EPA/600/N-93/006
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II, New York. New York 10278
DATE: March 12, 1993
SUBJECT: Risk Assessment Review
FROM: William J. Uef
Deputy Regional Administrator
William Farland, Ph.D.
Director
Office of Health and Environmental Assessment
Attached is a copy of the Risk Assessment Review, a bimonthly
publication that is a cooperative effort between the Office
of Research and Development and the Regional Risk Assessment
Network.
The Review serves as a focal point for information exchange
among the EPA risk assessment community on both technical and
policy issues related to' risk assessment. It is currently in
its fourth year of publication and we are pleased at the
positive feedback we've received on the Review's usefulness
to staff across the Agency.
Thanks to all of you who continue to contribute articles and
are involved with production efforts. If you have an article
to contribute or any suggestions for further issues, contact
one of the Committee members listed on page 1 of the Review.
Attachment
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Risk Assessment Review
February 1993
Highlights
Eighth Annual Regional Risk Assessors Conference ....p. 1
IRIS Federal Register Notice and Quality
Action Team Activities p. 1
EPA Report on Passive Smoking p. 2
EPA Risk Assessment Forum Colloquium on
Use of Uncertainty Analysis in Risk Assessment p. 4
Availability of Peer Review Workshop Report on
Draft Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment Guidelines p. 5
Risk Communication Training p. 5
IRIS Highlights p. 5
Eye Irritation Test Alternatives Workshop p. 6
Forum of State and Tribal Toxics Action Meeting p. 6
I. Special Feature
Eighth A nnual Regional Risk Assessor's
Conference
by Elmer Akin, (404) 347-1586
The Eighth Annual Regional Risk Assessor's Conference
will be hosted by Region IV. The conference is scheduled to
begin at 1:00 p.m. on May 3 and run through 12:00 p.m. on
May 6. The conference will be held at the Lenox Inn, 3387
Lenox Road, N£., Atlanta, GA.
Risk Assessment Review Committee
Bill Farland - ORD, (202) 260-7317
Maureen McClelland - Region I, (617) 565^885
Maria Pavlova - Region II, (212) 264-7364
Marian Olsen - Region II, (212) 264-5682
Suzanne Wuerthele - Region VIII, (303) 293-1714
Dana Davoli - Region X, (206) 553-2135
As a special feature of the conference, this year's Annual
Superfund Risk Assessor's Meeting is scheduled at the
same hotel. It will begin immediately following the Re-
gional Risk Assessor's Meeting on May 6 at 1:00 p.m. and
end on May 7.
The committee is completing the agenda for the Regional
Risk Assessor's Conference, and the next issue of the'/fci
Assessment Review will provide details. An overview of the
meeting framework is provided below.
The meeting will begin on May 3, with the Human Health
Plenary Session for all participants. We are fortunate to
have Dr. William F. Raub, the science advisor to the admin-
istrator, as the keynote speaker. Dr. Raub joined EPA
following 25 years with the National Institutes of Health,
most recently serving as the deputy director of the National
Institutes of Health and White House special assistant
(see Conference p. 2)
II. Headquarters
IRIS Federal Register Notice and Quality
Action Team Activities
by Jacqueline Patterson, (513) 569-7595
A Federal Register notice was published on Thursday,
February 25, 1993, (58 Federal Register 11490-11495) to
provide information on EPA's Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS) and request information from users and other
interested parties. The notice
announces the availability of a new background paper
describing the IRIS process and work groups;
• describes the EPA IRIS Quality Action Team (QAT)
activities and solicits comments on increased external
peer review and public input;
• outlines current opportunities for public involvement
in the IRIS process;
• explains how to access IRIS; and
provides a list of substances that will be reviewed
during 1993.
The new background paper describes the process for devel-
oping and reviewing information that is included in IRIS.
The operation of the work groups on Reference Dose/
Reference Concentration (RfD/RfC) and Carcinogen Risk
Assessment Verification Endeavor (CRAVE) are outlined,
along with the current external peer review activities.
The IRIS QAT was formed last spring to address issues
involving the quality of information and service that IRIS
provides to its users. The Federal Register notice describes
the IRIS QAT activities to investigate and make recommen-
dations on increased external peer review of, and public
^ (see IRIS p. 2)
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Conference (continued from p.l)
for health affairs. As indicated in a recent issue of Science
(Science 258:1734, 1992), Dr. Raub wants to facilitate
EPA's move toward "risk-based regulations" emphasizing
science. As chairman, he has recently focused the Agency's
Council of Science Advisors on the issue of peer review.
Other topics for discussion during this sessions will include
revisions to the Carcinogen Risk Assessment Guidelines,
dioxin reassessment, and IRIS activities.
On May 4th there will be an Ecological Risk Assessment
Plenary Session for all participants to further the sharing of
information on ecological risk issues between human health
and ecological risk assessors. The committee is currently
identifying speakers for this session; anticipated topics in-
clude the ecological framework and case studies. A keynote
address is also planned for this plenary session.
The sessions on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morn-
ing, May 4 and 5, will provide an opportunity for partici-
pants to concentrate on either ecological risk or human
health risk assessment issues in concurrent sessions. Pat
Cirone (Region X), Jon Rauscher (Region VI), Harvey
Simon (Region II) and Lynn Wellman (Region IV) are
working to complete the ecological risk sessions.
