Board of Scientific Counselors
Meeting of the Homeland Security
Subcommittee
February 14-16, 2017
Research Triangle Park Campus
U.S. EPA
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Table of Contents
1. Agenda 1
2. Charge to the BOSC Subcommittee 4
3. Graphic Illustrating the Focus of this Review 5
4. Science Questions and Needs Crosswalk 6
5. Summaries of Research to Answer Science Questions 8
6. Transitioning Science to the End-User 28
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AGENDA
Board of Scientific Counselors
Homeland Security Subcommittee
Face-to-Face Meeting
Day One - February 14
February 14-16, 2017
Classroom A015
U.S. EPA RTP Campus
8:00-8:15 Introductions and FACA guidelines
Tom Tracy
8:15-8:25 Welcome
8:25 -9:15 Overview Presentation
9:15 - 9:45 Presentation: What are the fate of and transport
mechanisms for biological agents in the urban
environment to inform mitigation and cleanup
decisions?
Paula Olsiewski
Tammy Taylor
Gregory Sayles
Emily Snyder
Paul Lemieux
9:45-10:00
Break and walk to demo site
10:00-12:00 Demos: Small Wind Tunnel
Water Wash-off Water Wash Off
Russell Wiener
Anne Mikelonis
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 1:30 Presentation: What are effective and efficient tools,
strategies and methods to characterize and assess
exposure from biological contamination in the
environment?
Sarah Taft
1:30-1:45 Walk to demo site
1:45 - 4:30 Demos: Composite Sampling
MicroSAP
SHEDs Exposure Modeling
Sang Don Lee
Erin Silvestri
Janet Burke
4:30-6:00
Subcommittee Work Time
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Day Two - February 15
8:00-8:30 Presentation: What are effective methods for Shawn Ryan
decontamination after a wide area biological
contamination incident for indoor and outdoor areas?
8:30-8:45 Break and walk to demo site
8:45-12:00 Demos: Street Sweepers
COMMANDER Projects
Biolab
Material Compatibility
Joseph Wood
Joseph Wood
Worth Calfee
Sang Don Lee
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00 -1:30 Presentation: What science is needed to inform waste Shawn Ryan
management decisions during a wide area bio-
contamination incident?
1:30-1:45 Walk to demo site
1:45-2:15 Demo: Waste Dunking Paul Lemieux
2:15-2:30 Return to classroom
2:30 - 3:00 Presentation: How can decision support tools be best Hiba Ernst
designed to support a systems approach to
environmental response decision making after a wide
area biological contamination incident?
3:00-3:15 Public Comment
3:15-5:30 Subcommittee work time
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Day Three - February 16
8:00-8:30 Presentation: Integration of Tools Timothy Boe
8:30-9:00 Presentation: Transitioning Research Gregory Sayles
9:00-9:30 Underground Transport Restoration video Lukas Oudejans
9:30-10:00 Wrap-up
10:00-1:00 Subcommittee work time
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Board of Scientific Counselors Homeland Security Subcommittee
Face-to-Face Meeting
February 14 -16, 2017, Research Triangle Park, NC
Charge to the Subcommittee
The BOSC Homeland Security Subcommittee was established to provide program-specific advice to
EPA's Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP). The mission of the HSRP is to conduct research and
deliver products that improve the capability of EPA to carry out its homeland security responsibilities.
The Program conducts applied, relevant research and aims to deliver useful products to the end users of
this work. HSRP plans to engage the Subcommittee over the next several years to provide advice on the
Program's portfolio and to assess progress in addressing EPA's needs.
In 2015, at the first face-to-face meeting of the Subcommittee, EPA asked the Subcommittee to
provide program-level advice to HSRP about how the program is organized to address its mission, how it
engages its partners, and how to infuse more social science into the program. HSRP is actively following
this advice.
Here, and at subsequent meetings, EPA seeks the Subcommittee's advice about components of the
scientific program that is underway. Specifically, this 2017 engagement asks for Subcommittee advice
on the portion of the program that addresses EPA's mission on cleanup foilowing a wide-area release of
a biological agent. For example, the cleanup following a wide-spread release of B. anthracis spores
across the national mall in Washington, DC, or across downtown San Francisco. "Cleanup" encompasses
all aspects of EPA's duties when responding to indoor or outdoor contamination incidents - site
characterization, exposure assessment, decontamination, and waste management.
We would greatly appreciate your advice on HSRP's research aimed to improve cleanup of a wide-area
release of biological agents by addressing the following charges:
1. Are we doing the right research? In other words, how well does the HSRP's current research
portfolio address high-priority Agency needs in this area? Taking resource limitations into
consideration, should the HSRP increase or decrease the emphasis of certain areas of
research?
Context: Given limited resources and the urgency of its mission, HSRP must conduct a research
portfolio that is closely aligned with the high-priority needs of the Agency. The EPA end-users of
the program's research work closely with the program to delineate these needs, help define the
science questions that must be addressed, advise on the research as it is conducted, help design
and deliver effective products. These high-priority needs are cross-walked with the science
questions that are designed to address the needs. The research aimed at addressing these
science questions is outlined in the science questions narratives. We seek advice from the
Subcommittee on the resultant, current portfolio.
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2. Assess the current approaches that the HSRP uses to transition research to end-users. How
might these approaches be improved?
Context: The HSRP is not fully successful unless its scientific products are transitioned effectively
to the partners who will use them. However, this transition is an important challenge because it
requires that products are formulated and delivered so that they meet end-users' needs and so
the users can understand the utility and limitations of the products and are comfortable with
and confident in using them. HSRP will present the current practices it uses for research
transition and seeks the Subcommittee's assessment of these practices and advice on how to
advance its transition capabilities.
3. To what extent will the program's work provide multiple benefits to our nation by addressing
critical needs beyond those directly related to terrorist attacks? In other words, will the
research, while designed primarily to improve our partners' capabilities to respond to acts of
terrorism, result in science that is useful in addressing other environmental problems?
Context: HSRP develops data and tools to help EPA address acts of terrorism while attempting
to build in relevancy to multiple hazards. HSRP seeks the Subcommittee's assessment of the
program's progress in this effort and advice on opportunities for how the program's work can be
used for various purposes.
w
E
PFocus of Review by BOSC - 2017
Chemical I B'ological
Agents ¦ Agents
Radiological
Agents
Characterize
Contamination and
Assess Exposure
Remediating Wide
Areas
Water System Security
and Resilience
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Crosswalk of Science Questions to Partner-Stated Needs
Science Questions
Partner-Stated Needs Driving the Questions1
What are the fate of and
transport mechanisms for
biological agents in the urban
environment to inform
mitigation and cleanup
decisions?
To understand fate and transport of spores in
wide areas to inform sampling and analysis and
remediation, including the impact of weathering
on spore concentrations.
To understand fate and transport of spores
through a waste water treatment (WWT) system
and their impacts on plant operations (including
bio-solids) and the impacts of washdown additives
on the fate and transport.
