful storage and dis-
posal information that takes into account local
differences in recycling and household waste
management programs. Industry partners
launched a major consumer research program to
learn how consumers interact with labels.. For
more information, contact Mary Dominiak at 202-260-
7768; Julie Lynch (202-260-4000); Amy Breedlove
(703-308-9069); or Jean Frane (703-305-5944).
Customer
Service Standards
OPPT has undertaken several customer service
projects in concert with the goals of Executive
Order 12862 "Setting Customer Service Stan-
dards," which requires the government to be
held accountable for the quality of products and
services it provides to the public. By implement-
ing customer service standards and by conduct-
ing surveys, focus groups, and using other feed-
back tools, OPPT is seeking to continually im-
prove its information products and services.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
has approved EPA's request to assess customer
satisfaction with EPA's Partnership Programs.
Over the next three years, several programs will
use feedback cards to collect information on how
well, and with what degree of courtesy, the
public's needs are being met. For more informa-
tion, contact Darlene Harrod at 202-260-6904.
Currently, OPPT is using a mail-out survey
to evaluate customer satisfaction with OPPT and
OPP docket services. A telephone survey is also
underway to evaluate customer service on the
Toxic Release Inventory-User Support (TRI-US)
hotline. Based on the survey results, OPPT will
consider making changes to TRI-US, including
changing the kinds of information products made
available to users. OPPT will also decide on an
50 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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ongoing means of gathering customer feedback.
For more information, contact Georgianne McDonald
at 202-260-4182.
Electronic Access and
Software Development
ECOSAR SOFTWARE
OPPT is working on a new version of the
ECOSAR software program that predicts the
environmental toxicity of chemicals to aquatic
organisms using structure activity relationships
(SAR). The new version, due out in 1998, will
be much more user-friendly. Users will no longer
need a working knowledge of organic chemis-
try and the SARs used by OPPT. Instead, they
can simply input a chemical's structure or its
Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number.
ECOSAR will analyze the chemical structure
and select the SARs that OPPT would use in as-
sessing the chemical. A toxicity profile for the
chemical will be printed automatically. The new
ECOSAR will include new and updated SARs,
and can be used in a Windows configuration.
For more information, contact Gordon Cash at 202-
260-3900 or Vince Nabholz at 202-260-1271.
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION
OF TSCA DATA
OPPT is pursuing a voluntary program for elec-
tronic submissions to facilitate reporting, allow
for quicker public access, reduce industry com-
pliance costs, reduce the likelihood of error in
inputting data, and conserve valuable Agency
data handling and storage resources. Biweekly
meetings were held with industry in FY1997 and
three pilot projects were conducted in the areas
of export notifications, premanufacture notifi-
cations, and test submissions to explore issues
of data security, data integrity, and authenticity.
Draft standards are being developed based on
experience from the pilots and will be presented
at a public meeting in FY 1998. Once standards
are discussed and revised, EPA will announce
them in the Federal Register and invite industry
to voluntarily submit TSCA data electronically.
The first such notice is scheduled to appear in
early 1998. For more information, contact John
Nowlin at 202-260-8918.
WASTE MINIMIZATION
PRIORITIZATION TOOL
The Waste Minimization Prioritization Tool
(WMPT) is a Windows-based software program
that provides a screening-level assessment of the
persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and tox-
icity of chemicals. The software allows users to
rank the long-term risks of chemicals, taking into
account chemical quantities, and thus set pri-
orities for source reduction and recycling. A joint
product of EPA's Office of Solid Waste (OSW)
and OPPT, WPMT currently ranks about 900
chemicals and has additional data on 3,800 other
chemicals.
When finalized, the WMPT will be a tool that
can help promote understanding of health risks
by empowering the public with information on
the relative hazard of chemicals to which they
are exposed. A beta-test version of the WMPT
and User's Guide were available for public com-
ment through October 7, 1997. The Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response's
(OSWER's) home page has received several
thousand inquiries related to the WMPT since
the system was posted. Future enhancements to
the system-will be made in response to public
comments. Possibilities include such features as
consideration of photolysis/hydrolysis, addi-
tional exposure information, and toxicity data.
An updated version of the WMPT and User's
Guide will be issued in July 1998. The system is
Promoting Public Understanding of Risks | 51
-------
available through the RCRA Hotline (800-424-
9346) or can be downloaded from OSWER's
home page (www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
hazwaste/minimize). For more information, con-
tact Jay Jon (OPPT) at 202-260-7971 or Mark
Rnlston (OSW) at 703-308-8595.
Facility
Identification Initiative
The Facility Identification Initiative is a project
to streamline the collection of identifying infor-
mation from facilities subject to federal environ-
mental reporting requirements. Identifying in-
formation generally includes such elements as
name of the facility, address, parent company,
and contact person. The goal of the initiative is
to provide states, environmental interest groups,
the regulated community, and the general pub-
lic with easier access to the environmental data
submitted by federally regulated facilities. OPPT
proposed this initiative based on recommenda-
tions from a 1994 National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology task force
report on improving Agency information re-
sources management.
In Spring 1997, an EPA working group was
formed to implement the initiative. A separate
state working group was established under a
cooperative agreement with the Environmental
Council of the States. By December 1997, the two
working groups were expected to determine a
mutually acceptable set of EPA/state business
practices and data standards by which any state
may assume the primary role of facility data
manager with the goal of establishing a national
facility linking file. For more information, contact
Diane Sheridan at 202-260-3435.
Pollution
Prevention
Assessment Framework
In FY1997, OPPT and EPA Region 9 developed
the Pollution Prevention Assessment Framework,
a compendium of structure activity-based risk
assessment methods for chemicals that have little
or no hazard data or exposure data. The com-
pendium includes case studies that show how to
conduct screening-level risk assessments and
identify pollution prevention opportunities.
OPPT and Region 9 conducted a three-day work-
shop in October 1997 in San Jose, CA to test and
further disseminate the framework. Response to
the workshop has been strong from states, pub-
lic interest groups, and industry. For more infor-
mation, contact Bill Waugh at 202-260-3489 or Don
Rodier at 202-260-1276.
