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Quality


Iowa

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Preface
The Environmental Profile is a report
to the people of Iowa on the quality of
their environment.

At one  time  natural  cleansing pro-
cesses were adequate to maintain a
livable environment,  but these pro-
cesses  have not been  able to keep
pace  with  rapidly evolving modern
society. Our  aim for the  future  of
Iowa must be to reach  a reasonable
balance  between  the   benefits  of
economic growth (with  its attendant
increased energy demands) and the
need  for healthful air,  clean  water,
and the aesthetic qualities of life that
characterize the State.

Toward this end, I invite all lowans to
be involved in identifying and solving
environmental problems.

The technical data on which this  re-
port is based are available from the
Region VII office of the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA). Any
persons interested in  investigating a
particular topic in greater depth  or
those needing additional detail for
planning or management  purposes
should contact this office. Updated
reports   will   be  issued  as  im-
provements and expansions to  the in-
formation become available.
Your comments, questions, and sug-
gestions are welcome.
Kathleen Q. Camin, Ph.D.
Regional Administrator
Region VII, U.S. EPA
                                                          S FnvFrorrmFnfaT rVofecfforr

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Contents
Page Number
      Water Resources	   6
      Air Quality	 22
      Solid Wastes	 28
      Hazardous Materials	 30
      Pesticides	 32
      Radiation	 34
      Noise	 36
      EPA Mission	 38
      Further Information	 39

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Introduction
Iowa, Kansas,  Missouri,  and  Ne-
braska, which make up EPA Region
VII, are among the leading corn and
wheat producing  States in the Na-
tion. These  States also produce  a
significant share  of  the  soybeans,
grain sorghum, fat cattle,  and fin-
ished hogs  that  are  supplied  to
American and foreign markets.

Although the States in Region VII can
best be characterized  as rural, 65 per-
cent of their nearly 12 million people
live  in urban areas. In  Iowa, metro-
politan areas such as Cedar Rapids
and  Des Moines have environmental
problems resulting from major indus-
trial  operations, municipal services,
transportation,  and  energy produc-
tion. Metropolitan  areas, however, do
4
not have  a monopoly on  environ-
mental problems. Hundreds of com-
munities with populations  of less
than 5000 have  some of the same
problems,  but suffer the disadvan-
tage of having inadequate tax bases
to deal with them.

Few realize the extent and  serious-
ness of the results of air pollution. It
not only harms public health, but also
corrodes physical structures  of  all
kinds   and  damages  agricultural
crops.

Air quality varies widely throughout
the region. Pollution in  rural areas
may result from higher-than-recom-
mended background levels of sus-
pended  particles, whereas pollution
                                                                                  in urban areas comes from  industry
                                                                                  and  transportation.  The  means  of
                                                                                  controlling air pollution depends on
                                                                                  the  meteorology,  the sources, and
                                                                                  the  background air  characteristics,
                                                                                  which will differ from area to area.
Iowa is blessed with an abundance of
high-quality  waters.  Northeastern
Iowa contains some of the Nation's
finest streams and lakes.  Neverthe-
less, many of our streams, rivers, and
lakes are polluted. It  would be dif-
ficult to find a body  of water  that
does not bear some  mark of man's
activities. The pollution comes from
various sources:  inadequately
treated sewage from some communi-
ties; oil  and chemical  spills by in-
dustry; and animal wastes, fertilizer,
salts, and pesticides from farms.


Solid waste (some of which  is hazard-
ous) is  a problem to everyone.  Mil-
lions of  tons  are discarded in  the
Region each year. This waste ranges
from common household  trash to
complex  materials  in  industrial
wastes,  sewage sludge, agricultural
residues, mining  refuse, and path-
ological  wastes  from institutions
such as hospitals and  laboratories.
Many dangerous materials discarded
by society over the past few decades
have endured in  the environment.

These materials  may  contribute to
the pollution of groundwater because
of improperly sited or operated land-
fills and  surface waste  disposal
ponds. This  is particularly critical in
Region VII because nearly half of the

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population  uses groundwater as a
source of drinking water. In addition,
improper handling or disposal of haz-
ardous waste can cause other kinds
of environmental damage, such as air
pollution, contamination of the food
chain,  and  poisoning by  direct con-
tact.

The Environmental Protection Agen-
cy (EPA) is  engaged in a massive ef-
fort to  restore America's water qual-
ity, to reduce air pollution, and to find
a comprehensive approach to other
environmental problems  associated
with pesticide use, radiation, solid
and  hazardous  waste   disposal,
mechanically generated  noise, and
toxic substances.  The EPA  is first
and  foremost a regulatory  agency
with responsibility for setting and en-
forcing standards. The agency also
offers   technical  and   financial
assistance  for environmental protec-
tion  efforts at all  levels  of  govern-
ment.


As a research body, the EPA monitors
and  analyzes the  environment and
conducts   scientific  studies.  The
agency provides technical and scien-
tific information to the public and the
training necessary  to  develop  the
skilled  environmental capability that
the Nation needs.

The  EPA,  State and  local  govern-
ments,  and  private citizens  must
work together to restore the quality of
our  environment and  protect  the
Region's natural  resources for future
generations.

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Water Resources
Sources of Water Pollution
                                                                               Water plays a crucial role in the lives
                                                                               of every person living in Iowa. Good
                                                                               quality  water  for  drinking, agri-
                                                                               culture, and  other  daily  needs  is
                                                                               essential.  Water is also needed for
                                                                               recreational activities such as swim-
                                                                               ming, fishing, and boating. Cities and
                                                                               towns that have grown  along water-
                                                                               ways frequently depend  on  these
                                                                               waterways for  waste disposal and
                                                                               sometimes  for  water  supply.  In-
                                                                               dustries require fresh water  to pro-
                                                                               duce goods and to carry  away treated
                                                                               wastes  resulting from  their  opera-
                                                                               tions.

                                                                               As a result of the demand made on
                                                                               them,  the waterways  of  Iowa are
                                                                               often  contaminated.  Pollution
                                                                               sources can be categorized as either
                                                                               point or nonpoint. A point source is a
                                                                               polluting  discharge with  an iden-
                                                                               tifiable  outlet, such as  a  pipe to a
                                                                               lake  or stream. Examples are  in-
                                                                               dustrial and  municipal wastewater
                                                                               treatment  plants. A nonpoint  source
                                                                               has no particular  outlet;  rather,  it
                                                                               allows pollutants to enter  the water-
                                                                               ways at several different places and
                                                                               often over broad areas.  Examples  of
                                                                               contaminants from nonpoint sources
                                                                               include fertilizers,  pesticides,  and
                                                                               sediment from agricultural practices;
                                                                               metals,  salts, solids, and  other con-
                                                                               taminants in runoff from city streets;
                                                                               and sulfates, metals, and solids from
                                                                               mining  activities.