Tools for predicting the fate and transport of
biological contaminants in the wide area
(including in water and wastewater infrastructure)
to inform decontamination strategies and
methods, and identify risk reduction strategies.
What are effective and efficient
tools, strategies and methods to
characterize and assess
exposure from biological
contamination in the
environment?
To understand how best to conduct and utilize
results from air sampling, including analytical
methods for various types of air filters (e.g., car
filters).
To optimize deployment of composite-based
sampling (e.g. street sweepers).
Best practices for determining biological agent
data quality objectives, data interpretation, and
data utilization/extrapolation of field-collected
samples characterized by semi-quantitative
laboratory methods (e.g. culture and PCR).
Appropriate sample methods and interpretation of
results for exposure assessment.
1 Needs are focused on Bacillus anthracis unless the term biological agent or a different biological agent is
mentioned within the need statement.
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Science Questions
Partner-Stated Needs Driving the Questions2
What are effective methods for
decontamination after a wide
area biological contamination
incident for indoor and outdoor
areas?
The effectiveness of various types of washdown in
reducing spore concentrations on surfaces.
The efficacy of the common cleaning equipment
used in decontamination activities as well as their
potential contribution to Reaerosolization.
Research to support the development of self-help
decontamination guides for the public (including
non-governmental contractors) for home, pets,
vehicles, and electronics.
New decontamination methods to improve
capabilities and capacity.
Effective decontamination procedures for all
vehicle types.
Methodologies for decontamination of critical
infrastructure including how to decon rail cars and
isolate a section of subway tunnel given air inflows
and outflows.
What science is needed to
inform waste management
decisions during a wide area
bio-contamination incident?
Optimal methods for treatment and disposal of B.
ont/7rac/'s-contaminated biosolids from WWT
plants.
To determine how to reduce the volume of waste
produced during cleanup operations.
Efficient management of wastewater generated
during washdown activities.
Collection, treatment, sampling, and disposal
options for large volumes of biological agent
contaminated water.
Best management practices for staging waste.
Tested technologies for onsite waste treatment.
How can decision support tools
be best designed to support a
systems approach to
environmental response
decision making after a wide
area biological contamination
incident?
Anticipated partner need for systems-based,
decision support tools to guide decision-makers
during response
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What are the fate of and transport mechanisms for biological agents in the urban
environment to inform mitigation and cleanup decisions?
Overview: The body of research described here examines the fate arid transport of chemical,
biological, and radiological (CBR) contamination to support environmental response and
cleanup following a wide-area biological attack. Understanding the fate and transport of
contaminants is critical to risk reduction, sampling, and remediation activities. The research will
help determine where to sample for biological contaminants, will help identify methods and
strategies for remediation, and may facilitate risk assessment.
The remediation of the outdoor, urban environment presents greater and different challenges
than remediation of the indoor environment. For example, contamination between buildings can
impact remediation inside the buildings due to spread of contaminants through reaerosolization,
tracking or other mechanisms, precipitation events, and the potential use of natural attenuation
for remediation. Outdoor contamination can impact the ability to identify and construct staging
areas for response personnel and waste management.
This body of research includes studies on the
persistence of biological agents and the transport of
Bacillus anthracis spores in the urban outdoor
environment are studied. Methods for mitigating the
spread of contamination are also assessed and new
methods developed where needed. This will result
in more effective response and remediation
activities, which will improve the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA's) capability to respond to
a biological contamination incident.
Research Components: EPA's Homeland Security
Research Program (HSRP) supports the objective to
"Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities and
Restore Land," under Goal 3 of EPA's 2014-2018
Strategic Plan, by providing tools and information to
help communities "prepare for and respond to accidental or intentional releases of contaminants
and cleanup." Serving this objective, this research informs public health decisions and
environmental response including sampling, mitigation and decontamination strategies.
The scope of this effort is wide-ranging, and includes literature-based studies, experimental
work, and field studies. Literature reviews summarize the processes and parameters
influencing spore transport in the environment and the most important of these mechanisms
following a spore release. B. anthracis environmental persistence and transport methods are
also summarized in useable formats based on literature reviews. For example, an interactive
Map of likelihood of naturally-occurring
anthrax outbreak based on soil
composition indicators.
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map to help visualize data ori natural B. anthracis levels in soil around the U.S. is being
developed.
Planned experimental work includes evaluating
persistence of priority bioagents under a range of
weather conditions and on various surfaces, which
helps determine whether natural attenuation is
appropriate for cleanup. Additionally, the fate of B.
anthracis in and around equipment and vehicles
used during response and cleanup will be evaluated
under various operating conditions. Vehicles used
during response and cleanup operations are of
particular concern due to their potential contribution
to waste streams, because their mass is so great
relative to other items that may require disposal.
Portions of the previously completed SPORE
(Scientific Program on Reaerosolization and
Exposure) program fell under this body of research. The SPORE program aimed to understand
the degree to which B. anthracis spores reaerosolize from surfaces, ways to mitigate this
reaerosolization and the potential exposures resulting from this reaerosolization. One
particularly significant component of the SPORE program was a direct comparison between
potential surrogates for B. anthracis and live B. anthracis spores to determine if non-pathogenic
surrogates could be reliably used to simulate atmospheric fate and transport and
reaerosolization of B. anthracis. The comparison was made by performing parallel experimental
studies in-house at EPA facilities using candidate surrogate organisms and at the Army's
laboratory at Dugway Proving Ground using live B, anthracis spores. The results from this study
demonstrated the practicability of simulating atmospheric fate and transport, and
reaerosolization, of B. anthracis by using certain non-pathogenic surrogate organisms.
This body of research focuses on the following aspects of wide-area biological cleanups:
1) How do spores reaerosolize and move about in the environment after the initial
contamination incident?
2) How long do vegetative bacteria survive in the environment and what are the
implications for natural attenuation as a cleanup approach?
3) How do we address background levels of a contaminant when setting cleanup goals for
that same contaminant?
The results from these research efforts will be combined with the results from other HSRP areas
(e.g., decontamination efficacy) to support the development of overall wide-area remediation
strategies and to feed into the development of decision support tools to support site-specific
decision making to minimize the public health, environmental, and economic impacts of cleaning
up following a wide-area biological contamination incident.
Water flowing over concrete coupons
during wash-off experiment.
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Current Planned Outputs: The currently planned outputs from this effort will move forward from
the work that was done in the past using previously identified methodologies and appropriate
surrogate organisms to feed into the overall effort to address a wide-area biological
contamination incident. These outputs include:
Further studies on the transport of B. anthracis surrogate spores in the environment and
the persistence of non-spore-forming microorganisms in the environment. Although
spores persist in the environment, their propensity to reaerosolize can significantly
change with time depending on environmental conditions. Non-spore forming organisms
might die over time, enabling natural attenuation to be a potential remediation approach.