Toxics Release
Inventory (TRI)
TRI celebrates its tenth year in operation in 1997.
TRI provides information to the public on releases
and other waste management information for
more than 600 chemicals and chemical catego-
ries from certain industry sectors. With this in-
formation, communities know what toxic chemi-
cals are present in their neighborhoods, and fa-
cility managers can identify opportunities for
source reduction and compare their progress to
other facilities around the country.
The TRI program has been a huge success in
many ways, even serving as a model for countries
around the world (see section on PRTRs on page
56). Facilities report their TRI information annu-
ally to EPA and the state in which they are located.
The information includes the amounts of each
listed chemical released to the environment at the
facility; amounts of each chemical shipped off-site
52 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
for recycling, energy recovery, treatment, or dis-
posal; amounts of each chemical recycled, burned
for energy recovery, or treated at the facility; and
maximum amounts of the chemical present on-
site at the facility during the year. EPA has devel-
oped numerous publications and resources for
easy access to TRI data; additional handbooks are
in development as well • (See Information Re-
sources at the end of this/document for details.)
TRI has undergone a series of expansions,
beginning in 1994 with a doubling of the num-
ber of chemicals on the TRI list for which report-
ing is required, followed in 1997 with the addi-
tion of seven industries required to report releases
to TRI, and now with consideration of a "Phase
3" expansion to require chemical use data to be
reported, rn FY1997, EPA went to court for the
second time in two years to defend the addition
of 286 chemicals to the TRI list. On August 1,1997,
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Co-
lumbia Circuit affirmed the judgment of the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia which
had upheld EPA's TRI chemical expansion deci-
sion. The Court of Appeals remanded EPA's de-
cision on only two of the 286 chemicals.
FACILITY EXPANSION
Announced by Vice-President Al Gore on Earth
Day 1997, EPA issued a final rule requiring ap-
proximately 6,100 facilities in seven additional
industries to begin TRI reporting. The new in-
dustries added are:
m Metal mining
• Coalmining
• Coal and oil-fired electric generating
facilities
a Commercial hazardous waste treatment
and disposal facilities
• Chemical wholesale distribution facilities
• Petroleum bulk terminals and bulk plants
• Solvent recovery facilities.
The newly added industries will be subject to
TRI reporting requirements beginning on Janu-
ary 1,1998 and their first TRI reports will be due
on or before July 1, 1999. For more information,
contact Tim Crawford at 202-260-1715.
AUTOMATED FORM R (AFR)
One of OPPT's goals in administering the TRI
program is to simplify reporting while still col-
lecting the required data. The availability of
Automated Form R (AFR) reporting software is
helping to meet that goal.
AFR software allows facilities the option of
creating TRI reports on their own computers and
sending EPA a floppy disk rather than filling out
printed forms. This is usually easier for the facil-
ity and eliminates rekeying of the data by EPA.
The results are faster processing, fewer data entry
errors, and improved data quality. Since its incep-
tion, the program has grown in popularity. Now,
in addition to a growing number of facilities us-
ing the software, more and more states (which also
receive TRI data) are accepting floppy disks cre-
ated by AFR software instead of printed forms.
In 1997, in response to demand, OPPT dis-
tributed AFR for Windows software to all TRI
facilities (a DOS version was available on re-
quest). AFR software (both Windows and DOS
versions) were also available for downloading
from the TRI home page on the Internet
(www.epa.gov/opptintr/formr.htm). The Web
site was especially helpful in communicating
with TRI facilities during the reporting period.
It enabled OPPT to post improved versions of
the software, more detailed instructions, and
answers to frequently-asked questions. Facilities
were also able to communicate their questions
directly to the EPCRA Reporting Center using
e-mail over the Internet.
Beginning with the 1995 reporting year, cer-
tain facilities reporting to TRI were eligible to
Promoting Public Understanding of Risks | 53
-------
33E!
submit a simplified reporting form called Alter-
native Form Ainstead of Form R. Approximately
3,000 facilities took advantage of this reporting
option, reducing the total reporting burden for
industry by 113,000 hours. For more information,
contact Jan Erickson at 202-260-3801.
1995 TRI DATA
The most recent TRI data—from reporting year
1995 — include, for the first time, information
on the 286 chemicals added to the TRI in 1994.
Releases for the newly added chemicals totaled
237.7 million pounds, approximately 10 percent
of total TRI releases. The newly added chemi-
cals have all been assessed at moderately high
to highly toxic.
Figure 1 shows the air, water, and land dis-
tribution of the 2.2 billion pounds of all TRI
chemicals released in 1995. Figure 2 illustrates
the trend in the amount of releases reported,
1988-1995. Figure 3 shows the disposition on-
site and off-site of wastes managed in 1995.
Toxic chemical releases declined 4.9 percent
from 1994 to 1995. Releases to air decreased by
almost seven percent, but releases to under-
ground injection wells increased a dramatic 19.5
percent. Since 1988, overall reported releases
have declined by 46 percent. (See Figure 3.)
The amount of toxic chemicals in waste gen-
erated by facilities increased 3 percent from 1994
to 1995, continuing the trend of increased gen-
eration of production-related waste (up 6.8 per-
cent from 1991 to 1995). Facilities expect little or
no progress in reducing the generation of waste
over the next two years.
Future TRI data will be even more useful
because it will include information on seven
additional industry sectors added in April 1997.
These industry sectors have significant releases
of TRI chemicals and directly support manufac-
turing activities currently covered under TRI.
Distribution of TRI Releases, 1995
Underground
Injection
10.6%
Figure 1
TRI Releases, 1988-1995
Billions of Pounds
3.0 T
H Total Air Emissions
• Surface Water Discharges
D Underground Injection
Releases to Land
Figure 2
This expansion is expected to spur reductions
in chemical releases in these industry sectors,
similar to TRI's effects on other manufacturing
sectors. These facilities must make their first re-
ports to TRI by July 1,1999; the information will
be available to the public in 2000.
