PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE
SPOKANE, SPOKANE COUNTY, WASHINGTON
CERCLIS NO. WA9571924647
December 22, 1997
Prepared by:
The Washington State Department of Health
under a cooperative agreement with the
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PATHWAYS ANALYSIS/PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
B. Completed Exposure Pathways
Pathway 1b: Craig Road Landfill --> Air --> Vietzke Village Residents
Pathway 2: Wastewater Lagoons --> Groundwater --> West Thorpe Road Area Residents
Pathway 4: Tordon --> Groundwater/Soil --> West Thorpe Road Area Residents
Pathway 5: On-Base Activities --> Sediment/Soil --> Base Personnel
C. Potential Exposure Pathways
Pathway 1: Future Off-Base Development --> Groundwater --> Off-Base Residents
Pathway 2: Future Base Development --> Soil/Groundwater --> Future Residents
Pathway 3: On-Base Supply Well #2 --> Groundwater --> Base Personnel
HEALTH OUTCOME DATA EVALUATION
COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS EVALUATION
APPENDIX B. Hazardous Waste Sites at Fairchild Air Force Base
APPENDIX C. Contaminants of Concern.
APPENDIX D. Exposure Dose Calculations
APPENDIX E. Response to Public Comment
APPENDIX F. ATSDR Public Health Assessment Conclusion Categories
Table 1. Fairchild Air Force Base Exposure Pathway Conclusions
Table 2. Completed Exposure Pathways for Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
Table 3. Potential Exposure Pathways for Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
Table 4. Vietzke Village Supply Well TCE Measurements
Figure 1. Fairchild Air Force Base Site Location Map
Figure 2. Fairchild Air Force Base Satellite Facilities
Figure 3. Fairchild Air Force Base Hazardous Waste Sites
Figure 4. Demographics for Fairchild Air Force Base and Surrounding Area
Figure 5. Craig Road Landfill and Surrounding Area
Figure 6. Craig Road Landfill Plume and Well Locations
Figure 7. Well Locations for Sites WW-1, FT-1 and West Thorpe Road Area Residences
| AFFF | Aqueous Film-Forming Foam |
| 1,2-DCA | 1,2-Dichloroethane |
| 1,2-DCE | cis and trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene |
| 1,1,1-TCA | 1,1,1-Trichloroethane |
| AOC | Area of Concern |
| AST | Above-Ground Storage Tank |
| ATSDR | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry |
| AWQC | Ambient Water Quality Criteria |
| BTEX | Benzene, Ethylbenzene, Toluene, Xylene |
| cis-1,2-DCE | cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene |
| CERCLA | Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act |
| COC | Contaminant of Concern |
| CREG | Cancer Risk Evaluation Guide |
| CSF | Cancer Slope Factor |
| CPF | Cancer Potency Factor |
| DOD | Department of Defense |
| DOH | Washington State Department of Health |
| DWEL | Drinking Water Equivalent Level |
| Ecology | Washington State Department of Ecology |
| EMEG | Environmental Media Evaluation Guide |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| EOD | Explosive Ordnance |
| FAFB | Fairchild Air Force Base |
| GPR | Ground Penetrating Radar |
| GRRDF | Graham Road Recycling and Disposal Facility |
| HARM | Hazard Assessment Rating Methodology |
| IRP | Installation Restoration Program |
| LFI | Limited Field Investigation |
| LOAEL | Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level |
| LTHA | Lifetime Health Advisory |
| LTM | Long Term Monitoring |
| LTO | Long Term Operations |
| MCL | Maximum Contaminant Level |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| MRL | Minimal Risk Level |
| MW | Monitoring Well |
| NFA | No Further Action |
| NOAEL | No Observed Adverse Effect Level |
| NPL | National Priorities List |
| OSHA | Occupational Health and Safety Administration |
| PAH | Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon |
| PCP | Pentachlorophenol |
| PCB | Polychlorinated Biphenyl |
| PCE | Tetrachloroethylene, Perchloroethylene |
| PHA | Public Health Assessment |
| PHAP | Public Health Action Plan |
| ppb | parts per billion |
| ppm | parts per million |
| RCRA | Resource, Conservation and Recovery Act |
| RI/FS | Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study |
| RfD | Oral Reference Dose |
| RMEG | Reference Media Evaluation Guide |
| RW | Residential Well |
| SARA | Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 |
| SCAPCA | Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority |
| SVOC | Semi-Volatile Organic Chemical |
| TCE | Trichloroethylene |
| TCLP | Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure |
| TPH | Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons |
| trans-1,2-DCE | trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene |
| TRI | Toxic Release Inventory |
| ug/dl | micrograms per deciliter |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| UST | Underground Storage Tank |
| VOC | Volatile Organic Compounds |
Acute
Occurring over a short time, usually a few minutes or hours. An acute exposure can result in short-term or long-term
health effects. An acute effect happens a short time (up to 1 year) after exposure.