                                                                               Both point and nonpoint sources af-
                                                                               fect the water quality of  Iowa's rivers.
                                                                               The lowered quality manifests itself
                                                                               in such things as fish kills and lake
                                                                               use impairment. These  same pollu-

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tant  sources  also  affect  Iowa's
groundwater, which is  the principal
source of drinking water.
Point Sources

Point source discharges into water
bodies are both municipal and non-
municipal in nature.

The people and industries served by
municipal sewerage  generate  more
than  25  billion gallons of sewage
every day in the United States. In the
past,  some communities provided
only primary treatment of their waste;
that is, they screened floating solids
and allowed other solids to settle in
holding  ponds. Present laws require
that wastewater be further treated by
a series of processes called "secon-
dary treatment," which is required of
all publicly owned sewage treatment
plants. In  certain  cases, treatment
beyond the secondary level may be
mandated to meet water quality stan-
dards in  the  receiving  streams  or
lakes.

Recognizing that  many  State  and
local governments could  not afford to
build  needed treatment  facilities
without   financial  assistance,  Con-
gress developed a program of Fed-
eral aid,  in which grants are  offered
to cover  75 percent of the costs  of
constructing publicly owned sewage
treatment works. The State govern-
ment pays 5 percent of the remaining
25 percent and the local  government
pays 20 percent. The graph shows the
amount  of Federal construction
     Federal Support Obligated for Wastewater Treatment Facilities
                             in Iowa
100
 90
 80
 70
 60
m
~o

o
en
c
o
 50
 40
 30
 20
 10
       1971   1972   1973   1974    1975   1976   1977   1978   1979

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Water Resources
Sources of Water Pollution (continued)

Point Sources (continued)

grants  provided in  Iowa  in  recent
years. More than 17,000 such grant
projects are active nationwide.

The  EPA has  established effluent
limits on the amount  and kind of
pollutants  that can be discharged
from  various  categories  of  non-
municipal sources such as chemical
plants, oil refineries, and meat pack-
ing plants.  No point source, muni-
cipal or nonmunicipal, can discharge
wastes into a body of water unless it
first obtains a permit from the State.
The  permit states  what  and how
much can  be discharged and  still
meet effluent limits and water quality
standards. The pie charts show com-
pliance with permit conditions.
Federal and state agencies also use
other means of controlling pollution
from point  sources. These include
(1) a  requirement that some  very
strong or toxic industrial wastes be
"pretreated"  before  they   are
discharged  into public sewer sys-
tems,  (2) a  special  program to
regulate  toxic  pollutants, and (3) the
issuance of permits for disposal and
use of dredged and fill  material in or
near the water.
         Percentage of Major Sources Meeting Permit
             Requirements for Effluents in Iowa
                         (1979)
                                        64
                                  Municipal Sources
      45
Industrial Sources

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Nonpoint Sources

Agricultural  runoff is  a major non-
point source of pollutants. Runoff
from farming and grazing  land con-
tributes  significant  amounts  of
suspended  solids,  nutrients,  and
bacterial contamination  to Iowa's
water.

Iowa has prepared  a  water quality
management plan to assess existing
and possible water quality problems
and is  developing a strategy to deal
with these problems. A key element
of  this  planning  has  been  the
designation  of those areas most in
need  of  practical  and  effective
measures   to  curb  runoff  from
agricultural  operations and  thereby
minimize soil erosion and water con-
tamination. Known as  Best Manage-
ment Practices, these measures in-
clude  terraces,   drainage  tiles,
grassed waterways, schedules for ef-
ficient  application of fertilizers and
pesticides,  and other  conservation
practices.

The water quality management plan
also deals with pollution from other
nonpoint sources,  such   as urban
stormwater  runoff, septic  tank and
wastewater lagoon failures, roadside
erosion,  streambank  erosion,  con-
struction site  runoff,  and  leaching
from landfills.

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 Water Resources
Rivers
Stream Quality

The 1983 goal of the Clean Water Act
is to make our  Nation's waters suit-
able  for swimming   and  fishing
wherever  that  goal  is  attainable.
Many types of pollutants now affect
these and other uses. Important as-
pects of clean  water  are described
below.

  •Water temperature is vital. Each
   fish species  has  its own range
   of water temperature tolerance.
   When  these  tolerances are ex-
   ceeded,  aquatic  life  can be
   harmed.

  • Oxygen dissolved in water is as
   important to  aquatic life as ox-
   ygen in air is to humans. Pol-
   lutants  such  as  improperly
   treated sewage can deplete ox-
   ygen and  suffocate  fish and
   other aquatic life.

  •The pH of water,  which relates
   to the acidity and alkalinity, is
   measured on a  scale from 0 to
   14. The value of 7 is considered
   neutral; anything over 7 is alka-
   line; anything under 7 is acidic.
   Either too high or too low a pH
   adversely affects stream life. Ex-
   treme values  in either direction
   can be harmful in  themselves or
   can  increase the  toxicity of
   other substances in the water.
   Changes in pH can  affect fish
   life by preventing fish eggs from
   hatching  and  by  destroying
   floating plants and animals that
   serve as food for the fish.
10
•The trophic state of a river refers
 to the productivity of the water.
 An overabundance  of nutrients,
 especially  nitrogen and  phos-
 phorus,  can  create  excessive
 plant growth, which not only is
 unsightly,  but  also  affects
 recreational and other  uses of
 the water.

•The  toxicity of water refers to
 the concentrations  of toxic ma-
 terials  found in it.  Pesticides,
 polychlorinated  biphenyls
 (PCBs),  heavy metals, cyanide,
 and  ammonia are examples of
 toxic materials.

•Excessive  levels   of  bacteria
 cause streams to be unfit for ac-
 tivities involving human contact,
 such as water-skiing and swim-
 ming. The amount of fecal col-
 iform (bacteria that normally live
 in the intestines of humans and
 other warm-blooded animals) is
 directly  related to  the  amount
 and kinds of pollution from sew-
 age and animal waste sources
 in the water. These bacteria are
 used as indicator organisms to
 alert the possible presence  of
 other, more harmful organisms
 in the water.

•The total volume of solids refers
 to the dissolved and suspended
 material  in  the  water.  These
 solids affect  the clarity,  hard-
 ness, and corrosiveness of the
 water.
 •Aesthetic  value refers  to  the
  general beauty and  quality of
  the water and  takes into  con-
  sideration the levels  of oil and
  grease, visual clarity, and taste-
  tainting chemicals.

