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An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the U.S. for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 (EPA/600/P-03/002f, Final Report, November 2006)
Federal Register Notices
Contact
- David Cleverly
- by phone at: 703-347-8629
- by email at: cleverly.david@epa.gov
- by email at: cleverly.david@epa.gov
Notice
EPA announces the release of the final report, An inventory of sources and environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds in the United States for the years 1987, 1995 and 2000. This is a comprehensive evaluation of sources and emissions of dioxins (CDDs), dibenzofurans (CDFs) and coplanar PCBs to the air, land and water of the U.S. The inventory suggests that there has been a 90% reduction in environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds from all sources combined between the years 1987 and 2000, and that the open burning of residential refuse in backyard burn barrels is currently the largest source of these chemicals.
An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 (EPA/600/P-03/002F, November 2006), is a peer reviewed and final report representing EPA’s assessment of dioxin sources and their emissions to the environment. To the extent practical, the inventory is a comprehensive analysis of dioxin sources. Over 800 references were reviewed and cited in the preparation of this report. The citations generally reflect publications up to and including the year 2003. This final document reflects a consideration of all comments received on an External Review Draft dated March 2005 (EPA600/P-03/002A) [link; http://www.epa.gov/ncea/pdfs/dioxin/2k-update/] provided by an expert panel at a peer-review workshop held September 13–15, 2005, and comments received during a 60-day public review and comment period (May 6–July 5, 2005).Background
The purpose of this document is to present a comprehensive inventory and overview of sources and environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds in the United States. The major identified sources of environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds are grouped into six broad categories: combustion sources, metals smelting, refining and process sources, chemical manufacturing sources, natural sources, and environmental reservoirs. Estimates of annual releases to land, air, and water are presented for each source category and summarized for reference years 1987, 1995, and 2000. The quantitative results are expressed in terms of the toxicity equivalent (TEQ) of the mixture of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (CDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (CDF) compounds present in environmental releases using a procedure sanctioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998. This TEQ procedure translates the complex mixture of CDDs and CDFs characteristic of environmental releases into an equivalent toxicity concentration of 2,3,7,8-tetrachorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD), the most toxic member of this class of compounds. Using this WHO procedure, the annual releases of TEQDF-WHO98 to the U.S. environment over the three reference years are 13,965 g in 1987, 3,444 g in 1995, and 1,422 g in 2000.
This analysis indicates that between reference years 1987 and 2000, there was approximately a 90% reduction in the releases of dioxin-like compounds to the circulating environment of the United States from all known sources combined. In 1987 and 1995, the leading source of dioxin emissions to the U.S. environment was municipal waste combustion; however, because of reductions in dioxin emissions from municipal waste combustors, it dropped to the 4th ranked source in 2000. Burning of domestic refuse in backyard burn barrels remained fairly constant over the years, but in 2000, it emerged as the largest source of dioxin emissions to the U.S. environment.
This analysis indicates that between reference years 1987 and 2000, there was approximately a 90% reduction in the releases of dioxin-like compounds to the circulating environment of the United States from all known sources combined. In 1987 and 1995, the leading source of dioxin emissions to the U.S. environment was municipal waste combustion; however, because of reductions in dioxin emissions from municipal waste combustors, it dropped to the 4th ranked source in 2000. Burning of domestic refuse in backyard burn barrels remained fairly constant over the years, but in 2000, it emerged as the largest source of dioxin emissions to the U.S. environment.
History/Chronology
| 1995 | EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) reviewed EPA's Dioxin Reassessment. The SAB recommended that EPA undertake a detailed assessment of sources of dioxin. |
| 1998 | In response to the recommendation of the SAB, EPA released the first external review draft report entitled, The Inventory of Sources of Dioxin in the United States (EPA/600/P-98/002Aa). |
| Apr 1998 | After an independent peer review it was recommended that EPA update the inventory in order to capture changes in dioxin releases resulting from changes in technologies and regulatory requirements. |
| 1999 | EPA began the development of the year 2000 update to the dioxin inventory. |
| Jun 2001 | EPA released an electronic Database of Sources of Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States containing dioxin emission factors specific for releases from sources in reference years 1987 and 1995. |
| May 2005 | EPA releasesd the external review draft of the dioxin updated inventory for public comment and peer review. A panel of six internationally known experts convened in September to formally review and comment on the draft report. |
| Nov 2006 | The Final report was released incorporating comments received from the public and the formal peer review panel. |
Next Steps
This is the FInal Report.
Downloads/Related Links
- Dioxin Inventory of Sources (Optimized Report) (PDF) (677 pp, 8 MB, about PDF)
- Dioxin Inventory of Sources (Original) (PDF) (677 pp, 55 MB, about PDF)
Related Link(s)
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International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monograph on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans.
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European Commission on Dioxin Exposure and Health.
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The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile
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Dioxin Source Inventories European Commission Overview Report
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United Nations Environmental Program. Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Release.
Citation
U.S. EPA. An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the U.S. for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 (EPA/600/P-03/002f, Final Report, November 2006). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/P-03/002F.
