PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXPERT PANEL WORKSHOP
TO EVALUATE THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
FOR THE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS-
CONTAMINATED WASTE
September 13-14, 1993
Bloomington, Indiana
Prepared by:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Atlanta, Georgia
The public's concern about hazardous wastes continues to increase worldwide. Increasingly, the public health hazards associated with disposal of hazardous wastes have become a focus of these concerns. At the center of this debate are issues regarding the public health impacts of remedial technologies.
Among remedial technologies currently used, incineration has drawn the attention of regulatory officials, public health officials, legislators, industry, academe, and the general public. Many communities have expressed to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) their concerns about the potential implications of incinerating wastes. These questions often cannot be addressed because of a lack of pertinent data and information.
In 1992, as a result of health concerns expressed by residents in Bloomington, Indiana, two members of Congress requested that ATSDR address any public health implications of incinerating polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)-contaminated wastes associated with six hazardous waste sites in that area. The ATSDR Bloomington PCB Project has been conducted in response to that request.
As part of the project, ATSDR convened an expert panel workshop to identify and evaluate all pertinent information related to the public health implications of human exposure to PCBs. Discussions during the workshop focused on three key areas: health effects of PCBs, incineration of PCB- contaminated waste, and non-incineration remedial technologies. Chapters 2 through 4 of these proceedings present a summary of the pertinent findings in each of these three areas.
ATSDR believes this report will serve as a valuable resource for the public, health and environmental agencies, and policymakers involved with the management of hazardous wastes. In addition to evaluating all available information pertinent to the health effects, treatment, and disposal of PCB-contaminated wastes, this document also identifies key data needs and public health actions to be undertaken to enhance our collective knowledge and ability to reduce and, where possible, prevent the potential public health consequences associated with improperly managed wastes. ATSDR encourages public health investigators to consider the findings in these proceedings as a framework for future actions taken to address the health concerns associated with disposal of hazardous wastes.
Barry L. Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Surgeon General Assistant Administrator, ATSDR |
ATSDR Project Management
Acknowlegements
Health Effects Panel
Incineration Panel Members
Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies Panel Members
ATSDR Bloomington Workgroup
Executive Summary
Chapter 2 - Expert Panel Report Health Effects Panel.
Executive Summary
I. Introduction
II. General Overview
III. Cancer
IV. Reproductive/developmental
V. Neurologic
VI. Immunological
VII. Other organ systems
VIII. Health Effects from Remediation Technologies
IX. Conclusions
X. Recommendations
XI. References
XII. Appendices
Chapter 3 - Expert Panel Report PCB Incineration Panel
Executive Summary
Introduction
Panel Discussions
I. Incinerator Operations and Performance
II. Facility Issues
III.Factors Affecting Public Health
IV. Summary Statement of Each Panelist
V. Recommendations
Appendix A Incineration Panel Biosketches
Appendix B Abbreviations
Appendix C Discussion Document
Chapter 4 - Expert Panel Report Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies.
Executive Summary
Panel Report Outline
I. Introduction
II. Technology Description
III. Integrated Treatment
IV. Potential for Human Exposure
V. Conclusions
VI. Recommendations
VII. Bibliography
VIII.Appendices
Appendix I - Project Description
Appendix II - Workshop Agenda
Appendix III- Videotape Index
Appendix IV - Response to Comments Received
ATSDR Project Management
Maureen Y. Lichtveld, M.D., M.P.H. - Project Director
Chief Biomedical Officer for Public Health Practice
Public Health Practice Coordination Group
Allan S. Susten, Ph.D., D.A.B.T - Technical Director
Assistant Director for Science
Division of Health Assessments and Consultation
Contributors
Betty C. Willis, M.S. - Co-Chair, Incineration Panel
Environmental Health Scientist
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Joseph C. Carpenter, P.E. - Co-Chair
Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies Panel
Environmental Engineer
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Obaid M. Faroon, Ph.D., D.V.M. - Co-Chair, Health Effects Panel
Environmental Health Scientist
Division of Toxicology
Lee M. Sanderson, Ph.D. - Co-Chair, Health Effects Panel
Environmental Epidemiologist
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Lynn C. Wilder, M.S.Hyg. - Co-Chair
Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies Panel
Environmental Health Scientist
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Robert C. Williams, P.E., DEE
Director
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Acknowledgements
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) gratefully acknowledges the guidance and advice provided by the expert panel members during the workshop and the preparation of chapters two through four of these proceedings. The panel members are listed on the following pages.
The Agency expresses its appreciation to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) for their assistance in the development of the project.
ATSDR also wishes to thank the Indiana State Department of Health for their contribution to the workshop and the City of Bloomington for its hospitality.
Appreciation is extended to the members ATSDR Bloomington PCB Project Workgroup, listed on the following pages, for their diligent efforts and guidance and to Kathryn Harben for her editorial assistance. ATSDR also expresses its appreciation to Wendell Webb for his efforts in the presentation, formatting and printing of the Proceedings. ATSDR also acknowledges the contributions to the workshop of all divisions and offices.
ATSDR also appreciates the support from the Bloomington community and all other
organizations who contributed to the expert panel workshop.
CHAIR: James M. Melius, M.D., Dr.P.H.
Director, Division of Occupational Health
and Environmental Epidemiology
New York State Department of Health
CO-CHAIR: Lee M. Sanderson, Ph.D.
Senior Epidemiologist
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
CO-CHAIR: Obaid M. Faroon, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Environmental Health Scientist
Division of Toxicology
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
RAPPORTEUR: Greg Steele, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.
Environmental Epidemiologist
Indiana State Department of Health
Henry A. Anderson, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer, Occupational and Environmental Health
Wisconsin Division of Health
Jean D. Brender, R.N., Ph.D.
