New England Results from the 2002 National
Air Toxics Assessment (NATA)
2002 Estimated County
Average Cancer Risk
-New England-
All Carcinogens
•
,.^
*
County Average Lifetime
Cancer Risk
41 -SO
lillion
lillion
e: U.S. EPA/ OAQPS 2002 NATA. EPA Region I- CIS C
Map Tracker ID= 4993
svEPA
Air Toxics of Greatest Concern in New England
• State average risk values of six air toxics: acetaldehyde, acrolein, benzene,
1,3-butadiene, carbon tetrachloride, and polycyclic organic matter (POM)
exceeded health benchmarks in every state in New England, and state average
risk values of three air toxics: arsenic compounds, chromium compounds
and naphthalene exceeded health benchmarks in at least one state in New
England. Although there is no established cancer health benchmark for
diesel exhaust, people are exposed to high concentrations of diesel
emissions so it is also an air toxic of concern.
• Mobile sources represent a significant emission category for 5 of these
air toxics: acrolein, acetaldehyde, benzene, 1,3-butadiene and diesel
particulate.
• Background sources, including natural sources, unidentified sources, and
long-range transport, account for significant emission estimates for
acetaldehyde, arsenic compounds, carbon tetrachloride, and chromium
compounds.
• Combustion sources represent a significant emissions category for five
air toxics of concern: acrolein, acetaldehyde, chromium compounds,
naphthalene, and polycyclic organic matter (POM). This includes
emissions from electric utility boilers, industrial boilers, as well as
residential wood stoves and fireplaces.
This cancer risk map represents the
summation of outdoor air inhalation
risks of carcinogens. It does not
include all pollutants or exposure
estimates from other pathways.
EPA also assessed public health risks
for other health effects, such as asthma,
that may result from exposure to these
hazardous air pollutants.
New England continues to be a region
impacted by air toxic emissions
generated by mobile sources, local area
sources, as well as industrial and natural
sources.
The NATA modeling of ambient air
concentrations typically estimates lower
concentrations than actual monitoring
results.
New and Continuing
Actions to Reduce Risks
Implementing stationary source air
toxics standards
Improving monitoring and
emission inventories
Requiring cleaner gasoline and
tightening tail pipe standards
Funding community and state
comprehensive risk reduction
projects under programs such as
Community Action for a Renewed
Environment (CARE)
Expanding diesel reduction
initiatives
Promoting energy efficiency
Providing pollution prevention
assistance to sources
Implementing the National
Collision Repair Campaign
Encouraging states to regulate
wood smoke emissions from
outdoor hydronic heaters
More information is available at:
www.epa.gov/regionl/eco/airtox/
index.html
------- |