Experimental and modeling studies of fate and transport of B. anthracis spores or
surrogates due to precipitation and flooding events. A recent HSRP study observed that
precipitation is the largest contributor to contaminant movement in an outdoor biological
contamination incident involving spores. This will aid in the understanding of potential
methods to capture or divert contaminated water to appropriate treatment processes as
well as to understand how spores migrate into soil under flooding conditions.
Application of geographic information system approaches to develop interactive maps of
naturally-occurring microorganisms of interest as a function of environmental conditions
and soil composition.
Designs for exposure field studies that could be implemented immediately after the
onset of a contamination incident. These studies will use existing measurement
methods as well as potentially new innovative measurement methods. These studies
propose to evaluate the sensitivity of exposure to both naturally occurring environmental
conditions as well as the impact of human activity (e.g., vehicular traffic).
Investigations into transport of B. anthracis surrogate spores due to subways or
vehicular traffic, including normal operations as well as maintenance and response
activities.
These studies will hopefully culminate in a multi-agency field study that examines the system-of-
systems involved when a wide-area biological contamination incident occurs.
Demonstrations of Specific Research Efforts/Product Development:
Small Wind Tunnel: Reaerosolization, as a transport mechanism, is of particular concern after
a wide area biological agent release. To address this concern, this small wind tunnel was
constructed to examine particle reaerosolization from common outdoor urban surfaces.
Previous studies, done in parallel with an identical chamber, showed that B. thuringiensis was a
viable B. anthracis surrogate for reaerosolization studies and outdoor release studies. These
findings allow this wind tunnel to provide data on reaerosolization as a function of variables like
surface type and wind speed that can be extrapolated to B. anthracis.
Water Wash-Off Experiment: To address the finding that precipitation is the largest
contributor to contamination movement following a biological contamination incident involving
bacterial spores, this experimental apparatus was developed to investigate what impact
precipitation events have on the movement of spores in an urban area. This experiment allows
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for the study of outdoor transport due to water, as well as air, in order to assess the complex
system-of-systems involved in a wide-area contamination incident.
Partners: The primary partners for the HSRP in this area include the EPA's Office of Land and
Emergency Management and each of the Agency's Regional Offices across the country. The
partners typically use these Outputs to develop training modules for EPA responders, to provide
technical support on incoming requests, and to prioritize operational needs. Although this effort
is primarily directed at a deliberate biological contamination incident, it is specifically designed to
be generically applicable to accidental biological releases or naturally occurring contamination.
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What are effective and efficient tools, strategies and methods to characterize and
assess exposure following a biological contamination incident in the wide-area
environment?
Overview: Following a wide-area release of a biological contaminant, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has the lead role in site characterization and remediation of
contaminated indoor and outdoor areas, with the overall objective of protecting human health
and the environment. Decisions regarding remediation of a contaminated site are largely based
on the results of site-characterization sampling to establish extent of contamination, and
clearance sampling to evaluate the efficacy of the cleanup. The rapid and efficient recovery of
contaminated areas will be greatly stymied by lack of consensus on sample collection
strategies, on how to address uncertainties and variability in the field data, and on how to
estimate potential human exposures from sampling results.
The Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) is developing tools, strategies, and
methods to support the three general steps in characterizing environmental contamination and
assessing exposure as depicted in Figure 1. The first step in the process is to determine the
spatial distribution of contaminant concentrations in the relevant environmental matrices (e.g.,
water, air, soil) through sampling and analysis. Although advances have been made in
environmental sampling strategies, sample collection, and sample analysis, major gaps remain
in all of these areas especially as they apply to wide-area biological releases. The accepted
surface sampling methods are not practical for wide-area response because they are time
consuming, labor intensive, and require a large number of samples due to their small and
discrete sample areas. Development of sampling methods and strategies that significantly
reduce the cost and time associated with site-characterization and clearance sampling are
needed to effectively respond to a wide-area incident.
What are the
potential exposure
pathways?
Showering, walking,
driving...
What concentration
could humans be
exposed to?
What is the
environmental
concentration?
Water, air,
surfaces, soil...
Support Remediation Decisions
Where is clean up needed?
What shoud be remediated verses hauled away?
Prioritization of cleanup areas?
Cleanup goals?
Does the water source need to be treated?
Figure 1, Characterizing contamination and assessing exposure.
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After environmental data are interpreted, the next steps in the process are to determine the
potential exposure pathways that are relevant for human exposures and the environmental
concentration that humans could be exposed to through these pathways (Figure 1). There are
significant challenges in these steps as there are no standard protocols or methodologies for the
use of microbial exposure assessment to inform response decisions during a wide-are biological
incident. Substantial research is needed to understand how data collected in the field can be
used to estimate exposure following a release and can be utilized for remediation decisions
(e.g., prioritization of areas for cleanup, informing cleanup goals).
The site characterization research program reviews the
strengths and weaknesses of traditional sampling strategies to
assess how these strategies have been used to estimate
exposure, to mitigate exposure risks, and to develop innovative
sampling strategy options. Composite surface sampling
approaches, a main research focus of this research, have
demonstrated the potential to achieve effective sampling
coverage while reducing the sampling and laboratory resources
required, compared to the currently-accepted sampling
methods. Additionally, this research assesses the utility of air
sampling methods to characterize airborne biological
contaminants after a wide-area outdoor release.
Working with internal EPA response partners and other federal agencies, sample collection
research is being conducted to refine historical methods, or develop new and innovative
approaches to tackle the sampling and analysis of complex environmental matrices such as
underground transit systems as is shown in Figure 2. Recovering viable biological agents from
the environment is challenging because the stability of biological agents varies greatly,
especially under the stresses of sampling collection, transport, and processing prior to sample
analysis. The ideal sample collection technique would be quick and easy for the sample
collector and provide the sample in a stabilizing media for quick and easy extraction during
laboratory analysis. This research is working to develop field-deployable protocols using novel
and pioneering techniques. Sample collection methods being evaluated include pathogen
concentration techniques, commercially available robotic cleaners, wet vacuum-sampling
devices, native air filters (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning filters), and activity-
based air sampling.
Figure 2. Surface sample collection
of biological agent.
Research Components: The HSRP research to address the site characterization gaps
described above is focused on development and/or refinement of sample strategies, innovative
sample collection techniques, understanding how to use and manage field data, and
understanding potential exposure pathways. The goal of this research is to develop, synthesize,
and compile methodologies into user-friendly and readily-
available tools for the EPA response community and homeland
security partners.
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Data management during response to a wide-area contamination incident is crucial. The
usability of biological data needs to be thoroughly planned and appropriate data quality
objectives defined. Research is being conducted to develop a user-friendly tool that facilitates
the creation of a biological environmental sampling plan allowing for a standardized approach
for assessing the usability of biological field sampling data.
Exposure assessment is a valuable tool that estimates the likelihood of potential interactions
between the contaminant, the environment, and the individual based on the exposure
magnitude, frequency, and pathways. Methods to assess exposure pathways and exposure
models for biological contaminants are critical to support risk-based, site-specific decisions
during response to contamination incidents. Research is being conducted that develops or
modifies existing exposure assessment chemical modeling tools to support development of
these strategies for biological releases.