For human health, the Tuesday afternoon session will con-
centrate on incineration risk assessment methodologies with
presentations by regions on incineration risk assessments
that are being developed or reviewed in their regions. The
Wednesday morning session will concentrate on adminis-
trative issues including risk training, coordination with
other federal agencies, the Integrated Risk Information
System, technical vs. career paths, and the future of risk
assessment at EPA.
The Wednesday afternoon session will be an in-depth dis-
cussion of Monte Carlo analysis. The session will include
basics, regional examples, hands-on demonstration of the
technique including software, and discussions of the advan-
tages, pitfalls, and problems of using Monte Carlo analysis.
In the final session on Thursday, May 6th, participants from
both the human health and ecological sessions will meet to
summarize their conclusions for the entire group, discuss
the ways that regions are addressing assessment of specific
chemicals (e.g., chromium, arsenic), and discuss strategies
for the coming year.
Hotel reservations for the meeting can be made with the
Lenox Inn in Atlanta, GA, at (404) 261-5500. Single rooms
will be available for about $68.00 including tax. Please
indicate that you are attending the EPA Regional Risk
Assessor's Conference when making reservations.
For additional information concerning the meeting, contact
Elmer Akin, (404) 347-1586, or the other members of the
committee:
Region I
Region II
Region III
Region V
Mary Beth Smuts
Marian Olsen
Jeff Burke
Milt Clark
(617) 565-3232
(212) 264-5682
(215) 597-8327
(312) 886-3388
Region VI Jon Rauscher (214) 655-8513
Region VII Mary Williams (913)551-7415
Region vm Suzanne Wuerthele (303) 293-0961
Region IX Arnold Den (415) 744-1018
Region X Pat Cirone (206)553-1597
>• For additional information on the Superfund meeting,
contact Janine Dinan, (202) 603-8824. We look for-
ward to seeing you in Atlanta in May.
IRIS (continued from p.l)
involvement in, IRIS and solicits comments and sugges-
tions. EPA is seeking ways to increase external peer review
and public involvement in the IRIS process while not
delaying the addition of critical new information to the
database.
Current opportunities for public involvement are described,
including the process for submitting data and analyses for
consideration by the work groups. Those outside EPA are
encouraged to provide the Agency with data and analyses
that might otherwise not be considered. The availability of
individual EPA scientists listed in each file on IRIS is
explained, and users are encouraged to contact these scien-
tists. The notice also announces a new opportunity for
access to the documentation files, which provide back-
ground and supporting materials for the information on
IRIS. These files will be available in the spring of 1993
from IRIS User Support in the Environmental Criteria and
Assessment Office (ECAO) in Cincinnati.
There are several ways to access IRIS, both on-line and on
diskette. TOXNET, a system of the National Library of
Medicine, is the official on-line version of IRIS. TOXNET
is updated monthly to reflect the decisions of the two work
groups. Text versions of the IRIS files are available on
diskette from the National Technical Information Service.
These are updated quarterly; therefore, these diskettes will
not always reflect the most current IRIS information. A
prototype PC-based system is available to EPA users and
limited state users.
The last topic covered in the Federal Register notice is a list
of substances planned for review from March through De-
cember 1993, including both those that will be reviewed for
the first time and those that are being revisited. This infor-
mation will be available on IRIS soon and will be revised as
needed on IRIS.
>• For more information or copies of the Federal Register
notice and background paper, please contact IRIS User
Support at (513) 569-7254 or fax (513) 569-7916
EPA Report on Passive Smoking
by Jennifer Jinot, (202) 260-8913
and Steven Bayard, (202) 260-3984
In December 1992 EPA released its report, "The Respira-
tory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and
Other Disorders." This report summarizes the findings of
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the Agency's extensive investigation of this issue and in-
corporates comments from two open public reviews and
recommendations from the Agency's Science Advisory
Board, a panel of independent scientific experts in this field.
The Science Advisory Board has endorsed the conclusions
and methodologies of the report.
EPA has concluded that the widespread exposure to envi-
ronmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the United States pre-
sents a serious and substantial public health impact. The
major conclusions of the report are the following:
In adults:
• ETS is a human lung carcinogen, responsible for ap-
proximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually in U.S.
nonsmokers.
• ETS has subtle but significant effects on the respiratory
health of nonsmokers, including coughing, phlegm pro-
duction, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function.
In children:
• ETS exposure is causally associated with an increased
risk of lower respiratory tract infections, such as bron-
chitis and pneumonia. The report estimates that 150,000
to 300,000 cases annually in infants and young children
up to 18 months of age are attributable to ETS.
• ETS exposure is causally associated with increased
prevalence of fluid in the middle ear, symptoms of
upper respiratory tract irritation, and a small but sig-
nificant reduction in lung function.
• ETS exposure is causally associated with additional
episodes and increased severity of symptoms in chil-
dren with asthma. The report estimates that 200,000 to
1,000,000 asthmatic children have their condition wors-
ened by exposure to ETS.
• ETS exposure is a risk factor for new cases of asthma
in children who have not previously displayed symp-
toms. The report estimates that ETS may be respon-
sible for an estimated 8,000 to 26,000 new cases
annually.