CHEMICAL USE DATA —
TRI PHASE 3 EXPANSION
The addition of chemical use information repre-
sents Phase 3 of TRI expansion. EPA has been ac-
tively exploring the utility of chemical use data to
public decision making. Use data could expand
the public's ability to evaluate a range of impor-
tant environmental issues in more depth than is
54 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
Figure 3
Community Right-to-Know 1995 Toxics
Off-site Transfers for Waste Management*
(Millions of Pounds)
On-site Releases and Other Waste Management
(Millions of Pounds)
' 2.4 million pounds were reported without valid waste management codes
'* Publicly owned treatment works
Promoting Public Understanding of Risks | 55
-------
currently possible. An Advanced Notice of Pro-
posed Rulemaking (ANPR) was published on Oc-
tober 1,1996, as part of EPA's response to Presi-
dent Clinton's directive to develop "an expedited,
open, and transparent process for consideration
of reporting under EPCRA on information on the
use of toxic chemicals at facilities, including infor-
mation on mass balance, materials accounting, or
other chemical use data." The ANPR announced
EPA's intentions to develop a proposed rule in re-
sponse to this issue, provided background infor-
mation on chemical use and materials accounting
information, listed preliminary data elements, ex-
plained how the project relates to other Agency
and Administration priorities, and included over
30 questions for feedback and comments.
OPPT held three public meetings in October
and November of 1996 to listen to the public
about the issue of chemical use reporting. Five
days of well-attended meetings were held in
Boston, Baton Rouge, and Washington, DC.
Over 40,000 comments were received by the time
the comment period for the ANPR closed at the
end of February 1997.
OPPT has reviewed the comments and issues,
has reviewed the experience of two state pro-
grams (Massachusetts and New Jersey) that al-
ready collect chemical use information, and is
continuing to evaluate a number of other issues.
OPPT believes that chemical use data could im-
prove EPA's ability to evaluate facility source re-
duction and pollution prevention performance,
focus emergency planning efforts related to the
transportation of chemicals through communi-
ties, provide a handle on the amounts of toxic
chemicals going into products, and contribute to
improvements in worker safety and health. EPA
is currently looking at options for chemical use
reporting, and a decision on how best to proceed
is expected by early 1998. For more information,
contact Matt Gillen at 202-260-1801.
POLLUTANT RELEASE
AND TRANSFER REGISTERS
The dramatic success of TRI in the United States
in making emissions information available to the
public on a facility-specific and chemical-spe-
cific basis has led other countries and interna-
tional organizations to work toward the imple-
mentation of similar systems, known interna-
tionally as Pollutant Release and Transfer Reg-
isters (PRTRs).
Since PRTRs were highlighted at the 1992
Earth Summit as effective tools for managing
chemicals, OPPT has been an active participant
supporting several international projects, in-
cluding OECD's development of a PRTR Guid-
ance for Government Manual; a Council Recom-
mendation by the Environment Ministers of the
26 OECD nations calling on member states to
implement PRTR systems that include commu-
nity right-to-know; a study of industries that
report to PRTR systems; and a PRTR Conference
in Japan scheduled for 1998.
OPPT has supported efforts of the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research
(UNITAR) working with industrializing nations
and regional organizations on PRTR develop-
ment. Pilot projects in Mexico, Czech Republic,
and Egypt should begin yielding results in the
next year; Mexican industries in the state of
Queretaro, for example, will be required to re-
port emissions to the PRTR for the 1997 report-
ing year. OPPT is also assisting the North Ameri-
can Commission for Environmental Coopera-
tion in preparing its next annual report compar-
ing U.S. and Canadian PRTR data.
In 1997, PRTRs and their role in effective
chemicals management were again highlighted
on the fifth anniversary of the Earth Summit.
As the number of countries with PRTRs is ex-
pected to grow from the present six to more than
30 in the next few years, the U.S. experience has
56 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
offered other countries a broad array of options
and resources, including industry training and
guidance manuals. OPPT's expertise and finan-
cial support have been essential ingredients in
promoting PRTRs that are publicly accessible
and multi-media. For more information, contact
John Harmon at 202-260-6395.
USES OF TRI DATA
OPPT is collecting and sharing information on
TRI's uses in enhancing public awareness of po-
tential risks posed by toxic chemicals released into
the environment by industrial facilities. These
success stories (see box for examples) can offer
useful ideas to other communities. In the past 10
years, TRI has spawned a number of similar state
and local programs as well as various organiza-
tions that promote the use of TRI data. More than
1,500 community groups use TRI data in their
dealings with local government and industry.
Also, EPA is working with 86 cities to institute a
network to collect and disseminate information
to the public regarding chemical releases to air,
water and land. For more information, contact Maria
Hendriksson at 202-260-8301.
OPPT is also developing a community hand-
book and user's manual, forthcoming in 1998,
that will provide more assistance to the public
in using TRI data and understanding each data
element on the TRI reporting form. For more in-
formation, contact John Harmon at 202-260-6395.
Tribal
im
OPPT is committed to working in partnership
with Native American Tribes to foster effective
communication and establish an environmen-
tal program for Tribes that promotes pollution
prevention and protects the environment and
human health. OPPT has formed a Committee
on Native American Tribal Issues and desig-
nated a Tribal Coordinator. During FY 1997,
emphasis was placed on increasing Native
American participation in the Forum on State
and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA). A represen-
tative of a tribe was named Chair of the Tribal
Affairs Workgroup. Tribal officials also partici-
pate in the Pollution Prevention Project and ro-
Pata Use Success Stories
|iiigh(ighteci at TRi/RTK Conference
September 1997 Toxics Release mventory/Right-to-Know
^Conference held in.Washington, DC was the largest TRI confer-
i£*-=.7T ,i , ' .-. ,._-i---. •" - -' -'.- .-• - -'". "'" ' - -= """-"- "- ~ " "- ' • "• •
t-to-know was high-
plighted. EPA Administrator Carol Browner, Assistant Adminis-
fftrator Lynn Goldman and Region 3 Administrator Michael
l&Cjbeprovidedkeynote addresses. Examples of how TRI data
^|ave been successfully used were presented at the conference,
g including the following:
Industry: Rhone-Poulenc, ranked the 6th largest chemical com-
H^; pany worldwide, openly embraced TRI for creating commu-
p r hity dialogue, forcing industry to focus onrisk issues, and pro-
£ viding a method for measuring progress. Since the company
jjr-7— began reporting to TRI, it has reduced toxic emissions by 50
li percent and is recycling 90 percent of the chemicals it uses.