The  information  depicted  in  the
stream quality map is  based on a
comparison of those physical, chem-
ical, and  biological data with  recom-
mended  Federal Water Quality
Criteria.

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                              Stream Quality
                                 (1972-1978)
Water Quality Problems
o     Oxygen
T     Organic toxicants
B     Bacteria
N     Nutrients
s     Solids
M     Toxic metals
A     Aesthetic deterioration
                                — Meets Federal water quality goals
Moderate water quality; provisionally
 meets Federal water quality goals

Does not  meet Federal water quality goals

Insufficient data to determine quality

Water quality improving
Water quality deteriorating
                                             fB-N-S-A
Note   Where no arrows are shown for a
      stretch of river, either the water
      quality has been stable for the
      past 7 years or data were insufficient
      to determine trends
                                                                                                                       11

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Water  Resources


Lakes
Lakes are important water resources
for recreation,  water supply,  and
aesthetic appeal. Increases in pollu-
tion from nutrients such as nitrogen
and phosphorus can impair the value
of Iowa lakes. Although plant life is
an important part of a lake's eco-
system, an  overabundance  of
nutrients will cause  excessive
growth of algae and larger plants.
Such overgrowth can choke the lake
of needed  oxygen,  decrease light
penetration,  and be a nuisance to
those using the lake for recreational
or other purposes. Siltation and tur-
bidity from  agricultural  runoff, con-
struction activity, and other nonpoint
sources may also affect  light pene-
tration and  contribute to premature
filling of lakes by sedimentation.

Publicly owned lakes with these and
other  water  quality  problems may
receive help through the Clean Lakes
Program. This program provides
funds to  assist the State of  Iowa in
(1) ranking its public  lakes,  (2) con-
ducting lake studies, and (3) restor-
ing and protecting these lakes.  The
following lakes have received assis-
tance under this program: Blue Lake,
Green Valley Lake, Lenox City Lake,
Lake  Manawa,  Olewein  Lake,  and
Swan  Lake.

The table shows the level of impair-
ment to principal lakes resulting from
pollution. The map  shows the prin-
cipal lakes in Iowa — those that have
a  surface area greater  than  6400
acres  and some smaller lakes that
have significant recreational  impor-
tance, are easily accessible to urban
areas, or are used extensively by the
public.
                         Principal Lakes
12

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                 Pollution-Related Use Impairment of Principal Iowa Lakes
                                             (1980)
      Lake


Big Creek


Big Spirit Lake


Clear Lake


Coralville Reservoir


Lake Macbride


Lake Manawa


Rathbun Reservoir


Red Rock Reservoir


Saylorville Reservoir


West Okoboji Lake



       Low impairment
Surface Area,
   acres


     900


   4,170


   3,680


   4,800


     810


     640


   11,000


   8,950


   5,280


   3,940
Swimming
Fishing
Boating
Aesthetics
           |     | Moderate impairment
                                        Severe impairment
                                                                                                                          13

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Water  Resources
Fish Kills

Reports indicate that approximately
6000 fish were killed in four separate
incidents of water pollution in Iowa in
1976. The  most significant of  these
incidents, which killed 2500 fish, was
caused by fertilizer spilled into Otter
Creek near Elgin in  Fayette County.
The accompanying  map shows  the
location, size, and cause of the 1976
kills.

Because reporting  is entirely volun-
tary, the information shown probably
represents only a fraction of the kills
that occurred. Numerous small kills
go  unnoticed or  unreported,  and
some significantly large kills are not
included because information  is in-
sufficient  to  determine  if the  kills
resulted from pollutants in the  water
or from natural causes.
                 Reported Pollution-Caused Fish Kills
                               (1976)
 PLYMOUTH  | CHEROKEE
[Sioux City
          JPA I  SAC  | CALHOUN ]_.. WEBSTER
                                            ^\ HARRISON I  SHELBY  [AJ
                                               POTTAWATTAMIE
                                                    MONTGOMERY!
                                                                UNION_
                                                            O 100-1,000 Fish
                                       • 1,000-10,000 Fish
14

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Groundwater
Water  held  in  underground gravel,
sand,  and  silt layers  (aquifers)  is
referred to  as groundwater. Surface
water  and  precipitation  trickle
through cracks and pores in the earth
to reach the aquifers. The quality  of
groundwater is  important because it
is the  water source for  a  large seg-
ment of the State's population. The
contamination  of groundwater sup-
plies  by   nitrates   and  toxic
substances is receiving increased at-
tention.
Naturally  occurring  radiation,
selenium, and fluoride released from
underlying rocks have contaminated
groundwater in some areas. Concen-
trations of these contaminants vary
erratically  and  sometimes  reach
levels of concern.

Once  groundwater  has  become
contaminated,  purifying it by natural
means is very slow at best. Therefore,
prevention of groundwater pollution
is critical. To this end, the EPA has in-
stituted  the Underground Injection
Program  to  limit  the  injection  of
wastes  underground.  States  may
assume  responsibility for this pro-
gram.
Nitrates are known to cause anemic
conditions  in  infants.  Although
nature provides some of the nitrates
in groundwater (through  decaying
organic  material), the  amount of
nitrates can be increased by modern
agricultural practices requiring irriga-
tion and the use of such fertilizers as
ammonia and liquid nitrogen. The ap-
plication of more fertilizer than the
plant roots can use allows the excess
to reach the groundwater, and porous
soils  allow  nitrates  to  enter the
groundwater  rapidly,  before  the
plants can take them  up. The ground-
water in several areas in  the State
has high nitrate levels,  but concen-
trations tend to vary widely.


Uncontrolled toxic chemical disposal
sites are another possible source of
groundwater contamination. The Re-
source Conservation  and  Recovery
Act of 1976 addresses this problem. It
requires  such sites to have an im-
permeable barrier to prevent ground-
water contamination from the buried
material.
                Sources and Pathways of Nitrogen to the Aquifer
                                  Precipitation
  Root Zone
  Soil Zone
   Aquifer
Consolidated
  Material
                                                                  Water Level
                                                                                                                  15

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Water  Resources
Drinking Water

The  average  adult consumes from
one and a half to five quarts of water
a day. Most people assume the water
they drink is  safe, and  it usually is.
Sometimes, however, it can be con-
taminated by  bacteria, metals, toxic
chemicals, or other pollutants.

At least 4000 documented cases of
waterborne illnesses occur each year
in the  United  States;  the  actual
number is probably much greater, as
many go unreported. In  addition, the
health effects of long-term, low-level
exposure to contaminated water are
not well known. Nevertheless, these
also should be of concern to each of
us.
To help fight these health  threats,
Congress (in the Safe Drinking Water
Act) directed EPA to establish drink-
ing water standards for  all public
water supplies having 15 or more ser-
vice connections or regularly serving
25 or more persons. The  pollutants
for which   standards  have  been
established  are briefly  described
below.