Lung Cancer
The conclusion that ETS is a human lung carcinogen is
based on the total weight of the available scientific evi-
dence. This evidence includes
• the strong exposure-response relationships for active
smoking for all 4 major lung cancer types, with no
evidence of an exposure threshold;
• the chemical similarity of mainstream smoke and ETS,
both of which contain over 40 carcinogens;
• supporting evidence from animal bioassays and
genotoxicity studies;
• evidence of ETS exposure and uptake by nonsmokers;
and
• data from 30 epidemiology studies of ETS and lung
cancer from 8 different countries.
The epidemiology studies attempt to estimate the relative
risk of lung cancer from actual environmental levels of
ETS. Such investigations are inherently difficult for many
reasons, including the fact that virtually everyone is ex-
posed to some level of ETS from a variety of different
sources. Therefore, the studies try to compare risks in
people with greater versus lesser exposures. All 30 epide-
miology studies provide data on female never-smokers
classified as "exposed" or "unexposed" on the basis of
whether or not their husbands smoke. Although spousal
smoking status is the best single measure of ETS exposure,
it is a crude measure, and the studies are prone to exposure
misclassification that decreases their ability to detect an
increased risk if one exists. Furthermore, many of the
studies are of small size and have a low statistical power to
detect an increased risk.
In the EPA report, the epidemiologic data are analyzed in
different ways, and each analysis demonstrates an associa-
tion between ETS and lung cancer. First, the studies were
analyzed individually. Twenty-four of the 30 studies found
an increased risk of lung cancer in the exposed group; nine
of these were statistically significant This proportion (9/30)
of significant studies is highly unlikely to have occurred by
chance (probability < one in 10 thousand). In addition, ALL
17 studies with data categorized by exposure level (i.e.,
amount of spousal smoking) found an increased risk of lung
cancer in the highest exposure group, and nine of the 17
were statistically significant (probability < one in 10 mil-
lion), despite most having a small sample size. Examining
only the highest exposure group helps to minimize expo-
sure misclassification in the "exposed" group, since women
whose spouses smoke a lot are more likely to be exposed to
substantial amounts of ETS. Finally, 10 of the 14 studies
with sufficient data for a trend test showed a statistically
significant exposure-response relationship (probability <
one in 10 billion), i.e., increasing risk of lung cancer with
increasing ETS exposure.
The study data were also combined by country, using a
statistical procedure called "meta-analysis" to pool the data.
Combining datasets increases the ability to detect an effect,
if one is present, and provides an objective means of includ-
ing all studies, both with positive and non-positive results,
in the analysis. This combined analysis also showed in-
creased risks, consistent with the analyses of the individual
studies.
A number of potential modifying factors, such as diet and
occupation, were also examined, and it was determined that
they could not account for the observed increased risks.
Furthermore, the consistency of the results across numerous
independent studies from different countries argues against
the existence of any one factor other than exposure to ETS
as an explanation for the observed results.
In summary, the total weight of the evidence is overwhelm-
ingly supportive of a conclusion that ETS causes lung
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cancer in humans, and this conclusion was unanimously
endorsed by EPA's Science Advisory Board.
The population risk estimate of approximately 3,000 lung
cancer deaths per year in U.S. nonsmokers is based on the
pooled relative risk estimate for the 11 U.S. epidemiology
studies on ETS and lung cancer, with an adjustment for
other sources of ETS exposure in addition to spousal smok-
ing. The adjustment uses biological markers of ETS expo-
sure to assess relative ETS exposure between nonsmokers
with and without spousal exposure. The overall estimate of
3,000 lung cancer deaths includes 800 deaths from "spou-
sal" (or home) exposure and 2,200 deaths from other sources
of exposure, such as work and public places. The EPA has
relatively high confidence in these estimates, since they are
based on increased risks observed in humans exposed to
ETS at actual environmental levels.
Noncancer Respiratory Disorders
The weight of evidence for noncancer respiratory disorders
includes mechanistic information on tobacco smoke's ef-
fects on the lung, as well as data from over 100 epidemio-
logical studies. Both maternal smoking during pregnancy
and postnatal exposure to ETS can predispose a child to
respiratory effects that can have long-term consequences.
Maternal smoking during pregnancy can affect the develop-
ing lung, causing permanent changes in lung structure and
function, e.g., decreased lung elasticity. Postnatal expo-
sures to ETS may similarly affect lung development and
bronchial responsiveness and enhance the process of aller-
gic sensitization of the lung. These changes may predispose
children to acute lower respiratory tract infections early in
life and to asthma, lower levels of lung function, and
chronic airflow limitation later in life.
Epidemiology studies have consistently demonstrated in-
creased risks of lower respiratory tract infections in young
children whose parents smoke. In addition, epidemiology
studies of children show that ETS exposure is causally
associated with increased prevalence of fluid in the middle
ear, symptoms of upper respiratory tract irritation (e.g.,
coughing and wheezing), and reductions in lung function.
ETS exposure is also causally associated with additional
episodes and increased severity of symptoms in children
with asthma. Furthermore, the data suggest that ETS expo-
sure can cause new cases of asthma in children who have
not previously displayed symptoms; however, too few stud-
ies were done to make a conclusive determination. No
conclusions could be drawn about upper respiratory tract
infections (i.e., colds and sore throats) or middle ear infec-
tions in children. The epidemiology studies of noncancer
respiratory disorders in nonsmoking adults generally relied
on spousal smoking as a surrogate for ETS exposure and
also demonstrated significant effects, including coughing,
phlegm production, chest discomfort, and reduced lung
function.