Planned Products/Outputs: Research products and outputs (products or synthesis of products
intended for direct use by HSRP partners) focus on summarizing the development of site
characterization capabilities for a wide-area biological release. Some of the anticipated
products and outputs include:
Sampling procedure using commercially available robotic cleaners for Bacillus anthracis
spores
Development of a wet-vacuum anthrax sampling device
Microbial data usability tool for field sample collection planning incorporating lab
analytical data interpretation
Review of biological agent sampling methods and application to a wide-area incident
scenario to characterize time and resource demands
Biological agent composite sample collection approaches and strategies summary
Synthesis of research to inform air sampling strategy for wide-area anthrax incident
Sample collection information document for pathogens and biotoxins
Evaluation of outdoor human activity forces for reaerosolization of Bacillus anthracis
spores
Assessment of existing exposure assessment methodology for microbial data;
connecting exposure assessment to sampling data
Demonstrations of Specific Research Efforts/Product Development
Composite Sampling: The demonstration will include hands-on trials of the currently-
used surface sampling methods and also emerging composite sampling methods that
HSRP has recently developed. The participants will be briefed on the results of a recent
resource analysis for sampling following a wide-area bio incident. Technical videos that
demonstrate laboratory and field scale evaluations of sampling methods will also be
shown.
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MicroSAP Tool: This tool is being developed to provide environmental samplers with a
user friendly and fast way to develop biological sampling and analysis plans while
incorporating data quality objectives, a step that is often overlooked. This demonstration
will provide a walkthrough of each of the steps in developing the plans. The
demonstration will also take a look at the examples, helpful tool features, privacy, and
workflow options built into the tool to make it user friendly.
SHEDS Modeling for Biologicals: The Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose
Simulation (SHEDS) model is currently being assessed for application to biological
agents such as Bacillus anthracis following an outdoor release within an urban area. The
model estimates population distributions of exposure and dose using US Census
demographic data to generate the population to be simulated, and human activity pattern
data are randomly assigned to each simulated individual to account for the way people
interact with their environment. This demonstration will show how a user can select input
data files, specify model run parameters, and analyze the output using modeled
concentrations from a hypothetical outdoor release of a biological agent.
Partners: Planning and responding with sampling and analysis methods for biological agents is
a multi-agency effort. There is much coordination internally with EPA Regional On-scene
Coordinators, Removal Managers and Regional Risk Assessors along with the Office of Land
and Emergency Management, specifically the Office of Emergency Management's
Consequence Management Advisory Division (CMAD) for all site-characterization related
sampling research.
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What are effective methods for decontamination after a wide-area biological
contamination incident for indoor and outdoor areas?
Overview: An area-wide release of a persistent biological agent, such as Bacillus anthracis
spores, is anticipated to present significant decontamination challenges. Numerous private and
public facilities (including residences), critical infrastructure (e.g., utilities, hospitals, airports),
semi-enclosed environments (e.g., subways, arenas), vehicles, and outdoor areas (including
roadways, sidewalks, outsides of buildings, vegetation, and soil) could become contaminated
and could require some level of decontamination. Since the Amerithrax incidents in 2001,
considerable progress has been made to develop our capabilities for facility decontamination.
Numerous decontamination methods have been further developed or refined under the HSRP
including improved understanding of the benefits, consequences, resource requirements and
limitations of each method. A wide-area incident may contaminate many buildings and critical
infrastructure; however, the capacity to deploy the most effective remediation methods at this
large scale does not exist. Additionally, some of the most effective decontamination methods
will damage sensitive equipment and some materials. Effective, widely and rapidly available
decontamination methods are needed to be able to address numerous types of facilities and
particularly for potentially contaminated areas outside of the immediate hot zone (areas directly
contaminated by the initial release). Effective decontamination methods that are compatible with
sensitive equipment and high value materials integral to critical infrastructure and other facilities
(e.g., historical sites, museums), need to be identified or developed. Methods for urban areas
(e.g., roadways, outsides of buildings), vegetation, and soil also remain a critical capability gap,
both in terms of having effective laboratory proven methods and the ability to apply such
methods over wide areas.
Research Components: EPA's Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) supports the
objective to "Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities and Restore Land," under Goal 3 of
EPA's 2014-2018 Strategic
Plan, by providing tools and
information to help
communities "prepare for and
respond to accidental or
intentional releases of
contaminants and cleanup."
HSRP research supports this
goal by assessing the
effectiveness of
decontamination methods,
the impact of effective
methods on equipment and
materials, and enhancing the
capability of deploying or
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Gram Negative
Bacteria
Large Non Enveloped Viruses
Gram Positive Bacteria
Enveloped Viruses
Figure 1: Generalized depiction of order of resistance to
decontamination (after McDonnell and Russell (1999),
Clinical Microbiology Review 12(1): 147-179.
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utilizing the method in the field. Effectiveness is generally measured as the ability to reduce the
biological contamination as a function of the biological organism, contaminated material types,
and decontaminant application conditions. For laboratory testing, a six-log reduction in viable
bacterial spores is the standard used to demonstrate sporicidal properties of a decontaminant
(and hence, effective against bacterial spores). For viruses, a four-log reduction is the standard
used to demonstrate virucidal properties of a decontaminant. Research is primarily focused on
B. anthracis spores; bacterial spores represent one of the greatest challenges for physical or
chemical inactivation. Resistance to inactivation, as a function of organism type, can be
represented by the pyramid shown in Figure 1 with the most challenging organisms to inactivate
at the top. Some research is devoted to other biological organisms of concern in order to
provide effective methods that are more widely available, less costly, more easily applied, or
have less negative consequences than methods that can be required for use against B.
anthracis spores.
Biological agent research includes work with suitable surrogates to enable scale up of
experimental design (e.g., number of tests) or set-up (e.g., release in a room size chamber). A
surrogate is a non-pathogenic organism with similar characteristics to, or non-pathogenic strain
of, the target organism. In general, testing with a surrogate organism is less expensive and
safer to conduct. Comparative
studies are still conducted to verify
the findings against the actual
virulent organism.
The materials onto which the
biological organisms are deposited
or inoculated have a significant
impact on decontamination
efficacy, perhaps a greater impact
than the microorganism's own
resistance to the decontaminant.
Porous materials, or those with
high organic constituent, are
generally more difficult to
decontaminate; hence these
materials have been the focus of the research for outdoor areas. Application conditions, such as
decontaminant concentration, delivery method (such as fog or spray), dwell or contact time with
the material, temperature, relative humidity, and application amount can highly impact efficacy.