Air Sparging
Process designed to clean up volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater by forcing air into the contaminated
groundwater which forces the VOCs up to the surface where they are released to the air.
Air Stripping
Process by which volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are removed from soil or water by movement of air through the
material causing the VOCs to evaporate more readily.
Ambient
Surrounding. For example, ambient air is usually outdoor air (as opposed to indoor air).
Aquifer
Water-bearing rock or rock formation located beneath the ground surface.
Background Level
A typical or average level of a chemical in the environment. Background often refers to naturally occurring or
uncontaminated levels but can include contaminants so widespread in the environment so that no specific source is
apparent.
Bedrock
A general term for the rock that underlies the shallow or overburden aquifer.
Bedrock aquifer
Sub-surface water-bearing area in which the water is contained in and moves through fractures (cracks) in the
bedrock.
Carcinogen
Any substance that may produce cancer.
Chronic
Occurring over a long period of time (more than 1 year).
Concentration
The amount of one substance dissolved or contained in a given amount of another. For example, sea water contains a
higher concentration of salt than fresh water.
Contaminant
Any substance or material that enters a system (e.g., the environment, human body, food, etc.) where it is not normally
found.
Dermal contact
Contact with the skin. Refers to absorption through the skin as a route of exposure.
Dose
The amount of substance to which a person is exposed. Dose often takes body weight into account.
Downgradient
Refers to a location toward which groundwater will flow.
Environmental Media
Groundwater surface water, air, soil sediment and biota.
Environmental Transport
Movement of contaminants from the source to points where human exposure can occur.
Exposure
Contact with a chemical by swallowing, breathing, or direct contact (such as through the skin or eyes). Exposure may
be short term (acute) or long term (chronic).
Exposure Pathway
An exposure pathway is the process by which an individual is exposed to contaminants that originate from some
source of contamination. It consists of five elements: 1) Source of Contamination, 2) Environmental Media/Transport,
3) Point of Exposure, 4) Route of Exposure and 5) Receptor Population.
Groundwater
Water contained in the spaces between soil and rock below the water table. This water can be in shallow (overburden)
aquifers or bedrock aquifers.
Ingestion
Swallowing (such as eating or drinking). Chemicals can get into or on food, drink, utensils, cigarettes, or hands where
they can then be ingested. After ingestion, chemicals can be absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the
body.
Inhalation
Part of the breathing process. Exposure can occur by inhaling contaminants which can then be deposited in the lungs,
taken into the blood, or both.
Lagoon
A man-made pond designed to receive wastewater from a drainage system.
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (LOAEL)
The LOAEL is the lowest dose at which an adverse health effect is seen in a particular study. The LOAEL is often
used to derive MRLs and RfDs.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
The MCL is a regulatory limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for contaminants in drinking water.
If an MCL is exceeded, regulatory action is required under the Safe Drinking Water Act. MCLs are not always strictly
health based but can consider technological or economic feasibility.