Bacteria —  Coliform bacteria from
human  and other animal wastes can
be found in improperly treated drink-
ing water.  These  bacteria may in-
dicate the presence of other harmful
organisms.  Waterborne  diseases
such as typhoid, cholera,  infectious
hepatitis, and  dysentery have been
traced  to  improperly  disinfected
drinking water.

Nitrate  —  Drinking  water  having
nitrate levels above the national stan-
dard poses an immediate threat to
children under three months of age.
In some infants, excessive levels of
nitrate have been known to react with
the hemoglobin in the blood  to pro-
duce an anemic condition commonly
known as "blue baby."

Arsenic  —  This  element   occurs
naturally in the environment. It is also
found in insecticides, foods,  tobac-
co, shellfish, drinking water, and air.
Consumption   of  water that  con-
tinuously exceeds the national stan-
dard can cause fatigue and loss of
energy. High levels of arsenic intake
can be fatal.

Barium — This element also  occurs
naturally in  the environment in some
areas, but it is not as widespread as
arsenic. Barium can also enter water
supplies  through  industrial  waste
discharges. Although  small  doses
are not harmful,  consumption of
large  quantities is quite dangerous
and can cause high blood pressure,
nerve  damage, and even death.

Cadmium — Only minute amounts of
this element  are  found in  natural
waters in the United States; however,
improperly treated waste discharges
from electroplating, photography, in-
secticide, and  metallurgy industries
can increase  cadmium  levels. Al-
though  most  cadmium enters the
16

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body through cigarette smoking and
food intake, minute quantities have
also been  found  in water  supplies
having galvanized pipes and fixtures.


Chromium — Cigarettes,  foods, and
air are the most common sources of
chromium.  High levels of chromium
in drinking water may cause skin and
respiratory  ailments. Although some
studies suggest that minute amounts
of  chromium  may be essential  to
humans, this theory has not  yet been
proven.


Lead — This metal is found in the air,
in food, and in the pigment  of some
older  paints. The lead in  drinking
water comes from plumbing, auto ex-
hausts, and  other sources.  When
standards  are greatly  exceeded,
humans  may  suffer  from  nervous
system disorders or  from  brain  or
kidney damage.


Mercury — Mercury levels  in water
can be raised above  normal  by in-
dustrial  discharges   and mercury-
based  pesticides.  A greater health
risk results from  eating fish  from
such waters than  simply from water-
borne mercury itself, because the ele-
ment  becomes concentrated in  the
fish tissues.  Ingested mercury can
cause  liver,  intestinal, circulatory,
kidney, and neurological ailments —
even death. Mercury poisoning can
be acute, as a result of large doses,
or  chronic,  as a result  of smaller
doses  received  over   an extended
Selenium  — This material occurs
naturally in  soil and  plants and  is
found  in  meat and  other  foods.
Although selenium is  believed to be
essential in  the diet, indications are
that excessive amounts may be toxic.
Studies are  under way to determine
the amount  required for good nutri-
tion and that which may be harmful.

Silver — The need to  set a drinking
water standard  for silver arises from
its intentional addition as a disinfect-
ant in some water supplies. Overex-
posure to silver causes discoloration
of the skin and mucous membrane.
When absorbed through the skin  or
consumed at high levels, silver can
cause  kidney,  liver,  and  spleen
damage.

Pesticides — Each year some of the
millions of pounds of pesticides used
on  croplands,  forests,  lawns,  and
gardens in the United States drain off
into  surface waters  or  seep  into
underground water supplies.  If  they
get into drinking water and the water
is not properly treated, many of them
may  pose  health  problems.  The
pesticides for which drinking water
standards have been established are
Endrin,  Lindane, Methoxychlor,  Tox-
aphene, 2,4-D, and 2,4,5-TP Silvex.

Radioactivity —  Radiation,  which
results from both natural  and man-
made processes,  is of concern be-
cause  it is  known to  cause cancer
and  genetic  defects  in   humans.
Some water supplies within the State
have  been found to contain radio-
activity  above  the concern  level.
Radioactivity is discussed further in
the radiation section of this publica-
tion.

Turbidity  —  Turbidity  (cloudiness
resulting from minute suspended par-
ticles)  in  drinking water  interferes
with the  aesthetic quality  of  the
water.  Excessive  turbidity can also
interfere with disinfection and allow
disease-causing  organisms  to  sur-
vive. National  standards  have  been
set to correct this problem.
                                                                                                                   17

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Water Resources
Drinking Water (continued)

The figure shows the percentage of
Iowa communities meeting drinking
water standards for each of these
contaminants.

Percentages  out of compliance are
based on total number of violations
divided by the number of community
water supplies.
Compliance of Iowa Community Water Supplies
   With Chemical Drinking Water Standards

              (1289 Supplies)
                                              Silver
                                              Fluoride
                                              All Organics
                                              (including
                                               pesticides)
                                                              5     90      95


                                                           Percent in Compliance in 1979

-------
Fluoride is a naturally occurring ele-
ment  that  is commonly  added  to
water  supplies to help prevent tooth
decay. The recommended concentra-
tion is  1  part  per  million (ppm).
Because   too  much  fluoride   can
cause mottling of teeth, concentra-
tions  above 2 ppm are  a cause for
concern. The map shows Iowa coun-
ties that  have  adequate fluoride  in
their drinking water.
Population Receiving Adequately Fluoridated Water
                       (1980)
                                             Percentage of
                                              Population      O Natural Source
                                             D 0 • 20%      O Adjusted Source          Total Population           2,825,000

                                             R Si ' M°/°        (SHHCH '" whlch~me'or •"'"»"*'   Population With Fluoridated
                                             Hfil"ftSo/°        added or some fluor.de art,f,c.al.y      Water Supplies          1,772,000 Of 63%
                                             D 61 • oO/o        removed to provide recommended             rr
                                             D 81 • 100%       concentration)
                                                                                                                              19

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Water Resources
Wetland Areas
Wetlands are lowland areas, such as
marshes  or  swamps,  that  are
saturated with moisture all or part of
the year.  These  lands   represent
unique ecosystems of major impor-
tance.  Iowa's  wetlands  provide
unique recreational areas, which sup-
port hunting and fishing, are high in
aesthetic  value,  and  contain
irreplaceable plant  and  animal  life
that make them especially valuable
for educational  and   scientific
studies.