;«r • States: Examples of states that have recently instituted TRI-
I' based initiatives include Tennessee and Louisiana, two states
with a large number of industrial facilities. Tennessee's 2000
L fr^tiative on ™* pollution emphasizes industry outreach and
has experienced an increased participation of local facilities.
Louisiana's Environmental Leadership Program targets the
local chemical industry and stresses voluntary reductions of
emissions beyond compliance.
s Advocacy: Grassroots groups and non-profit organizations
have, in the past, successfully lobbied for state laws such as
the Toxics Use Reduction Act (Massachusetts) and a Toxics
Right-to-Know charter amendment (Oregon). Don't Waste
Arizona, Inc. successfully sued facilities for failure to comply
with EPCRA. Instead of paying fines to EPA, court judgments
required companies to apply payments toward facility im-
provements.
Promoting Public Understanding of Risks | 57
-------
tate participation in FOSTTA's Lead Project.
In Spring 1997, OPPT conducted a survey of
other EPA offices to identify effective programs
beneficial to tribes and to determine if a Tribal
Program Proposal could be prepared for FY
1998. Options developed were commented on
by tribal representatives from the EPA Regions,
the American Indian Environmental Office, the
National Indian Workgroup, the Tribal Opera-
tions Committee, and various members of Na-
tive American tribes. The proposal is currently
being finalized and the selected options for FY
1998 will be adopted.
Also for FY 1998, OPPT plans to design a spe-
cial communications package for Native Ameri-
can Tribes that incorporates computer access and
promotes dialogue and coordination with other
federal agencies involved with lead testing and
awareness programs on tribal lands. OPPT and
the Office of Pesticide Programs will be coordi-
nating and developing a Tribal Training Program
in FY 1998 to ensure that OPPT employees have
the necessary knowledge of, and sensitivity to,
Native American history, culture, and laws. For
more information, contact David Piantanida at 202-
260-2983 or Man/ Lauterbach at 202-260-9563.
SB | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
-------
OPPT PUBLICATIONS IN FY 1997
DESIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT PUBLICATIONS Available on the DfE Web
site at www.wpa.gov/dfe
Case Study #6: Printed Wiring Board Project: Pollution Prevention Beyond Regulated Materials,
EPA/744/F-97/006,4 pages, May 1997.
Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment: A Methodology and Resources Guide, EPA/744/R-95/002,
540 pages, December 1996.
Design for the Environment Project Releases Direct Metalization Performance Results, 6 pages, Janu-
ary 1997.
Dry Cleaning Fact Sheet, EPA/744/F-93/004,2 pages, June 1997.
Flexography Project Case Study #1: Reducing VOCs in Flexography, EPA/744/F-96/013,4 pages,
March 1997.
Flexography Project Case Study #2: Learning from Three Companies that Reduced VOC Emissions,
EPA 744/F-96/016,4 pages, June 1997 (also available in Spanish).
Implementing Cleaner Technologies in the Printed Wiring Board Industry: Making Holes Conductive, EPA/
744/R-97/001, 60 pages, February 1997.
Making the Most of Your Cleaning Business: Dry Cleaning/Wet Cleaning Case Studies and Financial Analysis
Work Sheets (Draft), 54 pages, March 1997. The two factual case studies and financial analysis
worksheets in this document can assist U.S. commercial dry cleaners in assessing their options to
minimize or eliminate perc waste and emissions.
Lithography Project Bulletin #3: Vegetable Ester Blanket Washes, EPA/744/F-96/014,4 pages, Oc-
tober 1996.
Lithography Project Bulletin #4: A Worksheet to Help You Choose A Better Wash, EPA/744/F-96/
015, 6 pages, October 1996.
Printed Wiring Board Case Study 5: A Continuous-Flow System for Reusing Microetchant, EPA/
744/96/024,4 pages, December 1996.
Printed Wiring Board Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment: Making Holes Conductive, Volume 1,
EPA/742/R-97/002a, 423 pages, June 1997; Volume 2, EPA/742/R-97/002a, 402 pages, June 1997.
These documents present the evaluation of six formaldehyde-free alternatives to the standard
electroless copper process for performing the making holes conductive function during the manu-
facture of printed wiring boards.
Resource Guide for Garment and Textile Care Professionals, EPA/744/K-96/004,15 pages, September
1997.
Unless otherwise indicated, to order, contact:
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse, tel: 202-260-1023, fax: 202-260-0178,
or order directly from www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/ppicdist.htm
Publications | 59
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Screen Printing Project Publication List, EPA/744/F-96/021,8 pages, March 1997.
Training Curriculum for Alternative Clothes Cleaning & Instructor's Manual, EPA/744/R-97/004a, 114
pages, May 1997; EPA/744/R-97/004b, 180 pages, May 1997.
Wet Cleaning, EPA/744/K-96/002,16 pages, May 1997.
Your Screen Reclamation System, EPA/744/F-96/023,4 pages, May 1997.
ENVIRONMENTAL COST ACCOUNTING PUBLICATIONS
Applying Environmental Accounting, to Electroplating Operations: An In-Depth Analysis. A study of the
feasibility and potential applicability of environmental accounting practices in the electroplating
industry. EPA/742/R-97-003,54 pages, May 1997.
