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Benzo(a)pyrene and Hexachlorobenzene

Stakeholder Forum - December 3, 2002
Workgroup Meeting Minutes
Chicago, Illinois

Workgroup Leaders:
U.S. Workgroup Co-Chair: Steve Rosenthal
Canadian Workgroup Co-Chair: Tom Tseng

1.0  Pesticides 

Dale Phenicie reported on work in progress to obtain up-to-date information on the use of pest products containing trace HCB levels.  Dale received background information from Dave Macarus with the U.S. EPA on pesticide producers, product usage and HCB levels, and over the last several weeks had informal discussions with producers to solicit their help in improving inventory release numbers for the pesticide sector.  These discussions centered on who is making the products of concern, and on how to come up with use and content data that does not compromise business confidentiality. To date, the main products with respect to HCB content/usage appear to be Simazine, Atrazine, and Dacthal.  Another two weeks will be required to contact producers and, where needed, these initial discussions will be followed up by letter with a request for information and assistance. 

Tom Tseng stated that Judy Shaw has been working with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency to improve the HCB product content/usage/release numbers for the Ontario side of the basin, and is expecting update numbers by the end of the year. 

Aside from the issue of how much HCB is present in applied pesticides, the matter of how much HCB is volatilized from applied pesticides is also in question.  Although U.S. inventories apply an 8% volatilization rate (that is, they only consider that 8% of the HCB is emitted) it seems much more likely that all of the HCB is emitted. 

Action Item – Dale Phenicie and Judy Shaw are to report back at the next Binational Toxic Strategy meeting in May 2003 on HCB product content/usage/release estimates for the pesticide sector.

2.0  Scrap Tires  

Scrap Tire Fires: 

Paul Ruesch with U.S. EPA Region 5 gave a slide presentation on the environmental impact of scrap tire fires, fire prevention planning and national actions to mitigate these impacts, and developments in the recycling market.  Paul commented that the last tire fire incident in Ohio could be seen from a distance of 150 miles, and that the preferred strategy is now to let these fires burn out rather than attempting to fight them with water because of the resulting water pollution problems.   

One of the items Region 5 is working on is the generation of a scrap tire site inventory using GIS mapping in an effort to get a grip on the number, location of these sites, and to use this information for developing a rapport with the recycling sector and for raising awareness as to the potential recycle opportunities.  Some mapping is expected to be completed in the next couple of week; and a scrap tire pile baseline inventory should be available for the next BTS meeting. 

It was noted that the health threat posed by mosquito borne diseases like the “West Nile Virus” has a direct connection to scrap tire piles, since these sites are notorious mosquito breeding grounds.  To date, states have been focused on spraying scrap tire sites to deal with the immediate potential health problems.  It was cautioned that the use of the health threat to promote elimination of scrap tire piles is an area that needs to be approached with care. 

Paul mentioned that 18 states were meeting on December 4th  to discuss scrap tire site regulations, enforcement and efforts to mitigate environmental problems.  

(presentation handouts provided) 

Scrap Tire Management in Canada: 

Jim Collins gave a slide presentation summarizing the actions taken by various provinces to manage scrap tires, including details on financial and legislative incentives in-place to encourage recycling, and the efforts of the Canadian Association of Tire Recycling Agencies (C.A.T.R.A.) to harmonize actions across Canada.  Of particular note was the new Ontario Bill 90, Waste Diversion Act, which received Royal Assent in June 2002, and which sets-up a non-government corporation (Waste Diversion Ontario) to develop, implement and fund waste diversion programs.  Although promoting the diversion of Blue Box waste (recyclable municipal/commercial wastes) is a first priority of this corporation, the expectation is that scrap tires will be targeted in the future.  Jim also reviewed the scrap tire reduction and recycling options available, such as for use as tire derived fuels, in playgrounds and on sports surfaces, for the production of rubber mats and re-tread tires, and for civil engineering uses, etc. 

(presentation handouts provided) 

Action Item: U.S. EPA and Environment Canada workgroup members are to get together via teleconference to discuss the possibility of Binational Toxic Strategy B(a)P reduction opportunities associated with the scrap tire sector.  

3.0  HCB & PAH Back Trajectory Analyses 

Melissa Hulting with U.S. EPA – GLNPO provided information on some air quality modeling work that is ongoing using POPs data from the GLs basin IADN monitoring network.  Trajectory analyses of air motions on days with high and low pollutant concentrations were carried out using the IADN 10-year database and a statistical area grid analyses to infer the likely origin of pollutants.  Back trajectory graphs were highlighted for a number of POPs including dieldrin, chlordane, phenanthrene.  Although there is no way to determine where along the trajectory a specific pollutant has been introduced, this procedure can be helpful in identifying possible locations of B(a)P emission sources.  This is very important because the Great Lakes Toxics
Inventory appears to underestimate the level of B(a)P emissions.