Because of the widespread exposure to ETS and the high
incidence rates for respiratory illnesses and disorders, even
small increases in risk can result in substantial numbers of
cases being attributable to ETS. For example, acute lower
respiratory tract infections are one of the leading causes of
morbidity and mortality during infancy and childhood, and
the EPA report estimates that ETS exposure is responsible
for 150,000 to 300,000 cases in children up to 18 months,
resulting in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations, each year.
Fluid in the middle ear is another common affliction in
young children and is the most common reason for hospital-
ization of young children for surgery to remove the fluid.
As a final example of the public health impacts of ETS
exposure, the EPA estimates that as many as one million
asthmatic children have their condition worsened by expo-
sure to ETS.
The document is available from the Center for Environmen-
tal Research Information (CERI), at 513-569-7562; fax
513-569-7566. When calling CERI, please provide the title
and document number, "Respiratory Health Effects of Pas-
sive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders," (EPA/
600/6-90/006F).
>• For additional information, contact Jennifer Jinot, (202)
260-8913, or Steven Bayard, (202) 260-3984. Both are
with the Office of Health and Environmental Assess-
ment (OHEA).
Risk Assessment Forum Colloquium on the Use
of Uncertainty Analysis in Risk Assessment
by Lee Gonky, (312) 353-5598
and Clare Stint, (202) 260-3955
On January 26,1993, the Risk Assessment Forum held the
second colloquium of a three-part series on the Risk Assess-
ment Council's risk characterization memo. The January
meeting concentrated on the use of Monte Carlo analysis in
exposure assessment The colloquium was held in Wash-
ington, DC, with several regions and laboratories participat-
ing by teleconference and in person.
Colloquium participants agreed on several issues:
• When used appropriately, Monte Carlo analysis will
add value to the risk assessment/risk management pro-
cess.
• Case studies should be developed and presented in
future colloquia to study the use of uncertainty analysis
in risk assessment, identify pitfalls in its use, and serve
as a basis for the Agency to gamer some experience in
the use of uncertainty analyses for risk assessment
purposes.
• Training is needed in two areas: specifically, in the use
of Monte Carlo analysis; and generally, in the area of
uncertainty analyses.
• Guidance, while highly desired by many regional risk
assessors, must necessarily await the development of
experience with Monte Carlo analysis as a tool. It is
highly unlikely that it would ever be possible to derive
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cookbook guidance. However, general guidance will
be able to be outlined after experiences with the tech-
nique are gained.
The next Risk Assessment Forum Colloquium in this series
will concentrate on the development of case studies to
provide experience with the use of Monte Carlo analysis in
risk assessment. In addition, the Eighth Annual Regional
Risk Assessors Conference will include a half-day work-
shop on the use of Monte Carlo analysis. The Regional Risk
Assessors Conference will be held in Atlanta, GA, May 3-6,
1993 (see Special Feature, p. 1).
>• For additional information on the colloquium, contact
Lee Gorsky, (312) 353-5598.
Availability of Peer Review Workshop Report
on Draft Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment
Guidelines
by Clare Stint, (202) 260-3955
On June 2-3,1992, EPA's Risk Assessment Forum spon-
sored a workshop in Washington, DC, for peer review of
draft risk assessment guidelines for neurotoxic effects (57
Federal Register 21086; May 18,1992). The meeting opened
with a discussion of key features of the guidelines, includ-
ing areas of expected controversy, followed by workshop
review of the scientific foundation for each element in the
guidelines. Workshop participants from academia, industry,
and state and federal government brought expertise in a
wide range of relevant disciplines to the discussion.
The workshop did not attempt to address all of the prin-
ciples, concepts, and methods that are important for neuro-
toxicity risk assessment. Rather, EPA asked for expert
opinion on the logic, scientific validity, and utility of the
principles proposed in the workshop draft as a general
guidance for EPA risk assessors. Workshop participants
were asked to review the draft guidance with these objec-
tives in mind.
The Agency is using the peer review comments to help
complete a proposal for neurotoxicity risk assessment guide-
lines that will be published for public comment, then re-
viewed by EPA's Science Advisory Board. This workshop
report presents information on issues discussed at the work-
shop, identifies participants, and summarizes work group
conclusions.
To obtain a single copy of the report, interested parties
should contact the ORD publications office, Center for
Environmental Research Institute (CERI), 26 West Martin
Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, or call (513)
569-7562. When calling CERI, please provide your name
and mailing address and request the document by the title
and EPA number, "Report of the Neurotoxicity Risk As-
sessment Guidelines Peer Review Workshop" (EPA/630/
R-92/003).
>• For further information, contact Suzanne McMaster,
(202) 260-2894.
Risk Communication Training
by Jim Cole, (202) 260-4538
During the past year, the Risk Communication Workshop
has been revitalized to include updated materials, new
videos, and a new module on planning for evaluation. In
addition, the workshop can more readily be tailored to
individual program or regional needs. In the future, high-
lights of the revitalized course will be presented to current
and new facilitators, and a complete three-day facilitator
training session to train current and new facilitators is being
planned. The cost of the facilitator training will be covered
by the Risk Communication project.
> For additional information on the training course, con-
tact coordinator, Jim Cole, (202) 260-4538.
