UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 o ffic ial business PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300 AN EQUAL EMPLOYER A SiSEnvironmental News Ryan (202) 755-0344 FOR RELEASE AFTER 10:30 A.M. MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 19 77 NATIONAL LEAD AIR POLLUTION STANDARD PROPOSED BY EPA Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Douglas M. Costle today announced proposal of an ambient air quality standard to protect the public health from exposure to air- borne lead, a pollutant that may, even at low levels of exposure, harm human nervous and blood-forming systems. "This proposed standard," Costle said, "represents an initial judgment on a level of lead in the air which is safe for long periods of exposure. Our health effects informa- tion indicates a need for increasing concern about low level, long-term exposures to lead, particularly among children." EPA has proposed the lead standard at a level based on the need to protect young children (age 1-5 years), the most critically sensitive population. Lead health effects occur at lower thresholds in children than in adults, and children have a greater risk of exposure to non-food material contain- ing lead, such as dust and soil, as the result of playing in contaminated areas. EPA feels that, if the standard pro- tects this age group, it will guard the rest of the population. "The proposed standard is precautionary," Costle said, "and we are mindful that there are still key aspects of the scientific knowledge about lead which are unknown or controversial. Frankly, the decision about what level to propose raises some difficult issues. We are publishing the (more) Return this sheet if you do NOT wish to receive this materiel ~, or if change of address is needed ~ (indicate change, including zip code). EPA FORM 1510*1 (REV. ^72) R-289 POSTAGE AND FEES P A I P U,S.vENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGElNCY EP A-335 ------- -2- proposal with a lengthened period for receiving public comments, because we want the maximum possible public discussion." "Blood lead levels for most children in this country are- higher than they should be," Costie said, "and because of the multiple sources of lead this standard by itself will not solve the lead problem. We must also rely on other regulatory authorities within EPA, including water, toxic substances and solid waste. We are also coordinating this proposal with the Interagency Regulatory Liaison Group, composed of EPA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission." The proposed national standard for airborne lead, which appears in the Federal Register of December 14, is 1.5 micro- grams of lead per cubic meter of air, figured on a monthly average. Following issuance of a final standard by EPA, scheduled for June 197 8, States must develop plans for EPA approval which demonstrate how they will attain the lead standard by 1982, and maintain it thereafter. EPA has examined available information to assess the economic impact of technological controls necessary to reduce air emissions of lead from industrial facilities. For primary copper smelters, primary and secondary lead smelters, and battery plants, attaining the standard may require control of fugitive lead emissions, i.e., those emis- sions escaping from process steps, other than emissions from smoke stacks. Fugitive emissions are difficult to estimate, measure, or control, and it is also difficult to predict their impact on air quality near the facility. From the information available to the Agency, it does appear that non-ferrous smelters may have difficulty in achieving the proposed standard in areas immediately adjacent to the smelter complex. While the possible impact of the standard on these facilities is of great concern to EPA, and will be the subject of continuing studies and analysis, the Clean Air Act does not permit EPA to con- sider factors other than health in determining the level of the standard. EPA estimates that the overall cost of installing the necessary controls will be about 600 million dollars. EPA's initial approach to controlling lead in 1971 was to limit auto lead emissions, the principal source of lead air emissions. EPA issued regulations in 1973 requiring the general availability of at least one grade of lead-free gasoline at most service stations, and the phasing-down of lead in all grades of gasoline by October 1979. In 1975, the Natural Resources Defense Council and others brought suit against EPA in U.S. District Court, Southern District, New York, to control lead as a national ambient air quality standard under Section 109 of the Clean (more) R-289 ------- -3- Air Act. As a result of Court action on this suit, EPA in March 1976 listed lead as a pollutant for which standards would be developed. Lead is emitted to the atmosphere by vehicles burning leaded fuel and by certain industries. In 1975, about 142 thousand