Some other roles and functions of
wetlands are often not appreciated.
For  example,  these  areas  can
recharge groundwater supplies and
help  to maintain  flow  during  dry
periods. The dense vegetation, acting
as a filter, traps pollutants and helps
to maintain water quality  in nearby
streams and lakes. By storing flood-
waters and excess runoff, the wet-
lands can serve as buffer zones and
reduce erosion by dissipating the
energy of floodwaters. They also can
be a source of harvestable timber and
crops.

The major zone of wetlands in Iowa,
known as the Wisconsin Glaciation
Area, is located in the north-central
part of the State, as shown  on the
map on the opposite page. Most of
these wetlands have been destroyed
as a result of artificial drainage for
agricultural  purposes. Over 99 per-
cent of the wetlands in Iowa  have
been destroyed since the turn of the
century. An estimated 55,000 acres of
wetlands still remained in 1977.
                                    Wetland Acreage Remaining in Iowa
                               6.0
                               5.0
                                                                      4.0
                                                                   10
                                                                   0>
                                                                   o
                                                                   10
                                                                   « 3.0
                                                                   o
                                                                     2.0
                                                                      1.0
                                                                                             (138,000)
                                                                                                        (55,000)
                                                                               1900
                                                   1955
                                                                                                    1977

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Zones in Which Remaining Wetlands Are Located
       Wetlands
                                 Riverine Wetlands
                                                                                      21

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Air Quality
Air Pollutants and Standards
The objective of the EPA's air pollu-
tion control program is to meet the re-
quirements of the Federal Clean Air
Act by achieving and maintaining Na-
tional Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) by 1983. Toward  this  goal,
the EPA provides research on health
effects,  offers  the  State  both
technical and financial assistance,
and  sets  standards  for  specific
sources.

The primary concern is the effect of
air  quality  on  public health. Com-
monly known effects of air pollution
are  respiratory  aggravation   and
cardiovascular  stress.  Air pollution
also threatens  crops, forests,   fish,
lake  ecosystems,  and  property
values.  These  are referred to as
public welfare considerations.

The  many  sources of air pollution
range from natural sources, such as
dust,  to  the  daily  emission of
thousands of tons of pollutants from
industrial   smokestacks   and
automobile exhausts.
State Implementation Plans

The EPA required that all states have
an approved  State Implementation
Plan (SIP) by 1972. The plans were to
detail the state's program for achiev-
ing and maintaining the National Am-
bient Air Quality Standards and the
regulatory mechanisms  for accom-
plishing that goal.  When monitoring
shows that a particular pollutant ex-
ceeds  standards, an inadequacy in
the original SIP is indicated. The area
where  this  occurs is declared  a
nonattainment area.

Revisions to  the SIP  must be sub-
mitted to EPA for the nonattainment
area and  pollutant standard  being
violated.  The revised  SIP must  in-
dicate  additional   controls for  ex-
isting and new sources and the sup-
porting regulatory  mechanisms. As
part of the control program, all ex-
isting  point  sources  must  apply
Reasonably  Available  Control
Technology.  All new point sources
must apply  the  more   stringent
Lowest  Achievable Emission Rate
control.

Further, in the interim period before
the SIP revision is approved by EPA,
no  new point sources  can be built
unless emissions from other sources
are correspondingly reduced. After
the SIP is approved, every new point
source   must  be evaluated   to
demonstrate that its proposed emis-
sions will not cause a violation of the
applicable air quality standard.

Standards have been written for six
criteria pollutants:  Total suspended
particulates  (TSP),  ozone, carbon
monoxide (CO), sulfur  dioxide (SO2),
lead (Pb), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Primary standards are written to pro-
tect public health, whereas secon-
dary standards are written to protect
public welfare.

The  State  determines compliance
with National  Ambient Air Quality
Standards (by monitoring air quality)
Population Exposure Where Ambient Air
Health Standards Are Exceeded in Iowa
  Population
   Exposed
  577,000
  194,000
                  Particulates
  163,000
        Total State Population
             2,824,376
and acts as the primary enforcement
agent. The  Des Moines-Polk County
Health  Department and the  Linn
County Health Department assist the
State in these tasks.

In  addition  to emissions of the six
criteria pollutants for which ambient
standards have been established, the
EPA also regulates emissions  of a
special  group  of  hazardous  air
pollutants  —  asbestos,   vinyl
chloride,   mercury,  benzene,
beryllium, and radioactive particles.
All of  these  have been shown  to
cause cancer in  humans. The three
sludge  incinerators  and  one
asbestos processor in Iowa are all in
compliance with the National Emis-
sion  Standards  for Hazardous Air
Pollutants.
22

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Number of Days National Total Suspended Particulate Standards
                  Were Exceeded in Iowa in 1978*
        Cedar Rapids

        Des Moines

        Marshalltown

        Mason City

        Spencer
                        1234
I    | Health standard exceeded

IH Alert level exceeded

*Note: Because consideration must be given to natural
      meteorological events, exceeding Ambient Air
      Quality Standards for one day during a single
      year does not constitute a violation; the
      standard must be exceeded at  least two days
      in a single year to be considered a violation.
                                                    8   9   10

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 Air Quality
 Air Pollutants and Standards (continued)
                                                                                                           Davenport
                 Nonattainment Areas for
             Total Suspended Particulates (TSP)
                          (1980)
  A Part of county violates the secondary (public welfare) standard.
  /V Part of county violates primary standard and part violates secondary standard.
                                 Nonattainment Areas for
                                         Ozone
                                         (1980)

                                  H County violates standard.
Total Suspended
Particulates (TSP)

Northern  Mason City,  central  and
southern Cedar Rapids, parts of Des
Moines and West Des  Moines, and
central Davenport are primary nonat-
tainment areas for total suspended
particulates.   Muscatine,  Clinton,
Sioux City, Fort Dodge, Waterloo,
Council  Bluffs,  Keokuk,  Northern
Davenport, outer Des Moines,  and
portions of Mason City and Cedar
Rapids are secondary nonattainment
areas.

The term TSP refers to all the  solid
material floating in the air, such as
24
dust, soot, and fly ash. Agricultural
activities,  construction  sites,  un-
paved   roads,   grain  handling,
automobile exhaust, and coal com-
bustion  are all sources of TSP. All
TSP affects the respiratory system,
but the  smallest particles are  the
most  harmful.  In  addition,  toxic
materials  such  as pesticides and
lead are sometimes carried by these
suspended particles.

Ozone

Linn County is a nonattainment area
for ozone.

