PBT Initiative and PCBs

1. PBT Initiative and PCBs Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Holly Davies, Ph.D. April 24th, 2013

2. Reducing Toxic Threats • Green Chemistry • Benign design • Kids & environment protected • Manufacturers share the responsibility • Safer Alternatives • Phase out PBTs PREVENTION Averting toxic exposures and avoiding future costs is the smartest, cheapest and healthiest approach. Identify & Gather Data on Chemicals of Concern MANAGEMENT Needed but costly strategies to prevent the release of toxics to the environment. CLEANUP Needed but costly solutions to avoidable contamination.

3. PBTs • Persistent- they remain in the environment for a long time • Bioaccumulative- they build up in organisms and in the food chain • Toxic- they are harmful to the health of humans and/or other species

4. Why are PBTs a priority? • Travel long distances and cross media • Span the boundaries of programs, geography and generations. • Traditional single-media approaches won’t solve the whole problem. • We need to address PBTs through integrated use of all agency tools and programs.

5. Non-PBT chemical release Sources Degradation and Dispersal Environment PBT chemical release Sources Increasing Concentrations

6. 2006 PBT Rule (Chapter 173-333 WAC) • Goal is to reduce and phase-out PBT uses, releases, and exposures in Washington • List of 27 individual PBTs and groups • Chemical Action Plans (CAPs) • Process to prioritize and schedule • Content • Procedural rule

7. What is a CAP? Chemical Action Plan identifies, characterizes, and evaluates uses and releases of a PBT and recommends actions to protect human health and the environment • Chemistry • Health effects • Human • Wildlife • Monitoring • Sources • Laws and Regulations • Policy Options • costs • Recommendations • Agency actions • New laws • Education • Partners

8. Process for Preparing CAPs • Plan and collect information with • Different programs within Ecology and DOH • Other agencies as appropriate • Experts • Work with external advisory committee • Review and collect more information • Develop draft recommendations • Public review and comment on draft CAP • Final recommendations and Final CAP

9. Selected CAP Actions • Mercury (2003) • Ban on some uses • An agreement with dentists to collect mercury amalgam waste • PBDEs (2006) • Ban on some uses, after an alternatives assessment • Lead (2009) • Lead-based paint assessment and remediation • Commerce and Health • Toxic Metals focus for pollution prevention planning • PAH (2012)- continued agency work on • Wood smoke • Creosote treated wood • Vehicles

10. PCBs • Chemistry • Health effects • Monitoring • TSCA, CWA, and other regulations

11. Production, Uses, and Releases • Puget Sound Toxics Loading Study Sources (2011) • Large capacitors • Small capacitors • Residential trash burning • Transformers • Sealants in older buildings • Pigments and Dyes • Salmon • Spills • Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) • Hazardous waste treatment and disposal • Other legacy products? • Other inadvertent production? Total 2,200 kg/yr

12. Inadvertent production • List of 77 “likely” to produce PCBs • Many chlorinated compounds • Titanium dioxide • TiCl4 intermediate in chlorine process involves inadvertent production of PCBs • Sulphate process involves more spent acid waste

13. How much PCBs are… • In the environment? • Being released from legacy products? • Being inadvertently generated?

14. Resources Holly Davies Senior Scientist (360) 407-7398 Holly.Davies@ecy.wa.gov Carol Kraege Toxics Coordinator (360) 407-6906 Carol.Kraege@ecy.wa.gov Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic chemicals http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/pbt/ Reducing Toxic Threats http://www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/index.htm Puget Sound Toxics Loading Assessment http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/pstoxics/index.html