The efforts are designed at a scale to provide the information required for supporting their
effective field use. For example, unproven decontaminants can initially be tested at the bench
top on small pieces of materials (coupons) that are dosed with a known amount of the target
organism. Once effective conditions are determined for specific materials, scaled-up testing can
be done to look at application conditions or methods. The impact of the use of decontaminants
or application methods can then also be assessed, via determination of the impact on
equipment and materials. Figure 2 depicts the generalized concept of the order and scale of our
testing, with research at each scale dependent upon or influencing each other.
Figure 2: Example scale of research studies.
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Planned Products/Outputs: HSRP has published a number of EPA reports and NHSRC staff
authored peer-reviewed papers on the efficacy of numerous decontamination methods against
B. anthracis spores and other biological organisms on indoor and outdoor material types.
Technical summaries of much of this work have been published for indoor-type materials,
representing the main area of capability enhancement since the Amerithrax incidents. Based
upon the body of work at the laboratory scale, the Bioresponse Operational Technology
Demonstration (BOTE) project was conducted to demonstrate and assess the developed
capabilities at the facility scale. More recently, the EPA participated in the DHS led Underground
Transport Restoration (UTR) program, completing laboratory studies to assess effective
decontamination methods for subway environments and operationally testing such methods in
the field at a mock subway station and tunnel. The planned HSRP research will continue to
build upon the foundation established through the BOTE project and the UTR program.
Products and outputs (products or synthesis of products intended for direct use by HSRP
partners) will focus on summarizing the development of capabilities for a wide-area biological
incident. Some of the anticipated outputs include:
Assessment of self-help decontamination methods and their potential uses and
precautions for wide-area anthrax contamination incidents
Summary of low-tech, readily available bio-decontamination methods suitable for large
indoor areas
Impact of decontamination methods on sensitive equipment, materials, and high value or
historic items
Effectiveness of decontamination options for critical infrastructure and outdoor
environments contaminated with biological agents.
Demonstrations of Specific Research Efforts/Product Development:
Underground Transport Restoration Video. This video will demonstrate how
laboratory testing was completed to inform an operational technology demonstration,
incorporating the testing of lab-developed or enhanced methods for sampling,
decontamination and waste management. The effort represents a mechanism of
translating laboratory research to operational capability that is used by the HSRP.
Application of a street sweeper for decontamination of urban surfaces.
Decontamination testing at the bench scale and larger chamber studies can be used to
assess how well a decontaminant could perform when applied to a material type (e.g.,
asphalt or concrete). The actual application method such as using a backpack sprayer
or other decontaminant dispensing methods, can impact the overall effectiveness. This
research effort demonstrates one method of deploying decontaminants that might be
applicable to urban surfaces and reduce the amount of runoff (that can lead to spread of
contamination or subsequent wastewater management issues).
Assessment of fogging with sporicidai decontaminants. This effort utilizes the
NHSRC's room size decontamination chamber (COMMANDER) to assess the
18
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effectiveness of delivering a sporicidal decontaminant in the form of a fog. Such
dissemination methods can be performed with readily available equipment and materials
and offer benefits over spraying or other fumigation methods that required specialized
equipment and training.
Impact of sporicides on sensitive equipment. This effort assesses the impact of
effective decontamination methods on equipment and materials. Together with efficacy
results, this information is used to contribute information on capabilities and for guidance
on the decontamination of critical infrastructure including equipment, high value items,
and difficult-to-replace materials.
Partners: The partners for the research products and outputs under this science question are
the EPA Regional On-scene Coordinators and Removal Managers and the Office of Land and
Emergency Management, specifically the Office of Emergency Management's Consequence
Management Advisory Division (CMAD). Additional stakeholders include the EPA's Office of
Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (specifically the Office of Pesticide Programs), state
and local governments, and private and
public facility owners. To address this
science question, NHSRC researchers
seek the involvement of these EPA
partners for their input in steering the
products and for ultimate transition of the
research products and information (cf.
Figure 3). Transfer of the products
generally means that the research findings
influence the guidance or capability
assessment developed by the EPA
program offices.
Svstems-based Efforts: The research under these efforts informs and feeds into research efforts
on sampling and analysis, waste management, and the development of decision support tools.
NHSRC and CMAD are working together to initiate an area-wide testing and demonstration
project that would aid in transferring the laboratory research to wide-area field testing. Akin to
the BOTE and the UTR projects, this effort would involve a significant number of federal, state
and local stakeholders to demonstrate and assess remediation capabilities over a wide area.
Decontamination would be incorporated within the response framework that also includes
application of biological agent fate and transport information, sampling and analysis, and waste
management. EPA is currently seeking additional federal collaborators to conduct this large
scale effort.
Figure 3: Depiction of the interconnection of HSRP
research planning, implementation, and delivery
or transition of research products.
19
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What science is needed to inform waste management decisions during a wide-area
bio-contamination incident?
Overview: An area-wide release of a persistent biological agent, such as Bacillus anthracis
spores, is anticipated to present significant remediation challenges. Widespread contamination
will stress current capabilities for sampling, decontamination, and waste management. From
past experiences, challenges associated with the waste management effort may drive the
timeline for remediation. Developing waste management strategies that are not an hindrance to
completing remediation and reoccupancy activities will help to assure a rapid return of the
affected area to normal operations.
All activities have the potential to generate waste. For example, sampling generates solid and
liquid waste such as disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) and the wash water used
to decontaminate PPE. Further, decontamination method decisions impact the amount and
types of materials that will be generated as waste. For outdoor surfaces, selecting water wash
down as a decontamination method may generate large volumes of contaminated water. When
decontaminating indoor areas, some materials might be able to be treated in situ as part of the
facility decontamination process before being removed as conventional solid waste for disposal.
Other materials might need to be removed prior to decontamination and either treated on-site
with alternative waste treatment methods or off-site prior to ultimate disposal. These waste
management decisions are influenced by the extent of the incident, the types of materials
contaminated, the contaminant properties, the site decontamination decisions, and the
availability of waste handling options. Waste handling options include determining areas and
methods for temporary storage and staging, treatment methods for waste volume reduction, and
ultimate disposal methods.
Research Components: EPA's Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) supports the
objective to "Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities and Restore Land," under Goal 3 of
EPA's 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, by providing tools and information to help communities
"prepare for and respond to accidental or intentional releases of contaminants and cleanup."
Serving this goal, HSRP is focused on providing scientific information and solutions to inform
waste management decisions. This research involves assessing the effectiveness of treatment
methods for materials contaminated with biological agents and understanding waste disposal
options. Assessing treatment options involves: (1) determining the effectiveness of
decontamination methods for complex materials and the impact of such materials on the entire
decontamination process, (2) developing and assessing methods that can be used on-site to
treat waste, and (3) assessing the effectiveness of methods that can be used off-site. With
20
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regards to (1), certain materials may make it difficult
or impossible to conduct an effective
decontamination in an area if left in place.
Understanding which materials might be problematic
for decontamination methods informs decision-
makers whether that method is suitable for a site
and what can be done to ensure optimal
effectiveness, such as removing certain materials
prior to decontamination.