IRIS Highlights
by Patricia Daunt, (513) 569-7590
As a new feature of the Risk Assessment Review, we will be
providing a bimonthly update of what is happening on the
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) useful to the
risk assessment community. Summarized below are high-
lights for IRIS for the months of January and February.
More detailed NEWS is available for IRIS-2 users on the
initial screen of the system.
January 1993 Update
Oral RfD Withdrawn
Atrazine (CASRN* 1912-4-9)
Oral RfD Added
Aroclor 1016 (CASRN 12674-11-2)
Oral RfD Replaced (previously withdrawn)
Manganese (CASRN 7439-96-5)
Carcinogenicity Assessment Added
n-Heptane (CASRN 142-82-5)
February 1993 Update
Carcinogenicity Assessments Added
p-Chlorophenyl methyl sulfide
(CASRN 123-09-1)
p-Chlorophenyl methyl sulfone
(CASRN 98-57-7)
p-Chlorophenyl methyl sulfoxide
(CASRN 934-73-6)
Diethylene glycol dinitrate (DEGDN)
(CASRN 693-21-0)
Carcinogenicity Assessment Replaced
Bromodichloromethane (CASRN 75-27-4)
* Chemical Abstract Service Registration Number
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Health Advisories Added
Dalapon (CASRN 75-99-0)
1,3-Dichloropropene (CASRN 542-75-6)
Propham (CASRN 122-42-9)
2,4,5-Trichlororophenoxyacetic acid
(CASRN 93-76-5)
As of February 1,1993, IRIS contained 509 chemicals, 339
oral RfDs, 78 inhalation RfCs, 216 carcinogen assessments,
71 chemical specific Drinking Water Health Advisories,
388 EPA regulatory actions, 95 supplementary (physical/
chemical properties); and complete bibliography citations
for 491 substances.
>• For additional information, contact Patricia Daunt, IRIS
Database Manager, (513) 569-75%.
Eye Irritation Test Alternatives Workshop
by Richard HiO, (202) 260-2897
Staff from three federal regulatory agencies (Consumer
Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration and the Environmental Protection Agency), working
as the Interagency Regulatory Alternatives Group, are spon-
soring a Workshop on Eye Irritancy Testing: Practical
Applications of Non-Whole Animal Alternatives on No-
vember 12-13,1993, at the Washington Vista Hotel, Wash-
ington, DC. The goal of the meeting is to set a course for
scientific approval of non-whole animal test methodologies
for evaluation of eye irritation. An analysis of existing data
on alternative tests and traditional in vivo testing will be
presented and discussed. Persons from industry, academia,
and the government are being asked to share their data in
preparation for the workshop. This meeting will interface
with a validation study of various alternatives being mounted
by the European Community; results from this effort are
expected in 1994.
>• For further information on the meeting, contact June
Bradlaw, Ph.D., from the Food and Drug Administra-
tion at 8301 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, Maryland 20708.
Dr. Bradlaw can be reached at (301) 344-0517.
Forum on State and Tribal Toxics Action
(FOSTTA) Meeting—March 15-16,1993
by Sarah Hammond, (202) 260-7258
The Ninth meeting of the Forum of State and Tribal Toxics
Action (FOSTTA) will take place on March 15-16,1993, at
the Holiday Inn in Old Town Alexandria, VA.
FOSTTA was created in April 1991 by EPA's Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics and the Office of Compli-
ance Monitoring to improve communication and coordina-
tion among states, tribes, and EPA in addressing toxics
issues. Three times each year approximately 40 state and
tribal environmental and health officials are invited to Wash-
ington to meet with nearly 100 EPA Headquarters and
regional staff. Attendees participate in one of four
issue-specific workgroups called "projects" which meet
concurrently. The projects are currently addressing the fol-
lowing topics:
• The Chemical Information Management Project fo-
cuses on the Toxic Release Inventory Program at both
the state and federal level.
• The Chemical Management Project discusses EPA's
New and Existing Chemicals Programs and chemical
management at the state level.
• The Lead (Pb) Project focuses on activities which will
be required under the Title X of the 1992 National
Affordable Housing Act, such as development of an
accreditation program for those involved in Pb-based
paint removal.
• The State and Tribal Enhancement Program looks at
compliance efforts by states, tribes, and EPA, and at
how to increase information sharing between EPA and
states and tribes.
FOSTTA's newsletter, FOSTTA GRAM, which summarizes
each FOSTTA meeting and reports on toxics activity at the
state, tribal, and federal level, is published three times each
year.
>• For additional information about FOSTTA, to place
your name on the list of candidates from which FOSTTA
participants are selected, or to receive FOSTTA GRAM,
contact Sarah Hammond, U.S. EPA Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, 401 M Street, S.W., TS-799,
Washington, DC 20460 or call (202) 260-7258.
in. Regions
Region II
Publication on Restoration of Long Island Sound
Federal and state officials from New York and Connecticut
issued a draft 102-page "Comprehensive Conservation and
Management Plan" to restore Long Island Sound. The plan
calls for no net increase in nitrogen in Long Island Sound.
For copies of the report call (212) 264-2515.
National Lead Information Center Toll Free Line
The National Lead Information Center, operated by the
not-for-profit, nongovernmental National Safety Council,*
has developed a toll free number to obtain information
about lead poisoning prevention. The number is 1-800-
LEAD-FYI or 1-800-532-3394.
* The council is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of De-
fense. The council's address is 219 19th Street, N.W., Suite 401,
Washington DC 20036.