Environmental Accounting Documents Available from the U.S. EPA, 6 pages, Fall 1997.
Environmental Accounting Project: Quick Reference Fact Sheet, 1 page, September 1997.
Environmental Cost Accounting for Chemical and Oil Companies: A Benchmarking Study. This report
summarizes an environmental cost accounting benchmarking study of five major U.S. and Mexi-
can companies that are currently developing environmental accounting systems. EPA/742/R-
97/004,59 pages, June 1997.
P2/FMANCE Software Version 3.0 and P2 Finance User's Manual (Lotus 1-2-3 Version 3.4 for DOS),
December 1996.
Valuing Potential Environmental Liabilities for Managerial Decision-Making: A Review of Available Tech-
niques. This report describes publicly available approaches and tools that have been developed
specifically for estimating the monetary value of potential, preventable environmental liability costs.
EPA/742/R-96/003,114 pages, December 1996.
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING PUBLICATIONS
Cleaning Products Pilot Project Fact Sheet, EPA/742/F-97/001,4 pages, February 1997.
Cleaning Products Pilot Project, EPA/742/R-97/002,20 pages, February 1997.
Environmental Marketing Claims, EPA/744/F-97/005, 8 pages, April 1997.
Selling Environmental Products to the Federal Government, EPA/742/K-97/002,1 page foldout,
May 1997.
Update #1: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program, EPA/742/F-96/002,6 pages, February 1997.
Unless otherwise indicated, to order, contact:
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse, tel: 202-260-1023, fax: 202-260-0178,
or order directly from www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/ppicdist.htm
60 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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LEAD PUBLICATIONS Available from the National Lead
Information Center (1-800^24-LEAD).
Finding a Qualified Lead Professional for Your Home. Informational pamphlet in question and answer
format that explains what kinds of lead inspection services are available and what to consider
when hiring lead professionals. English only.
Laboratory Study of Lead-Cleaning Efficacy, EPA 747-R-97-002, March 1997.
Lead-Based Paint Abatement and Repair and Maintenance (R&M) Study in Baltimore: Findings Based on
the First Year of Follow-Up, EPA/747-R-97-001, August 1997.
Lead Exposure Associated with Renovation and Remodeling Activities, EPA/747/R-005, 006, 007, 008.
Lead In Your Home: A Parent's Guide to Poisoning Prevention. Comprehensive guide for parents wish-
ing to learn more about the health effects of lead and steps they can take to prevent childhood
lead poisoning in their homes. For more information, contact Megan Carroll at 202-260-7269.
Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home. 13-page informational pamphlet that describes the haz-
ards of lead and the analyses that can be performed to determine the lead status of a dwelling.
Developed under Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of
1992. English and Spanish.
OPPT NEWSLETTERS
Chemicals in the Environment. Free publication, published 3 times a year. Each issue has a theme,
focusing on activities and information products and services associated with that theme. Sub-
scribe to: CIE Editor, U.S. EPA (7407), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Chemicals in Progress Bulletin. Free publication, published twice a year, describing OPPT programs
and activity status. Subscribe to: CIPB, U.S. EPA (7409), 401M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Pollution Prevention News. Free 12-page bimonthly newsletter covering pollution prevention activi-
ties of EPA, states, communities, industry, international. Features calendar of events, case stud-
ies, interviews, EPA news, topical issues. Subscribe to: PPN, U.S. EPA (7409), 401 M Street SW,
Washington, DC 20460.
TRI PUBLICATIONS Availableonlineatwww.epa.gov/opptintr/tri
2995 TRI Public Data Release report, EPA/745/R-97/005, April 1997. 1995 State Fact Sheets, EPA/745/
F-97/001, April 1997. Call 800-535-0202, or fax request to 703-412-3333.
TRI Information Kit, EPA 749-P-94-002 (Free). Available from NCEPI, call 800-490-9198, or 513-489-
8190, or fax request to 513-489-8695.
1995 State Data Files on Disk (dBASE Lotus), up to 67 disks for all states. Available from The Gov-
ernment Printing Office, 202-512-1530.
Unless otherwise indicated, to order, contact:
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse, tel: 202-260-1023, fax: 202-260-0178,
or order directly from www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/ppicdist.htm
Publications | 61
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Drinking Water, Pollution Prevention, and Public Health, 8 pages, February 1997.
Internet Guide to Promote Concern for the Environment. Contains descriptions and computer addresses
for 50 Internet sites related to community-based environmental protection. Also available on
OPPT's home page. For more information, contact Thomas Tillman at 202-260-7605.
OPPTS Catalogue of Tools. A catalogue of tools, resources, and programs on the characteristics and
effects of pesticides and industrial chemicals. Includes databases, analytic tools, information
hotlines, technical guidelines, and descriptions of programs and initiatives that may be useful in
protecting local environments. The catalogue will be available as a printed manual and on the
Internet. For more information, contact Joe Schechter at 202-260-1540.
Points to Consider in the Preparation ofTSCA Biotechnology Submissions for Microorganisms. Available
online atwww.epa.gov/opptintr/biotech.
Pollution Prevention 1997: A National Progress Report. EPA 742-R-97-00, 286 pages, June 1997. Execu-
tive Summary, EPA 742-S-97-001,13 pages, June 1997.
Tlie Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program: Awards Recipients, EPA/744/K-97/003,
22 pages, September 1997. This document provides a collection of the academic, small business,
and industrial recipients of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program. Pro-
vides a summary of technologies for which these individuals and organizations were selected to
receive the award.
Unless otherwise indicated, to order, contact:
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse, tel: 202-260-1023, fax: 202-260-0178,
or order directly from www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/ppicdist.htm
62 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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INFORMATION RESOURCES
r ollowing is a listing of key information resources available from OPPT and EPA relating to toxic
chemicals and pollution prevention.
HOTLINES AND CLEARINGHOUSES
Asbestos Ombudsman Clearinghouse/Hotline 800-368-5888
The Asbestos Ombudsman Clearinghouse/Hotline provides general asbestos information to the
public. Operated by EPA's Small Business Ombudsman's Office, it also assists small businesses in
complying with EPA regulations. Call 703-305-5938 in the Washington metropolitan area.