Ozone  is  a  major  component of
photochemical smog  formed  by a
series of chemical reactions that oc-
cur when hydrocarbons and nitrogen
oxides  are  exposed  to  sunlight.
Hydrocarbons  include  the  fumes
from  any  of numerous oil-derived
liquids (for example, gasoline, kero-
sene, diesel fuels, lacquers, and thin-
ners).  The  most common sources of
airborne  hydrocarbons  are  auto-
mobiles,  refineries,  fuel  transfer
facilities,  painting  operations, fuel
combustion  in  stationary  sources,
and nature itself. Ozone, which is a
severe  irritant  to  mucous  mem-
branes,  aggravates  respiratory dis-
orders, reduces lung function, and in-
creases susceptibility to bacterial in-
fection.

-------
 Sioux City
                                                            Sioux City
                                                                                                              ibuque
                                                    Davanport
                 Nonattainment Areas for
                  Carbon Monoxide (CO)
                         (1980)

                Pan of county violates standard.
                                  Nonattainment Areas for
                                    Sulfur Dioxide (SO,)
                                          (1980)

                                  A  Part of county violates standard.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Downtown  Des  Moines  is  a non-
attainment area for carbon monoxide
(CO).

Carbon monoxide, a toxic byproduct
of  incomplete  combustion  (auto-
mobile  exhausts  are  the  major
source), reduces the amount of  ox-
ygen available  to lung tissues,  im-
pairs  visual  perception,  decreases
alertness, and  in  high  concentra-
tions, can be fatal.
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Julian Township in Dubuque County
is  a nonattainment area for sulfur
dioxide.

Sulfur  dioxide  results  from  the
combustion of sulfur-containing coal
and oil, the smelting of metal ores,
the refining  of  oil,  and  other  in-
dustrial processes. This  compound
reacts readily with other atmospheric
pollutants  to  form  a  group  of
substances  called sulfates,  which
aggravate heart disease and  such
respiratory  ailments as  bronchitis,
emphysema,  and   asthma.  Sulfur
dioxide also reacts with moisture to
produce acid rain, a problem affect-
ing the delicate ecosystems of lakes
and forests.
                                                                                                                   25

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 Air Quality	
 Air Pollutants and Standards (continued)
The entire State of  Iowa  meets the
national  standards  for  the  other
criteria  pollutants,  which  are  de-
scribed briefly below.

Lead

The metal lead (Pb)  reaches the air
primarily through the use of leaded
gasoline. Other sources include lead
and zinc mining  and  processing
sites, lead  recovery plants, battery
manufacturing facilities, and certain
industrial chemical  processing fac-
tories. Lead is particularly harmful to
the  soft  tissues of the  body,  the
reproductive system, and the nervous
system. It also can cause anemia and
irreversible brain damage.

Nitrogen Oxides

Nitrogen  oxides (NOx)  are produced
by fuel combustion  and come from
both stationary and mobile sources.
Coal- and  oil-fired  furnaces  and
automobiles  are major   sources.
These compounds react with hydro-
carbons in the presence of sunlight
and produce ozone. They also cause
acid rain. Nitrogen  dioxide (NO2), a
form of NOx,  can affect lung tissue,
reduce resistance to disease,  con-
tribute to bronchitis and pneumonia,
and  aggravate  chronic  lung
disorders.
             Emissions

             No SIP revisions are required in areas
             where  monitoring  indicates  com-
             pliance with  NAAQS.   Existing
             sources, however, must  meet  ap-
             plicable State and local regulations,
             and new sources may also be subject
             to more stringent  regulations.  Some
             new source categories must  meet
             New Source Performance Standards.
             Major new  sources  must meet Pre-
             vention  of  Significant Deterioration
             regulations.

             Of  the  532  existing  major  point
             sources in  Iowa, 525 sources are in
             compliance with applicable emission
             regulations.
 Ranges in color keys
indicate 1000's tons/yr.
                                                                   Participate Emissions

                                                            D «10    010-20    O 21-50
                    l»50
26

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Sioux City
                      SO, Emissions
                  D«10     010-50    D»50
                                                            Davenport
                                                                     Sioux City
  Hydrocarbon Emissions
D«10    Q10-20    D 21-50
                                                                                                                                 Davenport
Sioux City
                       CO Emissions
           D <20      a 20-75     D 76-140    • »140
                                                                     Sioux City
                                                           Davenport
      N02 Emissions
     0*5       D 5-40
                                                                                                                                Davenport
                                                                                                                                     27

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Solid  Waste
Disposal and Recovery

Besides the well-known household
garbage, solid waste includes such
material as waste from agricultural,
industrial,  and  mining  activities;
sludges from water and air pollution
control  facilities; demolition
material; and abandoned cars.  Na-
tional statistics show that 87 percent
of the solid waste  in  the  United
States is  produced  by  agricultural
and mining activities, 9 percent by in-
dustrial activities, and 4 percent by
residential  and  commercial  ac-
tivities. The  amount  of solid waste
constantly increases, and  its com-
position changes with the Nation's
population growth and technological
advancement.

Increases in solid waste result in the
littering of city streets, country road-
sides, and  any  available  open
spaces. Such littering diminishes our
enjoyment of the environment and
creates an expensive cleanup prob-
lem.

The   most  fundamental ways to
lessen environmental  damage from
solid  waste are (1)to generate less
waste  or  (2) to  recover  and  reuse
valuable  resources  from  those
wastes. Both approaches would  not
only  reduce  degradation, but save
energy and materials as well.

Generation  of  solid  waste  by
municipalities is  high — about 1300
pounds per person per year;  the rate
of resource recovery is low — about 7
percent.  The rising  cost  of land
disposal, however, is likely to make
resource  recovery and conservation
increasingly more attractive.
28
Passage of the  Resource  Conserva-
tion and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976
accelerated solid waste management
programs at all levels of government.
Uncontrolled open dumps and open
burning of solid  waste will soon be a
thing of the past. Sanitary landfills
are the most common replacement
for  open  dumps  in  solid  waste
management programs. The design
of these landfills is  such  that solid
waste can  be buried in a manner effi-
cient enough to  protect both ground-
water and surface water. The map in-
dicates the approved sanitary land-
fills in Iowa.

Proper  operation of the  landfills  is
essential to adequate control of the
waste placed there. Also, every Iowa
citizen must recognize his or her role
in environmental protection by assur-
ing that any household waste, dead
animals, pesticide  containers,  and
the like are disposed of properly.

-------
      Permitted Solid Waste Disposal Facilities
                        (1980)
O Regular Sanitary Landfill      • Special Waste Site

O Transfer Station             O Construction and Demolition Site

                     O Recycling Facility
                                                                                                       29

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Hazardous  Materials
Hazardous Waste

The  use  of  large  quantities  of
chemicals has become a way of life
in our society. The list of more than
4,000,000 recognized chemical com-
pounds grows at the rate of 6,000 per
week.