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By calling the toll-free number, individuals can request a
Spanish or English language information package describ-
ing how to help protect children from lead poisoning. The
package includes a brochure, three fact sheets, and a list of
state and local contacts who can provide additional infor-
mation.
In the future, the center plans to develop a national informa-
tion clearinghouse to gather and make available technical
and non-technical lead-related information. This project
will begin in mid-1993.
The center also plans to develop an aggressive education
and outreach program aimed at population groups particu-
larly at risk of lead poisoning.
The lead center is managed by Bud Ward, executive direc-
tor of the Council's Environmental Health Center, and
Deborah Cohen, manager of special programs.
(Excerpted from the Journal of Environmental Health 55:49,
1993).
Adult Lead Exposure Registry—Illinois
The Illinois Department of Public Health has prepared a
report summarizing the data collected by the Adult Blood
Lead Registry during 1990 and 1991.
The Adult Blood Lead Registry collects data on people
aged 16 years and older who have blood levels of 25
micrograms per deciliter or greater, from all Illinois facili-
ties licensed to perform blood lead analyses.
> For a copy of the report, contact the Illinois Depart-
ment of Health, Division of Epidemiologic Studies,
Springfield, Illinois 62671 or contact Dr. Melinda
Lehnherr, (217) 785-1873.
(Excerpted from Health and Environmental Digest 6:6,
1993).
Survey Results: Lead, Mercury and PCBs: What
Do Doctors Know?
Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), as part of their
ongoing efforts to educate physicians concerning environ-
mental pollutants, recently sponsored a survey in Wisconsin
of 94 primary care physicians to discover how often doctors
ask their patients or patients ask their doctors about expo-
sures to lead, mercury and PCBs.
>• For a copy of this report, contact Emily Greet, Physi-
cians for Social Responsibility, 1000 Sixteenth Street,
N.W., Suite 810, Washington, DC 20036. The phone
number is (202) 785-3777.
(Excerpted from Health and Environmental Digest 6:7,
1993).
NIOSH Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance
Report
The CDC's National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) released the Work-Related Lung Disease
(WoRLD) Surveillance Report, Supplement 1992. The 1992
supplement updates the original report and includes data
not previously presented from multiple cause-of-death data,
the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the Sentinel
Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SEN-
SOR) program. The report was compiled by the Division of
Respiratory Disease Studies.
>• Copies of the report are available from the NIOSH
hotline 1-800-356-4674 or 1-800-35-NIOSH.
Inventory of Exposure-Related Data Systems
Sponsored by Federal Agencies
The EPA Office of Health Research, National Center for
Health Statistics, Office of Analysis and Epidemiology
from CDC, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry issued the "Inventory of Exposure-Related
Data Systems Sponsored by Federal Agencies," (EPA/600/
R-92/078).
The report is a compilation of information on federally
managed data systems that contain exposure information.
These systems access collections of analytical results that
assess environmental media such as air, soil, or water, as
well as analytical results from food, human samples, and
chemicals.
The inventory focuses on data systems that
contain information on a large geographic area (i.e.,
national, regional, state or region of a state, excluding
individual research studies of limited scope);
• have data or summary documents that are generally
available for research or other purposes; and
• are supported, at least in part, by public funds.
For a copy of the report, contact the Center for Environmen-
tal Research Information (CERT), (513) 569-7562 or fax
(513) 569-7566. When requesting the report, please provide
the title and document number listed above.
> Contact Marian Olsen, (212) 264-5682.
IV. Meetings
Society for Occupational and Environmental
Health Annual Conference-—March 18-20,
1993
The EPA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Inter-
national Society for Environmental Epidemiology, and the
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
will sponsor the Society for Occupational and Environmen-
tal Health Annual Conference, March 18-20, 1993. The
conference will be held at the Environmental and Occupa-
tional Health Sciences Institute located at the Busch Cam-
pus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ.
The conference title is "Free Trade in North America: The
Occupational and Environmental Health Impact." The pur-
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pose of the conference is to explore the anticipated public
health consequences resulting from industrial migration and
new trade agreements leading to a broad set of recommen-
dations and proposed research. Proceedings of the confer-
ence will be published following the meeting.
Accommodations for the meeting are available from the
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick at a special rate of $89.00
single and double occupancy (plus tax). The Hyatt's phone
number is 1-908-873-1234. A registration fee will be
charged.
>• For additional information on the conference contact
the Society for Occupational and Environmental Health
at 6728 Old McLean Village Drive, McLean, VA 22101.
The phone number is (703) 556-9222.
Human Tissue Monitoring and Specimen
Banking: Opportunities for Exposure
Assessment, Risk Assessment, and
Epidemiologic Research —March 30-April 1,
1993
The EPA Health Effects Research Laboratory and the School
of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Divi-
sion of External Affairs and Community Health Services of
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will host
the Human Tissue Monitoring and Specimen Banking: Op-
portunities for Exposure Assessment, Risk Assessment, and
Epidemiological Research. The meeting will be held March
30-April 1,1993, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Con-
vention Center, Research Triangle Park, NC.
The goals of this symposium are to provide a state-of-the-art
overview of human exposure assessment, biomonitoring
techniques, and advances in human tissue specimen bank-
ing. The symposium also will address the application of
these techniques and advances to the design of tissue speci-
men banks to serve future research needs in the areas of
human exposure assessment, risk assessment, and environ-
mental epidemiology.
