HEALTH CONSULTATION
Review of August 2001 Ambient Air Data
POLES, INCORPORATED
(a/k/a POLES, INCORPORATED WOOD TREATING FACILITY)
OLDTOWN, BONNER COUNTY, IDAHO
BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF ISSUES
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) received a request from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 to evaluate ambient air data for Poles, Inc., collected in August 2001, and determine whether airborne pentachlorophenol (PCP) and associated chemicals pose a health hazard to people at the neighboring school or residences (1).
Poles, Inc., located in Oldtown, Idaho, just west of Priest River, is an open vat thermal wood-treating facility, using pentachlorophenol (PCP) as a wood preservative. The facility is closed during December, January, and February, and operates the other 9 months of the year. The nearest residence is approximately 400 feet north of the facility and an elementary school is located approximately 500 feet south of the facility. The elementary school is approximately 30 feet higher in elevation than the site. In 1999, an old wood-fired boiler was replaced by a new oil-fired boiler, reducing the treatment process from 13 hours to 8 hours. Because the facility uses only one dip tank, a maximum of 2 to 2.5 batches are treated a week (2).
In fall 2000, several community members and schoolteachers complained about strong odors emanating from the facility, and expressed concerns of possible health effects. In response to these concerns, the owner changed his schedule, treating the poles during the evening instead of during the day, to reduce possible exposure of nearby community members to airborne PCP. In August 2001, Ecology and Environment, Inc. collected 27 ambient air samples at eight locations on and around the facility during 3 consecutive days. All samples were collected in a 23-hour period with approximately 300 cubic meters total sample volume and analyzed for semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) using EPA Method TO-13A. See Table 1 for sampling location description and Table 2 for summary of analytical data.
Twelve SVOCs were detected in ambient air samples. The levels of all detected chemicals, except PCP and 2-methylnaphthalene as noted below, were below their respective health-based guidelines. PCP was found at levels ranging from non-detect to an estimated maximum of 1.48 µg/m³. The Idaho ambient air standard for PCP is 25 µg/m³ based on noncancer effects and the EPA Region 9 preliminary remediation goal (PRG) for PCP is 0.056 µg/m³ based on carcinogenicity (2,3).Some issues related to this site are as follows:
On the basis of available data and the above discussions, ATSDR concluded that current exposure to PCP and 2-methylnaphthalene at this site through the air pathway is no apparent public health hazard because (1) exposures will not cause imminent adverse health effects in the general population, which (2) will have no apparent increased risk of getting cancer from long-term exposure.
.Jane Zhu
Environmental Health Scientist
Exposure Investigations and Consultations Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Kara Fincham
Abstractor
Program Evaluation, Records, and Information Services Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Reviewed by
Karen L. Larson, PhD
Regional Representative
Office of Regional Operations
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Gregory M. Zarus
Strike Team Leader
Exposure Investigations and Consultations Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Maurice West, PE, DEE
Deputy Branch Chief
Exposure Investigations and Consultations Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
TABLE 1. Air Sampling Locations/Descriptions for Poles, Inc.
August 22-25, 2001
| Location ID | Description of sample location |
| PY04AM | Background |
| PY01AM | Metstation (downwind during all three sampling events) |
| PY02AM | Near bluff (downwind during all three sampling events) |
| PY03AM | Residence (downwind only during August 22-23 sampling event) |
| PY05AM | Next to process area (on-site) (downwind during all three sampling events) |
| PY06AM | Inside school |
| PY07AM | Across river (downwind during all three sampling events) |
| PY08AM | Downwind |
TABLE 2. Summary of Air Samples Pentachlorophenol (PCP)
Analytical Results
Poles, Inc.
Oldtown, Idaho (µg/m3)
| Location ID | August 22-23 | August 23-24 | August 24-25 |
| PY04AM | 0.18 U | 0.18 U | 0.16 U |
| PY01AM | 0.16 U | 0.18 U | 0.03 JQK |
| PY02AM | 0.10 JQK | 0.03 JQK | 0.06 JQK |
| PY03AM | 1.48 JQK | 0.16 U | 0.16 U |
| PY05AM | 0.01 JQK | 0.63 JL | 0.49 JL |
| PY06AM* | 0.18 U | 0.16 U | 0.16 U |
| PY07AM | 0.05 JQK | 0.16 U | 0.15 U |
| PY08AM | R | 0.16 U | 0.14 U |
KEY:
*indoor air sample in school
U = The analyte was detected. The associated numerical result is the sample
quantitation limit.
J = The analyte was positively identified. The associated numerical result is
an estimate.
K = Unknown bias.
L = Low bias.
Q = Analyte detected below the adjusted sample quantitation limit.
R = Rejected.
Figure 1. Demographic Statistics