Figure 1: 96 Tori/Day Medical Waste
Autoclave.
Bacterial spores represent one of the greatest
challenges for physical or chemical inactivation
during waste treatment; however, some research is
devoted to other biological organisms of concern to
provide effective methods that are more widely available, less costly, more easily applied, or
have less negative consequences than methods required for use against highly resilient B.
anthracis spores. Figure 1 shows an example of an autoclave treatment method evaluated for
B. anthracis spores.
Planned Products/Outputs; There have been a significant number of EPA published reports and
NHSRC staff authored peer-reviewed papers reporting on factors supporting waste
management decisions. The information in these reports informs decision support tools such as
EPA's Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST) and EPA's Incident Waste Assessment and
Tonnage Estimator (l-WASTE). This information includes the effectiveness of off-site treatment
methods (e.g., incineration, gasification, autoclaving), onsite treatment methods (e.g., spraying
with bleach), and the environmental impacts of disposal decisions (e.g., persistence of
organisms in landfill leachate). Further, waste and cost estimates from the multi-agency
Bioresponse Operational Technology Demonstration (BOTE) project and from the DHS-led and
multi-agency Underground Transport Restoration (UTR) program have been published.
The planned HSRP research will continue to build
upon the foundation established through the
BOTE project and the UTR program, by
improving capabilities for reducing waste during
decontamination operations, treating waste on-
site, and assessing waste treatment and disposal
options. An example of waste being collected at
the UTR Operational Technology Demonstration
is shown in Figure 2. Products and outputs
(products or synthesis of products intended for
direct use by HSRP partners) generated by this
line of research will focus on summarizing the
development of capabilities for a wide-area
Figure 2. Collection of waste at
Underground Transportation Restoration
Operational Technology Demonstration.
21
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biological incident. Some of the anticipated outputs include:
Information on the persistence of biological agents in landfill leachate and development
of in situ method for B. anthracis remediation in a landfill
Summary of integrated waste management approaches, including on-site waste
treatment and staging
Methods for containment and treatment of bio contaminated wash down water
Development of an all-hazards tool for estimating the resource demand associated with
transporting large volumes of waste
Demonstrations of Specific Research Efforts/Product Development: The following
demonstrations will be provided as examples of the research efforts and methodology used to
address this science question:
Underground Transport Restoration Video: This video will demonstrate how
laboratory testing was completed to inform an operational technology demonstration,
incorporating the testing of lab-developed or enhanced methods for sampling,
decontamination and waste management. The effort represents a mechanism used by
the HSRP for translating laboratory research to operational capability.
Development of on-site waste treatment methods: Waste treatment by dunking
waste into bleach solutions is being assessed to determine the types of materials that
can be treated and the contact time needed for effective inactivation of the contaminant.
This research effort demonstrates one method of on-site treatment that is being
investigated and was operationally assessed during the UTR operation technology
demonstration.
Partners: The partners for the research products and outputs under this science question are
the EPA Regional On-scene Coordinators and Removal Managers and the Office of Land and
Emergency Management, specifically the Office of Emergency Management's Consequence
Management Advisory Division (CMAD) and Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
(ORCR). Additional stakeholders include
state and local governments, and private
and public facility owners. To address this
science question, NHSRC researchers
seek the involvement of these EPA
Figure 3: Depiction of the interconnection of HSRP
research planning, implementation, and delivery
or transition of research products.
partners for their input in steering the
products and for ultimate transition of the
research products and information (Figure
3). Transition of the products generally
means that the research findings influence
the guidance or capability assessment
developed by the EPA program offices.
22
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Systems-Based Efforts: The research under this effort informs and feeds into efforts conducted
to understand sampling and analysis, decontamination, and the development of decision
support tools. NHSRC and CMAD are working together to initiate an area-wide testing and
demonstration project that would aid in transferring the laboratory research to wide-area field
testing. Akin to the BOTE and the UTR projects, this effort would involve a significant number of
federal, state and local stakeholders to demonstrate and assess remediation capabilities over a
wide area. This effort would incorporate waste management within the response framework
that also includes the application of developments in the understanding of biological agent fate
and transport, sampling and analysis, and decontamination. EPA is currently seeking additional
federal collaborators to conduct this large-scale effort.
23
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How can decision support tools be best designed to support a systems approach
to environmental response decision making following a wide-area biological
contamination incident?
Overview:
Responding to a wide-area contamination incident, or the aftermath of a natural disaster,
requires rapid decision-making to identify an effective approach to mitigate potential public
health, environmental, and economic consequences. The Environmental Protection Agency's
Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) is developing and enhancing computer-based
decision-support tools, for use by policy and decision makers, to quickly evaluate options and
consequences for response and remediation decisions.
The response to an environmental disaster is often composed of a complex, interdependent
"system" of processes that can include 1) hazard characterization, 2) sampling strategies and
approaches, 3) exposure assessment, 4) hazard mitigation, including assessment of
decontamination options and 5) identification of waste management approaches. Effective
decision-making during responses must be informed by an understanding of each process and
their interdependence. This complexity can be taken into account by decision makers by using
systems-based tools built on a systems approach to response. For example, decision-support
tools can account for the time and cost tradeoffs between interconnected decontamination,
waste management, and sampling activities.
The tools described herein can be used in preparedness activities (e.g., planning, exercises)
and post-incident activities (e.g., response, recovery). Note that the tools developed here are
decision-support tools, intended to provide, and possibly prioritize, options for the user, rather
than expert systems that tell the user what to do.
Research Components:
Under EPA's 2014-2015 Strategic Plan, HSRP's research supports the Goal 3 objective to
"Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities and Restore Land" by providing tools and
information to help communities "prepare for and respond to accidental or intentional releases of
contaminants and clean up and restore polluted sites for reuse." Making decisions regarding
response to, and remediation of wide area biological contamination incidents and natural
disaster is difficult due to the complexity of the situation. Under this effort, HSRP is developing
and enhancing computer-based decision-support tools for contamination incidents, which can
be used to quickly evaluate the efficacy and impacts of potential response and remediation
options on a range of scale (i.e., local and wide area incidents). These tools are developed with
the intention that they would be used along with other tools developed both inside and outside
the EPA. Additionally, HSRP's tools are continuously evaluated for their ability to assess
resilience to all environmental disasters not just traditional biological threat agents like Bacillus
anthracis.
Three key efforts provided significant motivation, as well as operational data, for development of
these decision-support tools: 1) the multi-agency Bio-Response Operational Technology
Evaluation (BOTE) study performed in 2011 at Idaho National Laboratories; 2) the development
of the Bio-Response Guide, an EPA-led collaboration between the EPA and New York City's
Department of Mental Health and Hygiene; and 3) the Department of Homeland Security's
24
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Underground Transportation Restoration project. BOTE was a multi-agency field demonstration
and exercise for remediation of a single facility contaminated with B. anthracis. The
demonstration conducted sampling, decontamination, waste management for three different
decontamination technologies. Resource requirements, in addition to technology efficacy, were
determined. The Bio-Response Guide effort developed initial planning documents and
strategies for remediating a densely populated urban area, consisting of hi-rise buildings, after a
wide-area biological contamination incident. The Underground Transportation Restoration
Project is a DHS-led effort intended to facilitate rapid return to service of subway systems
following a biological contamination incident. These field-scale cross-agency collaborations
provided important operational perspectives which made HSRP products more relevant and
effective for the responders and end-users.