A block of rooms has been reserved for participants at the
Sheraton Imperial Hotel. For hotel reservations call 800-
325- 3535 or (919) 941-5050 mentioning your attendance at
the conference.
The registration fee for the meeting is $75.00. To register
call (919) 966-4032 or fax your registration to (919) 966-
5692.
>• For further information, contact Phyllis Woody
(HEP-20393), Office of Continuing Education, Uni-
versity of North Carolina School of Public Health, CB
8165 Miller Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8165.
New Perspectives on Dose-Response
Relationships and Low Level Effects—April
26-27,1993
"New Perspectives on Dose-Response Relationships and
Low-Level Effects," the second conference of the Biologi-
cal Effects of Low Level Exposures (BELLE), will be held
at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington,
VA, April 26-27,1993. This conference and other activities
related to the BELLE initiative focus on non-linear
dose-response relationships that suggest qualitatively dif-
ferent responses to agents such as chemicals and radiation
at different points on a dose/exposure continuum. In many
cases, these relationships may be described by "U-shaped"
curves.
For more information on the conference, or to be placed on
the mailing list for the BELLE Newsletter, contact Linda
Baldwin, Conference Coordinator at the School of Public
Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003.
The phone number is (413) 545-1239.
>• The EPA contact is Mike Davis, (919) 541-4162 from
the Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office in
Research Triangle Park.
Epidemiology in Action Course—May 17-28,
1993
The Centers for Disease Control and the Emory University
will cosponsor a course designed for practicing state and
local health department professionals entitled "Epidemiol-
ogy in Action," May 17-28,1993. The course will be held at
the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. The course will
emphasize the practical application of epidemiology to
public health problems and will consist of lectures, work-
shops, classroom experiences (including actual epidemio-
logical problems), roundtable discussions, computer training,
and an on-site community survey. There is a tuition charge.
Applications for the course must be received by March 15.
>• Additional information and applications are available
from Department PSB, Emory University School of
Public Health 1599 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA
30329. The telephone numbers are (404) 727-3485 or
(404)727-0199
Eleventh Summer Institute in Risk
Management in Environmental Health and
Protection— June 1-4,1993
The Eleventh Summer Institute in Risk Management in
Environmental Health and Protection will be held at New
York University in New York City.
The institute provides health, safety, and environmental
professionals with technical and managerial skills to evalu-
ate and manage health risks from toxic and hazardous
substances in the workplace and the community. Program-
matic applications emphasize hazardous waste, air, and
water quality. Cases include hazardous waste disposal,
chemical spills, toxic releases, and drinking water contami-
nation episodes.
Other training courses that will be part of the institute
include the June 22-25 Institute in Environmental Impact
Assessment and the July 26-30 Institute in Environmental
Law.
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>• For additional information on the course, contact Dr.
Rae Zimmerman, Professor of Public Planning and
Public Administration, Wagner Graduate School of
Public Service, New York University, 4 Washington
Square North, New York, N.Y. 10003, or call (212)
998-7432 exL 7430.
Comparative Risk Analysis and Priority Setting
of Air Pollution Issues—June 6-11,1993
The First International Symposium on Comparative Risk
Analysis and Priority Setting of Air Pollution Issues will be
held June 6-11,1993, in Keystone, CO. The conference is
being sponsored by the U.S. EPA, Dutch Ministry of Hous-
ing, Physical Planning and Environment, and the Air and
Waste Management Association (P.O. Box 2861, Pitts-
burgh, PA 15230).
The symposium will focus on comparative risk analysis and
environmental priority setting, with an emphasis on air
pollution and related issues. Attendees will evaluate current
practices in priority setting and risk reduction and suggest
refinements to these approaches for future environmental
risk management, including pollution prevention. The pri-
mary goal of the symposium is to enhance relevant commu-
nication between technical personnel and environmental
managers on issues and information within risk assessment
that promotes effective risk management decisions.
Sessions at the symposium will cover a broad range of
topics including comparative risk analysis methods, com-
parative analysis of product life cycles, comparative risk
management, achieving the greatest net risk reduction pos-
sible, and priority setting.
The most important finding of EPA's document "Reducing
Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental
Protection," published in September 1990, was that EPA
must improve its priority-setting process. EPA's current
comparative risk analysis approach investigates the impact
of environmental problems to ascertain the risk posed to
human health, ecosystems, and quality of life. Knowing the
relative risk provides an improved basis for development of
risk management strategies. Because of similar concerns in
the Netherlands, a framework has been presented in their
National Environmental Policy Plan (1989) to support a
consistent treatment of the various environmental risks in
policy development This international symposium is being
held to address these fundamental issues of risk manage-
ment.
The meeting will be held at the Keystone Conference
Center in Keystone, CO. Rates at the hotel are $110 at the
inn and $120 at the lodge, single or double occupancy. A
government rate is available. Reservations made after May
14 will be subject to availability. For additional informa-
tion, contact the Keystone Conference Center at (800)
222-0188 or fax (303) 468-4343 The Keystone address is
P.O. Box 38, Keystone, CO 80435.
The registration fee prior to May 21, 1993, is $285 for
members and $365 for others. On-site registration is $325
for members and $405 for others. To register contact Marci
Mazzei, Air and Waste Management Association, P.O. Box
2861, Pittsburgh, PA 15230.