Chemical Assessment Desk 202-260-3998
EPA's Chemical Assessment Desk is available to Agency personnel to answer questions on existing
chemicals regarding health and environmental risk, toxicity, environmental persistence, exposure
potential, production, use, and regulatory status. Inquiries from the general public are usually
referred to the appropriate EPA hotline.
EPCRA Hotline 800-535-0202
The EPCRA Hotline provides information on the TRI program, including the availability of TRI data,
TRI information products, and sources of support for TRI data users. The hotline operates Monday
through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) in English and Spanish.
Lead Hotline 800-LEADFYI (800-532-3394)
The Lead Hotline provides general information on lead poisoning and prevention. The hotline
distributes a basic information packet on lead that includes the EPA brochure "Lead Poisoning and
Your Children," three fact sheets, and a list of state and local contacts for addition information. It is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in English and Spanish. Requests for documents may.be,,
faxed (202-659-1192) or e-mailed (ehc@cais.com). Callers with more specific questions are reared * *""
to the Lead Clearninghouse, which provides additional informational materials, such as^fe^aY
publications, selected journal articles, updates on and summaries of lead-related federal Igtws^and
regulation, such as the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (Trf
OSHA interim final rule on lead in construction, and lead-related federal grant progre
National P2 Center for Higher Education, University of Michigan
The National Pollution Prevention Center (NPPC) for Higher Education was established thrc
private-public partnership at the University of Michigan in 1991 to collect, develop and df
nate materials on pollution prevention. Materials developed by the NPPC include resourj
annotated bibliographies, problem sets, case studies, teaching notes, syllabi, and videos in the fol-
lowing discplines: accounting, architecture, business law, chemical engineering, chemistry, envi-
ronmental studies, industrial engineering, materials and logistics management, operations research
Resources | 63
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and industrial ecology, and sustainable agricul-
ture. NPPC also conducts an internship pro-
gram for students interested in pollution pre-
vention as well as a Design for the Environment
Executive Education workshop.
NPPC is emphasizing the Internet in its
outreach activities and is planning to focus on
sustainability in its research over the coming
years. For information or to order materials, the
NPPC can be reached at 430 E. University, Ann
Arbor, MI 48109-1115; tel: 313-764-1412; fax: 313-
936-2195; email: nppc@umich.edu, or on the
World Wide Web (www.snre.umich.edu/
nppc).
JT P2 INFORMATION CENTER WEB SITES
* Waste Reduction Resource Center
I (EPA Regions 3&4)
" www.owr.ehnr.state.nc.us/wrrcl.htrn
tti Great Lakes Regional Pollution
is Prevention Center (EPA Region 5)
jf www.inhSiUiuc.edu/hwric/hmlhome.html
" Resources and Information
^*lor Pollution Prevention in the Southwest
" (EPA Region 6)
www.utep.edu/im3/p2/
1 .Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention
s Resource Center (EPA Region 10)
^ pprc.pnl.gov/pprc/
OPPT Library
The OPPT Library at EPA Headquartes in
Washington, DC maintains a collection of \__ __ 1, _„„,.„ 1 I
books, journals, newspapers, and government
documents in support of the TSCA and EPCRA programs. The library's collections include publi-
cations in the areas of chemistry, toxicology, carcinogenesis and mutagenesis, and environmental,
health, and safety. Special collections are also maintained on pollution prevention, biotechnology,
and risk assessment. The library supports walk-in and telephone reference Monday through Fri-
day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. E.S.T. Requests for information can also be submitted via e-mail
(library-tsca@epamail.epa.gov) or the Library's web site (www.epa.gov/opptintr/library/libacces).
Pollution Prevention Information Centers
EPA awarded over $1 million in grants to establish five new regional P2 Information Centers and main-
tain the four existing centers. The centers' goals are to provide a centralized source for high quality P2
information and expertise, minimize duplication of publication and training efforts among states, in-
crease collaborative efforts to leverage existing resources, and synthesize new and existing P2 informa-
tion. The new regional centers should be up and running in FY 1998 and will focus primarily on state
information needs. The centers will supply and update information through the Internet for training,
case studies, and technical aids. For more information, contact Beth Anderson at 202-260-2602.
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) 202-260-1023
PPIC is EPA's distribution center for documents and information on pollution prevention. A refer-
ence and referral telephone service is available to answer questions, take orders for documents, or
refer callers to appropriate contacts. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). Documents may be ordered by phone, fax (202-260-0178), e-mail
(ppic@epamail.epa.gov), or from the P2 Web site (www.epa.gov/oppintr/p2home).
A special collection of documents relating to pollution prevention, waste minimization, and
alternative technologies is maintained in the EPA OPPT Library. This collection is available for
64 | Annual Report o/fte Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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browsing during visitor hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) and through EPA's
Online Library systems (OLS). OLS is available through a synchronous (modem) communication
at 919-549-0720, with 7 data bits, even parity, 1 stop bit, and half duplex.
TSCA Assistance Information Service 202-554-1404
The TSCA Assistance Information Service provides information and technical assistance about pro-
grams implemented under TSCA, ASHAA, and AHERA. The hotline typically handles questions
involving the handling and disposal of PCBs, asbestos in schools and public buildings, registration of
new chemicals (e.g., premanufacture notification), import certification, and reporting requirements
under TSCA. Documents available through the hotline include Federal .Register notices, asbestos guide-
books, Chemical Hazard Information Profiles, and the Chemicals in Progress Bulletin. Open to all
callers, including the general public, the hotline operates Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. E.S.T. Requests for documents can be faxed 24 hours a day to 202-554-5603.