Past tool development efforts for wide-area remediation is informing the ongoing development
of decision-support tools.
Figure 1 is a screen shot
demonstrating the use of color
coding for decontamination
options (green = more
desirable; yellow = less
desirable; red = not
recommended) in the
Decontamination Selection Tool
(DeconST). Another tool that
was developed is the l-WASTE
tool (see Figure 2 home screen
shot) to aid in management of
incident-generated waste.
These tools continue to be
updated as needed and also
help inform the current
development efforts.
RESULTS SUMMARY
NoiCr The numbers shown arc for purposes only.
The values should cafKnicrt\*j csrdc r-of-magmiude
rittnwtrt, rather than accurate predictions due to multiple
uncertainties.
Notr: Hoitndtng of number* can cautr tatak ta no? eqvoi
sum of the component oans
4 of Exterior Structural Materials Decontaminated
"A decontaminated and reusable?
H decontaminated anc destroyed (treated waste)
% of Interior Materials Decontaminated
% cietorrt.inwtiSSCii ,3mi ftfUsibk*
X decOrtiamirsatvd arm dehifuyeJ (treated wabtc)
% of Contents Decontaminated
,'i' decontaminated and
Volumetric Decontamination [
»rVAC is decQ-larir^ie i si astt o'
Chlorine |
Dioxide J Methyl
Gas* ! Bromide
i
m
400O pam.' 3 | L
^rs. '-~0%RH |
100% j
9Gk'o |
10%
90%
m%
m%
-------
Current Planned Outputs
Incident Planning & Response
Create a record of incident planning exercises or incident
response decisions. Navigate through applicable guidance and
information presented at each step in the decision process.
Records may be saved and retrieved for future reference.
Waste Materials Estimator
Use the Waste Materials Estimator to produce an order of
magnitude estimate for the weight and volume of materials that
may require disposal. Base estanates on default values contained
in the tool, of refine estimates based on more specific user-
defined values.
Treatment & Disposal Facilities
Locate treatment and disposal facilities. Choose one or more
filter criteria to generate a 1st of treatment and disposal facilities.
Note: The facities presented in the tool are not endorsed by EPA,
nor have any faciKy owners agreed to accept any material. A
facility's ability to accept incident waste is case specific and
determined by the facility and its regulators. Faciity contact
information is provided to facJitate the vitiation of treatment and
disposal discussions.
Figure 2: l-WASTE home screen.
Guidance & Information
Access guidance and information compiled to assist with
disposal decisions. View guidance, reports, and websites
organized by events or topics, view contact information, and
access other useful tools.
Planned decision-
support tools include
improvements to
already-developed
and tested tools and
the application of data
collected from the
above-mentioned
operational
demonstrations to
validate the tools.
Additionally, this body
of research supports
response and
remediation activities
by: 1) evaluating
already developed
technologies, such as virtual reality, to augment situational awareness for responders; 2)
building databases to house decontamination efficacy results to rapidly inform decontamination
decisions; and 3) by building tools to support specific activities such as carcass disposal. Tool
development may be done through collaboration with other agencies. The following tools are
under adaptation to other threat agents or are under development:
EPA's Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST) is being developed to address wide-
area biological response. WEST uses Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques
to look strategically at the tradeoffs between various remediation strategies in a wide-
area incident. WEST was previously developed to support wide-area decision-making
for a radiological incident. It was used previously in the LibertyRadEx National Level
Exercise (exercising environmental response to a radiological dispersal device) and the
Northern Lights Nuclear Power Plan
accident exercise to assess big
picture implications of the overall
remediation (see Figure 3 home
screen shot).
EPA's Wide Area
Decontamination Estimator
(WADE) cost estimation
spreadsheet tool is being enhanced
to include cost estimates. WADE
uses information from the BOTE
project as well as expert input from
EPA responders to aid in the
development of independent
government cost estimates (e.g.,
SL
Waste Estimation
Support Tool
Welcome to the Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST)
To begin, you must first create or open an existing scenario,
Please select the appropriate option below
© Create a Scenario
0 Open a Scenario
0 Delete a Scenario
OK
Exit ]
Figure 3. WEST home screen.
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labor, materials, other resources) to effectively deploy EPA cleanup contractors during
responses.
The use of virtual reality to augment situational awareness and training efforts by
means of a head-mounted display is being developed. This effort will use commercial
off-the-shelf technology to significantly improve the efficiency of responses by visualizing
the impacted areas and allowing responders to identify potential problems before they
enter a contaminated area.
A tool to aid in the selection of carcass disposal technologies following a foreign
animal disease incident is under development. This tool, under development in
collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), allows the selection, on an
incident-specific basis, of the most appropriate disposal approaches for animal
carcasses resulting from a wide-scale foreign animal disease incident or other
agricultural emergency involving mass animal mortalities.
A database for storing and distributing data for use in all-hazards response and
recovery research, operations, and tools is under development. This tool would provide
us with a consistent set of underlying data that could be used in all of HSRP's decision
support tools, and could provide HSRP subject matter expertise when technical support
is needed.
A key element in the development of decision-support tools is to plan the tool based on its entire
life cycle. The life cycle of these tools includes the initial scoping of the need, development and
testing, ongoing maintenance, and transition to the ultimate user base, for example, the EPA
program offices and responders in HSRP. The program is currently exploring ways to extend
the life of our tools, reduce development costs by moving data to the cloud or online
repositories, and abide by open source development protocols (i.e., free and open source
software). In many ways, the development of decision-support tools is a logical outcome of
many of the HSRP research areas.
Partners:
HSRP's primary partners in this area include the Office of Land and Emergency Management
(OLEM) and each of the Agency's ten Regional Offices across the country. The Partners
typically make use of the products by: 1) running the tools themselves; 2) working with HSRP to
run the tools; and 3) establishing a Technical Working Group (TWG) as part of a response or
exercise and asking the TWG to run the tools and make recommendations.
27
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Transitioning Research to Partners
The HSRP is not fully successful unless its scientific products are transitioned effectively to the partners
who will use them. The table below outlines the current mechanisms that HSRP employs for research
transition including descriptions and purposes for the various mechanisms as well as hyperlinks to
examples of many of them.