metric tons of lead were emitted nationwide. Com- bustion of gasoline accounted for 90 percent of those emissions; combustion of crankcase oil, solid waste, oil and coal accounted for an additional five percent; and the remaining five percent came from 19 industrial categories. As a result of EPA's phasedown of lead in gasoline, lead emissions from gasoline combustion are expected to decrease about 60 percent from current levels by 1985. Although this is a relatively large decline, gasoline combustion emissions are still projected to be the greatest national emission source of lead in 1985. Lead enters the human body principally through ingestion and inhalation, with subsequent absorption into the blood stream and distribution to all body tissues. Exposure to airborne lead can occur directly by inhalation, or indirectly by ingestion of lead-contaminated food, water, or non-food materials including dust and soil. Lead accumulates in the human body throughout life, to a large ^xtert immobilized in bone. A significant amount of body leacKis in the blood and soft tissues. Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to lead adversely affects human health. Lead has its most pronounced effects on the hematopoietic (blood-forming), nervous and renal (kidney) systems, but may also harm the reproductive, endocrine, hepatic, cardiovascular, immuno- logic and gastrointestinal systems. Exposure to high levels of lead may have severe and sometimes fatal consequences such as brain disease, colic, palsy, and anemia. There are multiple sources of lead exposure besides air pollution. Lead is found in paint, inks, water supply and distribution systems, pesticides, and fresh and processed food. Besides the ambient air standard proposed today, EPA has taken other actions to control lead in the environment. In 1975, EPA set national drinking water standards for lead, and by 197£ will develop industrial water pollution rules for this pollutant. The Agency has also issued regu- lations controlling lead arsenate pesticides and requir- ing safe disposal procedures for all(lead-containing pesti- cides. Also, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 authorizes EPA to regulate the recycling and disposal of used crankcase oil# lead acid batteries, and other wastes containing lead. (more) R-289 ------- -4- Other EPA regulations for control of air emissions of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter require pollution control technology that also reduces lead emissions from industrial facilities. Other Federal agencies have also taken resources to control lead. In 1975, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed regulations to limit occupational exposure to lead to 100 ug Pb/m3 (micrograms lead per cubic meter of air), 8-hour time weighted average. Other Federal agencies which have or will be taking actions concerning lead are the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Con- sumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administra- tion, and the Center for Disease Control. Four States currently have lead air quality standards of their own: California, Pennsylvania, Montana and Oregon. Accompanying today's proposed standard in the Federal Register are proposed regulations setting forth require- ments for States to follow in developing, adopting and submitting acceptable implementation plans for meeting EPA's standard. These plans have to be submitted for EPA approval within nine months after the final standard is issued in June 1978. States must therefore submit their plans by March 1979, and eventually meet the ambient standard by 1982. The other pollutants for which EPA has ambient standards in effect (since April 30, 1971) are particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and photochemical oxidants. Public comment on all aspects of the proposed standard should be submitted in duplicate to: Mr. Joseph Padgett, Director, Strategies and Air Standards Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711. The deadline for submission of comments is February 17, 1978. A public hearing will be held on the proposed standard at EPA Headquarters, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, D.C. on January 17, 1978. The criteria on which this proposed standard is based is contained in the document "Air Quality Criteria for Lead." For further information on the proposed standard, public hearing, and criteria document, write the above address, or phone (919) .*41-5204. A docket (Number OAQPS-77-1) containing information used by EPA in development of the proposed standard is avail- able for public inspection at EPA's Public Information Reference Unit, Room 2922, 401 M Street, SW. , Wakmn&ton., . , ;u,aripc d.c., phone (202) 755-2808. Headquarter ar»o. cda V""'. '-'* b'Ou Hoorn 3o4U ' '' ' ~ •• f.'f MAti4- f ial 130lCoit;Wu^nA;:eNW n . n ii .. * * * Washiotfor-. uu Peppent Collection 2o> < - ^ Repository Mater ------- |