Many  of  these  chemicals  are
beneficial, but some  are  known to
produce adverse effects in our food,
water, and  air; the effects of many
others  are  still unknown. The EPA
estimates that at  least  57  million
metric tons of waste generated in the
United  States  in 1980  may  be
classified as hazardous.

Many once believed that the Midwest
would  never  have to worry  about
health  hazards associated with im-
proper handling of chemicals such as
those experienced in the East — for
example, the nationally  publicized
Love Canal incident in New York. The
problem is brought closer to home by
the hazardous waste problem involv-
ing Salsbury Laboratories and the La-
Bounty  dumpsite  in  Charles  City.
Waste products from  the laboratory
and dumpsite have been  shown to
contain  such  contaminants  as
arsenic,  phenol,  orthonitroaniline,
and nitrophenol. The ground and sur-
face  water resources  potentially  in-
volved are used by 300,000 lowans.
The  Iowa Department of  Environ-
mental Quality and the  EPA  have
taken several actions to deal with the
problem, including the preparation of
a remedial plan that details how the
laboratory  is  to perform the
necessary work to correct the situa-
tion.
30
In the  40  years  preceding  the
passage of the Resource Conserva-
tion  and  Recovery Act  (RCRA) in
1976,  the  disposal  of  hazardous
wastes was largely unregulated. The
act  mandated  a  comprehensive
"cradle to grave"  hazardous  waste
management program. Such proper
environmental control will cost more,
but eliminate the astronomical costs
of correcting poor disposal practices.
For  example,  a 1979  EPA  study
reported that cleaning up abandoned
and improperly operated  hazardous
waste sites could cost as much as
$44 billion, of which only a portion
would likely be paid by the owners of
the sites.

The RCRA plan of attack consists of
two  phases.  The  first  provides  a
system  for following   hazardous
waste from its point of origin to its
final disposal. This system includes:

 •Identifying hazardous waste.
 • Setting standards for producers
  and  shippers of  hazardous
  waste.
 • Specifying performance, design,
  and operating requirements for
  facilities that treat, store,  or
  dispose of hazardous waste.
 • Providing a system for issuing
  permits to such facilities.
 •Furnishing  guidelines that
  outline conditions under  which
  state   governments  can  be
  authorized to carry out their own
  programs for  hazardous  waste
  management.
The second phase of the program en-
tails a comprehensive effort to iden-
tify dangerous abandoned or uncon-
trolled  dump sites.  If  danger  to
human health and the environment is
deemed "imminent and substantial,"
the owner can be forced to clean  up
the site. Unfortunately, many  of the
owners cannot be found or are not
financially able to correct the prob-
lem.

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Hazardous Spills
Most environmental problems do not
require immediate action, but the ac-
cidental release of oil or some haz-
ardous  material  can  constitute an
emergency condition. Such incidents
necessitate immediate action to pro-
tect public health and to minimize
damage to natural resources.

In the event of  such emergencies, a
response team  must be  prepared to
travel to the area, identify the nature
and source of the substance spilled,
and take direct  action to contain the
spill. Cleanup of the spilled material
can then begin, and if necessary, ap-
propriate legal action can be taken.

This type of response is complex and
expensive. The workers must wear
protective  equipment and take the
necessary  precautionary measures
until such time as the nature of the
chemical  involved has  been deter-
mined.  Few safe sites  are readily
available for disposal of hazardous
materials,  and such materials often
must be transported a great distance
for proper  long-term disposal.

The charts show the number of spills
by type of material and environment
affected for the two-year period from
October 1977 to September 1979.
              Percent of Total Number of Spills by Type* in Iowa
                                                          1%  Pesticide

                                                          1%  PCB
Percent of Total Petroleum Spills
    by Environment Affected *
Percent of Total Nonpetroleum Spills
     by Environment Affected*
                                                             * Based on Spill Investigation Reports by EPA's
                                                              Surveillance and Analysis Division (October 1977-
                                                              September 1979).
                                                                                                                   31

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Pesticides
Use and Misuse

The  use  of  insecticides  and her-
bicides is common and beneficial on
farms, in the home and garden, and in
commercial  and institutional estab-
lishments. Besides  the  increased
crop  production made  possible by
the extensive agricultural use of pes-
ticides, another benefit derived from
the use of pesticides is the control of
such  pests  as flies, roaches, and
other insects.

Because of the manner in which they
provide   these  benefits,  pesticides
must be  considered poisons, and as
such, they can be dangerous not only
to the people who apply them, but
also to those who may be acciden-
tally exposed. Harm can result from
inhaling the pesticide or from absorb-
ing it through the skin.  Pesticides
can also  contaminate food crops and
harm the people who consume them.
Many pesticides  kill plants,  birds,
animals,  and such beneficial insects
as honeybees,  along with the in-
tended pests. They can also become
concentrated in fish and wildlife and
pose a threat to those who eat them.
For these reasons, the manufacture,
sale, and use of  these compounds
are regulated by the government.

More than 1,400  chemicals  are in-
cluded in the approximately 40,000
pesticide  products registered with
the EPA.  As of 1980, 49  of  these
chemicals (involving  about  1,700
products) have been restricted to cer-
tain   uses,  and  the  use  of  44
pesticides  has  been   limited,
suspended, or banned. Persons who
wish to apply restricted-use products
32
must become certified as applicators
and, in some cases, are required to
attend training courses prior to cer-
tification. The  Iowa Department of
Agriculture  has  certified  66,876
private and  4,290  commercial ap-
plicators.
The charts show the uses and types
of pesticides in  Iowa, based  on a
1974 survey.

-------
                                 Pesticide Usage in Iowa
                                          (1974)
Uses
                      0.2% Industry
                       0.3% Government
Types
                      0.4% Nematocides
                       0.6%  Fungicides
                                                                 84% Herbicides
                    Total 1974 Pesticide Usage = 58,773,000 pounds
                                                                                                          33

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 Radiation
 Environmental Exposure
 Radiation results from the breakup of
 an  atomic  nucleus. Two types  are
 emitted during the breakup: ionizing
 radiation  (a  stream  of  nuclear
 fragments)  and nonionizing radiation
 (a high-energy burst of X rays). When
 radiation passes through living cells,
 it disturbs  essential chemical mole-
 cules. Such disturbance can result in
 death of the cell, cancer, or a genetic
 defect. Scientists are currently  un-
 sure whether or not there is a safe
 level of  radiation — one at which
 these effects are not produced.

 Some radiation in the environment is
 due to natural causes; some results
 from  human activities.  Natural
 radioactivity (known as cosmic rays)
 continuously  bombards  Earth from
 space, and  the planet itself contains
 radioactive  uranium, thorium,  and
 potassium.   Because  this  natural
 radioactivity is in the air we breathe,
 the water we drink, and the foods we
 eat, we all  have  some  amount of
 radioactivity within us.