Mechanism
Description and purpose
Reports and journal
articles
Provide research results to scientific community, increasing the body of
knowledge to further advance the science
Document the scientific foundation for our synthesis products
(including tools) specifically, the quality and legitimacy of the research
Technical Briefs
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Field/lab applicable information extracted from reports and journal
articles for the end user
Information presented in tabular form when possible: information "at a
glance"
Technical Support
Provide support to partners during incidents, exercises, and operational
demonstrations
Provide instruction on the use of HSRP tools
Decision Support Tools
Supports decision making by combining research data along with
analytics
Webinars
Communicate HSRP research and products to a broad audience
consisting of EPA Regions, Program Offices, water utilities, and state
and local governments, and professional organizations
Blogs and Social Media
Communicate with the public about our research and events
Stakeholder
Notification
Semi-annual newsletter containing summaries of and links to all recent
products of the HSRP
Informs interested stakeholders and partners about our recent research
Participation in groups
that develop guidance
documents
Incorporation of our research findings in:
National Response Team Quick Reference Guide for Bacillus
anthracis3
EPA/CDC Interim Clearance Strategy for Environments
Contaminated with Anthrax 4
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Environmental Response and Remediation Plan for Biological
Incidents
Interagency Interim Planning Guidance for the Handling of Solid
Waste Contaminated with a Category A Infectious Substance
Released 5
3 https://www.nrt.Org/sites/2/files/120502 Anthrax QRG Final%203.pdf
4 https://www.epa.gov/emergencv-response/epacdc-interim-clearance-strategy-environments-contaminated-
anthrax
5http://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/lnterim Planning Guidance for Handling Cat
egorv A Solid Waste.pdf
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Mechanism
Description and purpose
Training
For partners:
Provide sessions on a variety of topics to On-Scene Coordinators at
the annual OSC Academy most recently a session on the biology of
threat agents, bio-specific sampling techniques, and emerging
research in biological agent response and decontamination
Assist OEM in constructing training for the Regions
Training incorporates the latest research increasing the chance it used
to make decisions during a bio-response
International
Decontamination
Research Conferences
Share information with a broad audience of scientists and other
professionals involved in Chemical Biological and Radiological cleanup
throughout the world
Conference attendance
Share information on our research with the scientific community to
further advance the scientific field
Product Teams
Ensure product produced is of maximum use to partners
Keep partners informed about the progress of research
Annual Briefings
Keep Agency partners and other end-users up to date on our research
and products
Demonstrations
Collaborate with inter and interagency partners (including end users) to
jointly demonstrate and/or evaluate cleanup methods at full scale to
generate additional data and identify additional gaps.
Inform the public, through the media, of our work
Homeland Security
Research Website
Provides basic information on the research program
Provides access to all non-sensitive product of the research program.
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Examples of Recently-Provided Technical Support
EPA prepared for the domestic response jointly with
CDC, developing guidance documents and training
materials, much of which was based on HSRP research.
The program's biological agent research was
extrapolated to the Ebola virus, specifically its findings
from studies on decontamination of porous materials,
self-help decontamination methods, and
decontamination and donning/doffing of personal
protective equipment.
The Ebola outbreak also highlighted issues related to management of waste. The domestic cases
generated waste from patients' residences that could not be disposed of and medical waste that could
not be removed from medical facilities without treatment. HSRP, with its EPA Office of Land and
Emergency Management partners and inter-agency stakeholders (e.g., Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Centers for Disease Control), drafted an interim planning guidance for handling,
transport, and disposal of waste from a person with a suspected or known exposure to a Category A
infectious substance6. This guidance assists state and local agencies in identifying handling
considerations for contaminated waste, developing/evaluating contaminated waste protocols,
protecting worker health and safety, and developing Category A waste management and response
plans. This guidance incorporated HSRP research findings on autoclave cycles with porous materials,
determined through testing against B. anthracis surrogates, to enable
treatment of Category A waste.
Bird flu outbreak: During the High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
bird flu (H5N2) outbreak, that affected nearly 8 million turkeys and
chickens on poultry farms in 13 states, HSRP provided technical
assistance on management of the potentially infected carcasses,
estimated to be over 30 million pounds, and options to
decontaminate poultry houses. HSRP's technical assistance was
based upon its disinfection studies for HPAI, and on decontamination
and waste management studies focused on other biological agents. In
addition, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, preparing for
a potential spread of an HPAI outbreak to North Carolina, contacted
6 "A form capable of causing permanent disability or life threatening or fatal disease in
otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposed" (defined in the 49 CFR 173.134)
30
Construction of windrow for
composting of bird mortalities in 2015
(WATTAgNET.com)
Ebola Outbreak: The Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak of 2014 originating in West Africa, resulted in two
imported cases and two locally acquired cases in the U.S. These cases raised heightened awareness
regarding appropriate decontamination of PPE and
decontamination of environmental surfaces in patient's
residence and public facilities as well as vehicles and
equipment. K, J|
Waste generated from an Ebola patient's residence.
7225
FuOd>Dt
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EPA about the readiness and applicably of using its mobile gasifier to conduct on-site treatment of
animal carcasses. The gasifier design, fabrication, and testing was a collaborative effort between EPA
and Department of Homeland Security.
Lab clean-ups from DoD Bacillus anthracis samples: Historically the Department of Defense's Dugway
Proving Grounds has created non-viable, "anthrax" samples, by irradiating live B. anthracis spores.
These spores were used by government, contract, including university, labs with BSL-1 laboratories to
conduct research and test technologies. In 2015, a private lab under DoD detected growth of live B.
anthracis from an inactivated sample. CDC recommended that labs that received, handled or processed
these samples, in the year prior to the discovery of the live sample, decontaminate their labs using
EPA/CDC provided recommendations. HSRP, in collaboration with its EPA partners and in coordination
with CDC, developed these recommendations based upon HSRP research. The recommendations
included decontaminants that were not Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)7
registered for B. anthracis. EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention issued FIFRA
exemptions to affected labs as a result of HSRP research data. EPA HSRP then provided technical
support to labs as they implemented these recommendations from CDC Emergency Operations Center.
In addition, HSRP provided technical support to labs and public health agencies in Region 3 (MD) and
Region 5 (Wl).
7 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) - Requires all pesticides sold or distributed in the
United States (including imported pesticides) to be registered by EPA. See
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/selected-epa-registered-disinfectants for further information.
31
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Recently Completed Bio-Focused Webinars
Description of Webinar
Target Audience
Overview of Methodologies for Decontamination of Sensitive
Equipment - Outlines research on the impacts of decontaminants
(specifically fumigants) on models of sensitive equipment.
OLEM/OEM, Regions
Wide area B. anthracis cleanup - Describes research on effective
operational parameters for fumigation and effectiveness
decontamination methods for outdoor surfaces, including soil.
OLEM/OEM, Regions
Selected Analytical Methods for Environmental Remediation and
Recovery (SAM) includes analytical methods for chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear samples. EPA created SAM
because homeland security incidents could involve a large number of
samples that would require the involvement of many labs to analyze.
For analysis results to be comparable, it's necessary that all labs use
the same methods. SAM provides the preferred methods for the labs
to use.
OLEM/OW, Regions
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