TRI User Support 202-260-1531
TRI User Support provides general TRI information and publications to EPA staff, other federal
agencies, industry, environmental and public interest groups, libraries, the international commu-
nity and citizens. Information is provided in a variety of formats including printed reports, online
databases, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, and computer diskettes. TRI User Support also provides
services such as literature searches, training and demonstrations of the TRI online system, and
referrals to EPA regional or state TRI contacts and other TRI resource centers. For more information,
contact Lisa Flemming, tel: 202-260-1531, fax: 202-401-2347.
DATABASES
CORR (Chemicals on Reporting Rules) www.epa.gov/opptintr/coor
CORR contains DBASE (.DBF) files which link TSCA chemicals to Federal Register Notices. To find out
how a particular chemical is regulated under TSCA, search the CORR CHEMICAL file. The file includes
the chemical's Chemical Abstract Service number, Premanufacture Notice number, applicable TSCA
and EPCRA Section 313 sections, and corresponding Federal Register citations. A separate FEDREG file
contains summaries of the final and proposed rules published in the Federal Register that are cited in the
CHEMICAL file. The database is updated quarterly in January, April, July, and October. It is available
from the TSCAHotline (202-554-1404) on diskette, through the Internet (www.epa.gov/ opptintr/CORR),
and through RTK-Net. For more information, contact Jim Bradshaw at 202-260-1543.
Envirofacts www.epa.gov/enviro
Envirofacts is a national information system that allows users to retrieve environmental informa-
tion from seven major EPA databases on Superfund sites, drinking water, toxic, and air releases,
hazardous waste, water discharge permits, and grants information. In addition, three integrated
databases — the Facility Index System, the Master Chemical Integrator, and Locational Reference
Tables — are accessible via Envirofacts. The system provides query forms that retrieve information
from the various databases and then generates facility-based reports using the information. Results
of queries can also be mapped via Envirofacts' "Map On Demand" feature.
Resources | 65
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IRIS www.epa.gov/ngispgm3/iris
The Integrated Risk Information System - IRIS - is an electronic database containing information
on human health effects that may result from exposure to various chemicals in the environment.
IRIS is intended for those without extensive training in toxicology, but with some knowledge of
health sciences. It is a tool that provides hazard identification and dose-response assessment infor-
mation. Combined with specific exposure information, the data in IRIS can be used for character-
ization of the public health risks of a chemical in a particular situation that can lead to a risk man-
agement decision designed to protect public health. To aid users in accessing and understanding
the data in the IRIS chemical files, the system provides extensive supporting documentation.
Beginning in
' year thereafter, EPA has published a CD-ROM containing the Toxics
Release Inv'e^of^^^S^^M- provides the entire TRI database for 1987 through 1995 on two
qwsfqr searching on many fields, e.g., by chemical, company, kind of
disks and inalormat.l
release, or zip code, across multiple, years of data. Users can also conduct multiple and complex
searAes^esp'ectllLy use|uFto individuals or groups wishing to analyze trends or perform statistical
analyses. The CDJlIJiS'also provides a wealth of other TRI information, including a tutorial, TRI
Staff? Fact Sheets, TR?l5ata "Releas'elfppk, TRI Reporting Form, and Chemical Fact Sheets. Current
of the TRI
-KOlf is over 4,000, including libraries, universities, and public interest
gro'tips. Through a graVit with the National Science Teachers Association, a cross-disciplinary set of
g^m materials'lind activities using TRI data will be developed for the second half of the 1997-
"year ; O*PPT plans to release a user-friendly Windows version next year and is investigat-
itSerliSeas for educational and multi-media applications. For more information, contact John Nowlin
"8. The CD-ROM caribe ordered from U.S. GPO, 202-512-1800, S/N 055-000-00556-7 ($43)
;J 800-553-6847, PB 9'6503214 ($45).
TSCATS """ www.rtk.net/www/data/tsc
The Toxic Substances Control Act Test Submissions - TSCATS - is an online index to unpublished,
non-confidential studies covering chemical testing results and adverse effects of chemicals on health
and ecological systems. Four types of industry documents are included in TSCATS: Section 4 chemical
testing results; Section 8(d) health and safety studies; Section 8(e) substantial risk of injury to health
or environment notices; and voluntary documents submitted to EPA known as a For Your Informa-
tion (FYI) notice.
INTERNET ACCESS
To access the vast amount of environmental information on the Internet, here are some useful World
Wide Web addresses related to OPPT's activities:
EPA [[[ www.epa.gov
EPA's Web site contains a vast array of information. The home page provides a list of categories that
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about EPA's projects and programs; find out about laws and regulations; locate EPA offices, labs,
and regions; browse through EPA publications; get the latest news and upcoming events; discover
new databases and software tools; or see what grants and fellowships are available. In addition, the
Home Page provides links to a range of other resources both inside and outside the agency.
OPPT www.epa.gov/opptintr
OPPT's home page has seven broad categories that users can click on to link to sites that provide
more in-depth information on topical areas in each category. OPPT's programs and projects, publi-
cations, databases and software can all be accessed through the home page. In addition, a section
for "Kids" provides information tailored for children, students, and teachers; and a section for "Con-
cerned Citizens" provides information designed to help consumers and communities. Users can
also link to other information resources - dockets, clearinghouses, libraries, and hotlines - for spe-
cific concerns.
Pollution Prevention www.epa.gov/oppintr/p2home/index
OPPT's Pollution Prevention home page links users to information about pollution prevention pro-
grams and activities both inside and outside of EPA. Specifically, users can choose from the follow-
ing categories: EPA's pollution prevention programs and projects; publications, such as OPPT's
PPN newsletter; the latest announcements on conferences, training and Federal Register notices;
grant programs for pollution prevention activities at the state, local, and tribal level; The Pollution
Prevention Act of 1990 and subsequent policy statements that have influenced the implementation
of pollution prevention by EPA; and other informational resources and links.
Chemical Testing and Information www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/index.htm
The Chemical Testing and Information home page provides an overview of TSCA with links to
more specific information on: TSCA's Chemical Testing Program including the Master Testing List,
the Interagency Testing Committee, Screening Information Datasets, and High Production Volume
Chemical List; TSCA's Information Gathering Activities including the PAIR Form Filing Package;
and TSCA's information Sharing and Access Program.