Media
Soil, water, air, plants, animals, or any other parts of the environment that can contain contaminants.
Minimal Risk Level (MRL)
Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) are levels of chemical exposure below which non-cancer effects are not expected. MRLs
are derived by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. An MRL is derived by dividing a LOAEL or
NOAEL by "safety factors" to account for uncertainty and provide added health protection.
National Priorities List (NPL)
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) listing of sites that have undergone preliminary assessment and site
inspection to determine which locations pose an immediate threat to persons living or working near the release. These
sites are most in need of cleanup.
National Toxicology Program (NTP)
NTP conducts toxicological testing on those substances most frequently found at sites on the National Priorities List of
the EPA, and which also have the greatest potential for human exposure.
National Exposure Registry
A listing of persons exposed to hazardous substances. This listing consists of chemical-specific subregistries. The
primary purpose of the registry program is to create a large database of similarly exposed persons. This database is to
be used to facilitate epidemiology research in ascertaining adverse health effects of persons exposed to low levels of
chemicals over long periods of time.
No Apparent Public Health Hazard
A conclusion category used when human exposure to contaminated media is occurring or has occurred in the past, but
the exposure is below a level of health hazard.
No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL)
The NOAEL is the highest dose from a study that did not find any adverse health effects. The NOAEL is often used to
derive MRLs and RfDs.
No Public Health Hazard
A conclusion category used when data indicate that no current, past or potential for future exposure exists and,
therefore, no health hazard exists.
Oral Reference Dose (RfD)
Oral Reference Doses (RfDs) are levels of chemical exposure, derived by the Environmental Protection Agency, below
which non-cancer effects are not expected. An RfD is derived by dividing a LOAEL or NOAEL by "safety factors" to
account for uncertainty and provide added health protection
Overburden
All geologic material (loose soil, sand, gravel, ect.) that overlies bedrock.
Plume
An area of chemicals in a particular medium, such as air or groundwater, moving away from its source in a long band
or column. A plume can be a column of smoke from a chimney or chemicals moving with groundwater.
Point of Exposure
A location of potential or actual human contact with a contaminated medium (e.g., drinking water well, residential
yard, playground, ect.)
Potential/Indeterminate Public Health Hazard
A conclusion category used when no conclusions about public health hazard can be made because environmental
and/or toxicological data are lacking.
Public Availability Session
An informal, drop-by meeting at which community members can meet one-on-one with state health department and
ATSDR staff members to discuss health and site-related concerns.
Public Health Assessment
The evaluation of data and information on the release of hazardous substances into the environment in order to assess
any current or future impact on public health, develop health advisories or other recommendations, and identify
studies or actions needed to evaluate and mitigate or prevent human health effects; also, the document resulting from
that evaluation.
Public Health Hazard
Sites that pose a public health hazard as the result of long-term exposures to hazardous substances.
Receptor Population
Persons who are exposed or potentially exposed to the contaminants of concern at a point of exposure.
Risk
In risk assessment, the probability that something will cause injury, combined with the potential severity of that injury.
Route of Exposure
The way in which a person may contact a chemical substance. For example, drinking (ingestion) and bathing (skin
contact) are two different routes of exposure to contaminants that may be found in water.
Shallow aquifer
Sub-surface water-bearing area that lies between the water table and bedrock characterized by loose soil, sand, gravel, ect.
Also known as the overburden.
Soil Bioventing
Process designed to clean up contaminated soil through oxygen enrichment. The added oxygen increases microbial
activity and speeds up the degradation of the soil contaminants.
Source
Origin of a contaminant release into the environment, or, if the source is unknown, the environmental media through
which contaminants are presented at a point of exposure.
Superfund
Another name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA),
which created ATSDR.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Substances that easily become vapors or gases and contain carbon and different proportions of other elements such as
hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, sulfur, or nitrogen. Many VOCs are commonly used as solvents (paint
thinners, lacquer thinner, degreasers, and dry cleaning fluids).