 Man adds to this radiation exposure
 in various ways:  by medical and den-
 tal X rays, by jet flights, by television
 viewing, by  mining  natural deposits
 of radioactive ore, by the production
 of fallout through atmospheric tests
of nuclear weapons, by the combus-
tion of coal (which  contains several
 radioactive  elements), and  by the
creation of radioactive materials dur-
ing nuclear  energy production.
Radiation Exposure From Environmental Sources
                          Internal to
                         Human Body
                            25%
34

-------
        Combined Terrestrial and Cosmic Radiation Exposure by State
D 40-50 Millirems'
         Per Year

O 51-60 Millirems
         Per Year
D 61-70 Millirems
         Per Year

m 71-80 Millirems
         Per Year
*Note A millirem is one-thousandth of a rem, which is
      a unit of radiation exposure to the human body
      For example, a chest Xray equals about 50 milhrems
      per hour, a dental Xray about 20 millirems per hour,
      and viewing color television about 2 millirems per hour
      The lethal dosage is about 500,000 millirems.
          I 81-90 Millirems
                 Per Year
                                                                                         35

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Noise
Effects and  Controls
Everyone is exposed to noise of vary-
ing intensities  and  from many dif-
ferent  sources  every day. Constant
exposure to loud noise can be harm-
ful.

Noise-induced hearing  loss  is par-
ticularly recognized  in employees of
highly  mechanized  industries and
other  occupations  involving  ex-
posure  to   loud  noise.  Excessive
levels  of  noise  appear to  cause
stress, which may in turn increase
susceptibility to disease and infec-
tion,  notably  heart disease and
ulcers. An   estimated  14.7  million
workers are exposed to an 8-hour
average sound level of 75 decibels, at
which  there  is  risk  of  hearing
damage.

The EPA is in the process of estab-
lishing standards that   require  the
reduction of noise in new production
of portable air compressors, medium-
and heavy-duty  trucks, earth-moving
machinery,  buses,  truck-mounted
solid   waste compactors,  motor-
cycles,  jackhammers,   and  lawn-
mowers.  As older  equipment  is
replaced with products  conforming
with the standards, a gradual reduc-
tion  in environmental noise  levels
will occur. Other EPA activity centers
around the development of  regula-
tions  requiring  equipment  to  be
labeled so  that prospective  buyers
are  aware  of the  level of noise the
product emits.
Most noise ordinances are not based
on actual measurements; rather, they
consider sound a problem only when
it is a "nuisance." The State of Iowa
has established a  maximum objec-
tive noise  level for snowmobiles and
requires an  "effective"  muffler on
other  vehicles.  A Technical Assis-
tance Center, one of ten  in the Na-
tion, has  been established at the
University of Iowa to assist State and
local governments  in  Region  VII  in
noise-related problems and needs.
    Iowa Population Protected
          by Enforceable
         Noise Ordinances
                                                 Total State Population:
                                                      2,824,376
36

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           Typical  Exposure Levels
                   (in decibels)
 Jet Takeoff
(100 m away)
   Street
   Traffic
                   90-
                    75 •
                    70
                   50-
                    30-
                    10-
                        U-100
                                     Live Concert
                         -80
         Possibility of noise-induced
              hearing damage
          (after 8-hour exposure)
                         -60
-40
                         -20
            Conversation
                          _ Threshold
                          of Hearing
   Woods
The measure of energy per area
is presented in decibels. An
increase from 20 to 30 or 90 to
100 represents a tenfold increase
in energy.
                                                                        37

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The EPA Mission
The  Environmental Protection Agen-
cy serves as the advocate for a live-
able environment  in  a number  of
ways.  First and  foremost,  it is  a
regulatory  agency  responsible for
setting and enforcing standards. The
EPA  is  currently  engaged in   a
massive  effort to restore America's
waters, to reduce air pollution, and to
find  a comprehensive  approach  to
other environmental problems asso-
ciated with pesticides use, radiation,
solid and hazardous waste disposal,
mechanically generated noise, and
toxic substances.  As  a research
body, the EPA monitors and analyzes
the environment and conducts scien-
tific  studies.  The agency furnishes
technical and scientific information
to the public, provides training  to
develop the environmental skills that
the  Nation needs, and offers tech-
nical and financial assistance for en-
vironmental protection  efforts at all
levels of  government.

Iowa Environmental Agencies

The  Iowa Department of Environmen-
tal Quality is an independent State
agency responsible for environmen-
tal  planning  and  enforcement. Its
responsibilities  cover  air  quality;
water quality and supply; the dis-
posal of  solid, hazardous, and toxic
wastes; and radiation.

The  Iowa Department of Agriculture
is an independent State  agency re-
sponsible for the registration of pes-
ticides,  the  certification   of  ap-
plicators, and an enforcement pro..
gram.
38

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For Further Information
If you would like additional information about specific en-
vironmental programs in which EPA is involved, please con-
tact EPA Region VII, Public Affairs Office, 324 E. 11th St.,
Kansas City, MO 64106, or call (800) 821-3714. This office
maintains a supply of EPA publications that relate to the
various programs mentioned in this document, operates an
informal speaker's bureau, and coordinates  distribution of
environmental films (all free of charge to the public). If you
encounter an environmental problem, report it first to your
local and then to your state pollution control agency.
EPA Region VII program numbers:
Action Line	(800)821-3714
Air Pollution Programs	(816) 374-3791
Hazardous Wastes Program  	(816) 374-3307
Oil and Chemical Spills
  Region VII Emergency Response Center . .  .(816)374-3778
  National Emergency Response Center  . ..  .(800)424-8802
Pesticides Program  	(816) 374-3036
  Pesticides Poisoning Emergency	(800)424-9300
Radiation Program	(816)374-6621
Resource Recovery Program	(816) 374-6532
Solid Wastes Program 	(816)374-6532
Toxic Substances Program	(816)374-3036
Wastewater Treatment	(816)374-2725
Water Supply	(816)374-5429
Wetlands	(816)374-2921
In addition to the U.S. EPA, State agencies assist residents
with their environmental questions and problems. In Iowa,
these agencies are:
Department of Environmental Quality	(515) 281-8854
  Air Quality
  Water Quality
  Water Supply
  Solid Wastes
  Chemical Technology
  Radiation
Department of Agriculture	(515)281-5321
  Pesticides
                                            U.S.  Environmental Protection AgencvT
                                            Region V, Li'inry                   .>
                                            23 J  Co^th L^r^orn  Street
                                            Chicago,  i;[inois  60604
                                                                                                             39

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