Director, Environmental Epidemiology Program
Texas Department of Health
Dorothy A. Canter, Ph.D.
Science Advisor, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Theodora Emily Colborn, Ph.D.
Senior Fellow
World Wildlife Fund, Inc.
Joe G. N. Garcia, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, Physiology, Biophysics
Director, Indiana University Occupational Lung Center
Indiana University School of Medicine
Stephen B. Hamilton, Jr., Ph.D.
Manager, Environmental Science and Technology
General Electric Corporation
George W. Lucier, Ph.D.
Chief, Laboratory of Biochemical Risk Analysis
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Mitchell Singal, M.D., M.P.H.
Medical Officer
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
CHAIR: Richard S. Magee, Sc.D., P.E., DEE
Director, Northeast Hazardous Substances Research Center
NJ Institute of Technology
CO-CHAIR: Betty C. Willis, M.S.
Environmental Health Scientist
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
RAPPORTEUR: Harvey W. Rogers, M.S.
Chief, Environmental Engineering Program
National Center for Environmental Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Pat Costner, M.S.
Research Director, U.S. Toxics Campaign
Greenpeace
William H. Farland, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Health and Environmental Assessment
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Robert E. Ginsburg, Ph.D.
Environmental Health Consultant
Kathryn E. Kelly, Dr. P.H.
President
Environmental Toxicology International, Inc.
Donald A. Oberacker, M.S.
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Adel F. Sarofim, Sc.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering
Curtis C. Travis, Ph.D.
Health Effects Director, Center for Risk Management
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Andrew R. (Drew) Trenholm, M.S.
Midwest Research Institute
CHAIR: Frederick G. Pohland, Ph.D., P.E., DEE
Edward R. Weidlein Chair of Environmental Engineering
and Professor of Civil Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Pittsburgh
CO-CHAIR: Joseph C. Carpenter, P.E.
Environmental Engineer
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
CO-CHAIR: Lynn C. Wilder, M.S.Hyg.
Environmental Health Scientist
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
RAPPORTEUR: James J. Cudahy, M.S., M.B.A., P.E.
President
Focus Environmental, Inc.
Harry L. Allen, Ph.D.
Senior Environmental Scientist
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Response Team
John F. Brown, Jr., Ph.D.
Manager, Environmental Toxicology Branch
Environmental Laboratory
GE Corporate Research & Development
Joseph G. Hailer, M.S.
Waste Policy Institute
Peter B. Lederman, Ph.D., P.E., DEE, P.P.
Director, Center for Environmental Engineering and Science, and Research Professor of Chemical Engineering
New Jersey Institute of Technology
John F. Quensen, Ph.D.
Assistant Research Professor
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Michigan State University
Charles J. Rogers, M.S.
Senior Research Scientist
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
Rengarajan Soundararajan, Ph.D.
Research Chemist
RMC Environmental and Analytical Laboratories, Inc.
Paul Trost, Ph.D.
Consultant
Director of Remediation Engineering and Consulting Services
Remediation and Field Services Group
Waste-Tech Services, Inc.
ATSDR Bloomington Workgroup
Cheri Ahern
Joseph Carpenter, P.E.
Consuella Cutright
Candace Davis
Annette Dodd
Louise Fabinski
Obaid Faroon, D.V.M, Ph.D.
Peggy Graham
William Greim, M.S., M.P.H
Maureen Y. Lichtveld, M.D., M.P.H.
Manna Muroya, M.P.H.
Marie B. Patterson
Jerry Pereira, M.P.A.
Lee Sanderson, Ph.D.
Allan Susten, Ph.D., D.A.B.T.
Andrea Wargo, Ph.D.
Lynn Wilder, M.S.Hyg.
Betty Willis, M.S.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Because of health concerns expressed by residents of the area surrounding Bloomington, Indiana, in 1992 Senator Richard Lugar and Congressman Frank McCloskey asked ATSDR to address any potential public health implications of incinerating wastes contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from six hazardous waste sites in and around Bloomington. In response to this request, ATSDR has undertaken a multi-phase project.
The Bloomington PCB Project has three purposes:
To achieve those purposes, ATSDR defined four tasks, which are being conducted concurrently:
Task 1: | Develop a preliminary evaluation (preliminary report) of all past, present, and future
human exposure pathways, available health outcome data, and community health concerns
associated with the six sites: Bennett Stone Quarry, Lemon Lane Landfill, Neal's Dump, Neal's
Landfill, Anderson Road Landfill, and Winston-Thomas Sewage Treatment Plant. |
Task 2: | Conduct a comprehensive review of past PCB-related health studies. |
Task 3: | Evaluate the public health implications of incinerating PCB-contaminated wastes. |
Task 4: | Evaluate the public health implications of technically feasible remedial strategies other than incineration. |
Three expert panels composed of 30 national experts outside of ATSDR assisted in conducting Tasks 2, 3, and 4. In September 1993, ATSDR convened the panels at Indiana University, in Bloomington. The panels were charged with identifying and evaluating all pertinent data and information related to the public health implications of human exposure to PCBs. ATSDR views these panels as critical sources of information about incineration and other non-incineration remedial technologies as this relates to the treatment and disposal of PCB-contaminated wastes.
Every effort was made to choose panel members with demonstrated expertise as well as diverse viewpoints and professional affiliations. To ensure that diverse viewpoints were expressed, the panels were not asked to reach consensus. These proceedings are a summary of the panels' deliberations.
The following key conclusions were synthesized by ATSDR based on the discussions by three panels:
Conclusions
A. Health Effects
B. Incineration
C. Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies
Based on these conclusions, ATSDR developed the following key recommendations:
Recommendations
A. Health Effects
B. Incineration
C. Non-Incineration Remedial Technologies