Action Item:  An effort will be made to obtain back trajectory analyses for B(a)P. 

4.0  Residential Wood Combustion 

Jim Collins provided detailed information on two major projects underway in Ontario to reduce emissions from residential wood burning: the wood stove “Change-out” and the “Burn it Smart” initiatives.  

To date, wood stove change-out projects in Ontario have met with limited success.  As a further initiative, preliminary discussions are now being held with the Clean Air Foundation to promote a “wood stove heaven” program to retire older stoves, similar to the foundation’s existing “car heaven” program promoting the retirement of older vehicles.  One of the keys to the success of the “car heaven” program has been the offer of incentives for cars being scrapped such as free tows and tax credits, along with a chance to win a prize.  The issue of providing incentives is believed key to the success of any stove change-out project. 

Natural Resources Canada, along with multi-stake holders, is currently involved in a national “Burn it Smart!” program with the Canadian public who heat with wood.  The aim of the program is to educate Canadians on safe, clean and efficient wood burning practices. Some 300 workshops are to be held across the country from now to March 2003, with over 60 workshops in Ontario.  One major difference from the past change-out initiatives is that fire safety professionals, municipal and insurance inspectors will be providing training sessions and inputting on the issue of residential wood burning, and that more of the workshops will be directed towards the larger centers of population.  Non-government groups targeting areas in Ontario are the Central Ontario Cottagers, the Collingwood/Blue Mountain Cottagers and the First Nations Communities.  Demonstration burn trailers, used so successfully in the past, will also be used to showcase the impact on emissions of new versus older stove technologies. 

(presentation handouts provided) 

Action Item:  An attempt will be made to follow-up in U.S. with residential wood combustion programs similar to Canada's "Burn it Smart!" program. 

 5.0  Wood Preservation  

Shawn Michajluk presented an update on Ontario’s wood preservation sector.  Since the last BTS workgroup meeting, new 2001 National Pollutants Release Inventory information on the sector has been became available: VFT Inc. 2.1 kg B(a)P released and 3.14 kg B(a)P transferred off-site for disposal; Stella Jones Inc. no on-site or off-site releases; and Northern Wood Preservers Inc. 0.1 kg B(a)P, 0.24 g HCB and 0.02 g dioxins/furans transferred.  The dioxin/furan workgroup has also identified the secondary use of treated wood wastes has a priority and is contemplating developing and promoting a consumer information sheet on treated wood wastes.   

(presentation handouts provided) 

Action: The next steps for the B(a)P/HCB Workgroup will be to follow-up on the progress being made on the consumer information sheet, to consult with the Canadian Wood Preservation Waste Working Group on the need for consumer information sheets, and to assess the effect of allowing more treated wood wastes to be used as an energy source.  

Participant Roster

Last
Name 

First
Name

 Organization

Telephone

E-mail Address
Bailey Bob Bailey Associates (989)
835-3410		 Bob.Bailey@tm.net
Collins Jim Environment Canada, Ontario Region (416)
739-5801		 james.collins@ec.gc.ca
Hogg Darryl Contractor, Environment Canada (416)
483-6563		 hoggrd@rogers.com
Hulting Melissa USEPA - GLNPO (312)
886-2265		 hulting.melissa@epa.gov
Madsen Ress BP (219)
473-3074		 madsenrc@bp.com
Michajluk Shawn Environment Canada, Ontario Region (416)
739-5888		 shawn.michajluk@ec.gc.ca
Musgrave Nemone Environment Canada, Ontario Region (416)
739-5978		 nemone.musgrave@ec.gc.ca
Phenicie Dale Council of Great Lake Industries (770)
487-7585		 DKPhenicie@Mindspring.com
Risotto Steve Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, Inc. (202)
775-0232		 Srisotto@hsia.org
Rosenthal Steve USEPA Region 5 (312)
886-6052		 Rosenthal.Steven@epamail.epa.gov
Ruesch Paul UEPA Region 5 (312)
886-7598		 Ruesch.paul@epa.gov
Thomas Amy Battelle (614)
424-3431		 thomasa@battelle.org
Tseng Tom Environment Canada, Ontario Region (416)
739-5853		 tom.tseng@ec.gc.ca

 

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