>• For additional information concerning the program,
contact Dr. Si Duk Lee, U.S. EPA, ECAO, MD-52,
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Dr. Lee's phone
number is (919) 541-4477, and the fax is (919) 541-
0245.
Johns Hopkins University Sixth Summer
Institute in Environmental Health Studies—
June 7-18,1993.
The Department of Environmental Sciences of the Johns
Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in
Baltimore, MD, will hold the Sixth Summer Institute in
Environmental Health Studies, June 7-18,1993.
The institute will present the following nine courses during
a two-week period for academic credit or for continuing
education credit: Principles of Toxicology; Risk Communi-
cation of Environmental Hazards; Physical Agents in Envi-
ronmental Health Sciences; Introduction to Ergonomics;
Historical Approaches to U.S. Environmental Concerns,
and Public Policy; Contemporary Issues in Radiation Health
Sciences; Risk Assessment and Risk Management includ-
ing Case Studies; Principles of Industrial Hygiene; and
Fundamentals of Occupational Health.
>• For additional information on the course, contact Dr.
Jacqueline Corn or Linda Lamb at the Johns Hopkins
University School of Hygiene and Public Health, 615
North Wolfe Street, Room 6001, Baltimore, MD 21205.
The phone number is (410) 955-2609.
Quantitative Risk Assessment for
Environmental and Occupational Health
Hazards—June 14-16,1993
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Program in
Technology, Management, and Policy will be offering a
short course in "Quantitative Risk Assessment for Environ-
mental and Occupational Health Hazards." The basic course
will be held June 7-11,1993, followed by the practicum on
June 14-16, 1993. The program will provide the basic
background for technically-oriented people to participate as
members of interdisciplinary teams in the quantitative as-
sessment of health risks.
The basic course is a five-day intensive introduction to the
theory and applied techniques for quantitatively tracing
each step in the causal pathway from emissions of chemi-
cals into the environment or workplace to the ultimate
production of adverse health effects. The course will also
include a short introduction to differences between health
and ecological risk assessment analysis, and an expanded
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treatment of methodology for priority-setting analyses for
opportunities for risk reduction.
The practicum is a three-day hands-on experience in the
practical use of a variety of concepts together with Macintosh
and some IBM-PC-based computer software tools to ad-
dress specific types of problems in non-routine,
state-of-the-art risk analyses. Specific modeling skills are
(1) fitting distributions to data (primarily using the spread-
sheet program, EXCEL), (2) Dynamic modeling with
STELLA and (3) Monte Carlo simulation of the combined
effects of multiple sources of variability and/or uncertainty.
Wherever possible, example problems and data for analysis
will be drawn from issues currently facing class participants
in the course of their professional work.
The members of the faculty are Dr. Dale Hattis, Research
Associate Professor at the Center for Technology, Environ-
ment, and Development at Clark University, and Dr. Harold
F. Hemond, Aassociate Professor of Water Resources and
Environmental Engineering in the Parsons Laboratory of
MIT.
Tuition for the courses are $1,400 for the basic course and
$1,200 for the practicum.
> For additional information on the course and registra-
tion information, contact Ms. Gail Mickey, (617)
253-1703, or Ms. Trish Exekiel, Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology, Conference Services Office, 77
Massachusetts Avenue, Building 7-111, Cambridge,
Massachusetts 02139-4307. The fax number is (617)
253-7002.
International Conference on Health and
Environment—June 20-23,1993
The Twentieth Annual National Council for International
Health Conference will be held June 20-23,1993, in Arling-
ton, VA. The conference will address the challenges of
integrating political and ecological solutions to human de-
velopment. The conference will take a close look at three
major themes: exploring population linkages to the environ-
ment, health, and development; dissolving borders between
health and environment; and empowering communities to
achieve health environments.
>• For additional information, contact Brit Saksvig, (202)
833-5903.
Risk and Decision-Making Course
Schedule
The following is the schedule for the risk and
decision-making courses through June:
April 20-21 Headquarters, Washington, DC
June 1-3 New York City
The following is the schedule for the risk communication
workshops through June:
April 27-28 Headquarters, Washington, DC
May 18-19 Headquarters, Washington, DC
>• Contacts:
Jim Cole, (202) 260-2747.
Marian Olsen, (212) 264-5682.
Alvin Chun, (415) 744-1022.
Contacts:
Jerome Puskin
Linda Tuxen
Dorothy Patton
Dick Hill
Don Barnes
Dean Hill
Maureen McClelland
Marian Olsen
Jeffrey Burke
Elmer Akin
Milt Clark
Jon Rauscher
Mary Williams
Suzanne Wuerthele
Arnold Den
DanaDavoli
OAR-RAD
ORD-OHEA
ORD-RAF
OPTS
SAB
NEIC
Region I
Region II
Region IJJ
Region IV
Region V
Region VI
Region Vn
Region Vffl
Region DC
Region X
(202) 260-9640
(202) 260-5949
(202) 260-6743
(202) 260 2897
(202) 26CW126
(202) 776-8138
(617) 565^885
(212) 264-5682
(215) 597-8327
(404) 347-1586
(312) 886-3388
(214) 655-8513
(913) 551-7415
(303) 293-0%l
(415) 744-1018
(206) 442-2135
If you would like to receive additional copies of this and
subsequent Reviews or to be added to the mailing list
contact:
CERI Distribution
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
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