Enviro$en$e es.epa.gov
Enviro$en$e is an integrated environmental information system developed by EPA to encourage
common sense solutions, such as pollution prevention, to environmental problems. It contains in-
formation on EPA's laws, executive orders, policies, and guidance, in addition to documents, case
studies, and proceedings from other federal and state agencies, the National Pollution Prevention
Roundtable, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations.
New Chemicals Program www.epa.gov/opptintr/newchem
The New Chemical Program's home page contains a broad overview of the program with links to:
informational and guidance documents about the program; status reports on recent PMN filings,
exemptions, and reasonableness of risk findings; the TSCA inventory; SNURs and SNUNs, and
Section 5(e) orders.
Resources 67
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INDEX OF PROJECTS
1995 TRI Data 54
33/50 Program 6,47
Accountability of CBI Data , 46
Acrylamide 35
Acute Exposure Guidelines 36
Asbestos 36,37
Asbestos Ombudsman/Clearinghouse 63
Autobody Spray Paints 30
Automated Form R 53
Baltimore (Community Environmental Partnership) 47,48
Bankers' Forum 12
Benzidine-Based Dyes 22
Biotechnology 22
Business Applications 10
Business Plan Review Service 11
Canada 25,27
Chemical Assessment Desk 63
Chemical Testing and Information home page 67
Chemicals on Reporting Rules (CORR) 65
Chemical Use Data - TRI Phase 3 Expansion 55
Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative 37
Children's Health Initiative 48
Clearinghouses 63
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) .... 25
Common Sense in the Computer
and Electronics Sector 12
Community Environmental
Partnership (South Baltimore) 48
Community College Partnership (DfE) 23
Confidential Business Information (CBI) 49
Consumer Labeling Initiative 50
Core TSCA National Conference 32
Customer Service Standards 50
Databases 65
Design for the Environment (DfE) 23,59
Dry Cleaning (DfE) 23
ECOSAR Software 51
Electronic Submission of TSCA Data 51
Endocrine Disrupters 24
Enforceable Consent Agreements and Test Rules 31
Envirofacts 65
Environment Leaders' Summit 26
Environmental Justice through
Pollution Prevention Grants 12
Environmental Cost Accounting 10, 60
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing 13,60
Environmental Technology
Initiative (ETI) for Chemicals 30
Enviro$en$e 67
EPA's Web site 67
EPCRA Hotline 63
Exports of Chemicals 25
Facility Identification Initiative 52
Flexographic Printing (DfE) 23
Formaldehyde Exposure Testing 38
Forum of State and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA) 20
Four Corners Pilot Project 27
G7 & 1 26
Garment and Textile Care Program (DfE) 24
Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission 26
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 5
Green Chemistry 14
Green Chemistry Challenge Awards 14
Harmonized Test Guidelines 33
Hotlines 63
"Human Health Indoors" Policy Initiative 38
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 66
International Activities 25
Internet 47, 66
ISO 14000,14001 12,19
James W. Craig Pollution
Prevention Leadership Award 10
Lead Hotline 63
Lead Programs 38
Lead Publications 61
Local Governments 17
68 | Annual Report of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, FY 1997
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Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) 28
Master Testing-List „.. 34
Media Association Pollution Prevention Forum 20
Mercury 42,43
Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime 30
Mexico 25,43,56
National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure
Guideline Levels for Hazardous Substances 36
National Pollution Prevention Center for
Higher Education, University of Michigan 63
National Pollution Prevention Progress Report 9,10
Native American Tribes 55
New Chemicals Program 28
New Chemicals Pollution Prevention
Recognition Award 29
New Chemicals Program home page 67
Newsletters 61
Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) 25,33-34,45,56
Office Directors' Forum 20
ONE and TAG Committees 20
OPPT Library 64
OPPT home page 67
Partnership Programs Coordinating Committee 20
PCBs 43
Persistent, Bioaccumulative
and Toxics (PBT) Initiative 15
Pesticide Inerts/SAT Review 44
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers 56
Pollution Prevention Assessment Framework 52
Pollution Prevention home page 67
Pollution Prevention Incentives
for States (PPIS) Grants 16
Pollution Prevention Information Centers 64 '
Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse (PPIC) 64
Pollution Prevention Trade
Association Workgroup 20
Pollution Prevention Week 10
Premanufacture Notifications 28
Printed Wiring Boards (DfE) 24
Product Stewardship 30
Refractory Ceramic Fibers 44
Regions
Coordination with Regions 4
Pollution Prevention in the Regions 17
Regional Initiatives on Lead (Regions 3,9) 41
Regional Efforts on Asbestos (Regions 7,10) 37
Relative Risk-Based Environmental Indicators 44
Russia 26
Screening Information Data Set (SIDS) 44
Significant New Use Rules 22,28
Small Business Development Center Pilots 11
SMART Review 30
Software Development 51
State Access to CBI Data 49
Strategic Plan 5
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) 16,47,52,61
TRI Facility Expansion 53
TRI Phase 3 Expansion 54
TRI Public Data Release 66
TRI User Support 65
TRI/RTK Conference 57
Tribal Program 57
TSCA Assistance Information Service 65
TSCA Sections 8(a) and 8(d)
Information Gathering Rules 45
TSCA Section 4 Testing 31
TSCA Section 8(e) CAP Submissions 46
TSCA Information Rules 45
TSCA Interagency Testing Committee 33
TSCA Inventory 21
TSCA Inventory Update Rule Amendments 45
TSCA Section 4 Enforceable Consent Agreements and
Test Rules 30
TSCATS (Toxic Substances Control
Act Test Submissions) 31,66
Uses of TRI Data 57
Voluntary Standards Network & ISO
14000 Environmental Management Standards 19
Waste Minimization Prioritization Tool 51
Workgroups, Forums, and Committees 20
Index of Projects | 69
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