Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy

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Benzo(a)pyrene and Hexachlorobenzene

Stakeholder Forum - December 16, 2003
Workgroup Meeting Minutes
Chicago, Illinois

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

1.0 Residential Wood Combustion

Jim Collins gave a slide presentation outlining Ontario’s Residential Wood Combustion Program for 2003 – 2004 (presentation handout provided). The program is based on a three-pronged approach to reduce emissions: (i) good equipment; (ii) good fuel; and (iii) smart consumer and user.

The program focuses on promoting EPA-certified wood stoves over uncertified models. To date, discussions have taken place with Sears and are planned with other Big Box stores; a demonstration video is also under development showing the benefits of the EPA-certified wood burning stove technology. With respect to “good fuel”, the emphasis will be on the use of seasoned/clean firewood, sustainability and forest certification, concerns on the use of firewood from pest-infested areas, and toxic emissions resulting from burning of garbage. In addition, the national wood heating education campaign “Burn it Smart” is conducting 30 workshops in rural areas and 10 workshops in urban areas - delivered at the local level by a panel of health/environment/fire safety experts. The campaign will includes public displays, presentations, advertisements, and a new fact sheet on urban fireplaces.

Results of the 2002-2003 “Burn it Smart” Ontario/Canada campaign were detailed in the presentation handout. Overall, the campaign generated interest in firewood sustainability and forest certification, and in WETT training (Wood Energy Technology Transfer Inc. – a non-profit training and educational association promoting safe & efficient use of wood burning systems in Canada); however, several problems have been highlighted including the issue of liability insurance for WETT inspectors, and the possible cancellation of insurance policies for residents heating with wood.

Next Steps:
Environment Canada – Ontario Region residential wood combustion plans for 2003-2004

Update “Burn it Smart” Core presentation
30 “Burn it Smart” workshops across Ontario
10 “Burn it Smart” workshops in urban cities
“Burn it Smart” workshops to train presenters
Technology demonstration video
Good firewood fact sheet
Urban Fireplace fact sheet
“Don’t Burn Garbage” fact sheet

Steven Rosenthal stated that the USEPA has funded a Wood Stove/Fireplace initiative that has either started or is considering the following activities:

Development of a website providing information on health effects, the benefits of using EPA-certified stoves, proper burning techniques and home safety issues; development of a fact sheet for consumers that provides information on cleaner burning alternatives (e.g., EPA-certified stoves), fuel use and safety; a comprehensive media outreach package; wood stove change-out programs; and a "Green" Stoves labelling program.

2.0 Vehicle Emissions

Cindy Yang provided an update re the status of Environment Canada’s July 8, 2003, draft emission inventory report estimating toxic emissions from Ontario’s motor vehicle sector (presentation handout provided).

The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA) commented on the draft report, and a formal response to these comments is in preparation. In general, limited inventory data has been available on motor vehicle releases of BTS substances (B(a)P, PAHs, mercury, hexachlorobenzene, dioxin/furan, and cadmium), and better release information is needed for all of these substances.

The Canadian Petroleum Products Institute (CPPI) also commented on the report and is concerned with the uncertainty of the mercury release estimate for the motor vehicle sector; the sector estimate is calculated based on questionable data on mercury levels in petroleum crude/products. Cindy stated that an Environment Canada study is now underway to obtain more accurate data on mercury levels in Canadian Crude oil. The study to be completed by December 2004 is being carried out in cooperation with CPPI and the USEPA.

Next steps:

Complete the Hg in Canadian crude oil study (December 2004);
Respond to CVMA comments on the draft motor vehicle emissions report; and
Revise report.

3.0 Pesticides

Dale Phenicie reported on work carried out to date in determining HCB levels in pest products. Aside from contacting pest product manufacturers, Dale reviewed numerous reports including USEPA Re-registration Eligibility Decision (RED) documents and fact sheets; USEPA health risk assessment documents; pesticide sales and usage reports; USEPA sector notebooks; Ontario’s Hexachlorobenzene inventory by Benazon Environmental Inc.; Bob Bailey’s HCB inventory work; and trends in crop pesticide use. As a result, the current HCB levels in U.S. pest products are estimated as follows:

Historic Level	18,310 lbs
(Current) 1999 Usage Level	897 lbs

The above1999 usage level of 897 lbs is a U.S. national estimate which may be inflated by up to 200 lbs. With respect to HCB numbers for the Canadian side of the Great Lakes Basin, it was mentioned that Judy Shaw (Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc.) has provided release information, however, several questions concerning the data need to be resolved.

The five pesticides with the largest levels of HCB contamination are Chlorothalonil, DCPA (Dacthal), Pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), Picloram, and Atrazine. It is believed that future HCB reductions will probably come more from reductions in the overall use of these five pesticides than from further improvements in manufacturing operations to lower trace HCB levels in pesticides.

Action Items:

Tom Tseng and Steve Rosenthal are to review Dale Phenicie’s information on HCB usage levels in the pesticide sector for discussion at the next Binational Toxic Strategy meeting in May 2004.
Resolve issues re HCB release numbers on Canadian side of the Great Lakes Basin.

4.0 Coke Ovens

David Ailor provided a status update on activities in the steel coke making sector.

The (NESHAP) final rule for coke ovens: pushing, quenching and battery stacks has been promulgated with a compliance deadline 3 years from April 2003; the rule is expected to reduce B(a)P emissions by 65%.

Two tracks for residual risk standards for coke oven batteries:

For 10% of the coke oven batteries (five plants which have met the 1993 MACT standards), residual risk standards are being developed which will further tighten emissions from around door, lids, etc.; these standards are expected to be proposed in February 2004 and issued in August 2004.
The remaining 90% of the coke oven batteries will be subject to a continual tightening of standards within a 2010 timeframe.

USEPA has yet to revise coke making emission factors in the AP- 42 (a listing of emission factors for various pollutants used to estimate releases), and until this is done there is concern on the accuracy of release numbers attributed to the coke making sector.

USEPA finalized rules on wastewater discharges from iron and steel facilities are in place.

No further closures of U.S. coke oven batteries have been reported, although David noted that consolidation is still going on in the steel sector, with China setting the price for coke and having a major impact on the viability of coke making in the U.S.

5.0 Scrap Tires

USEPA Region 5 Scrap Tire Pile Mitigation Support Project

Paul Ruesch gave a presentation on the Scrap Tire Pile Mitigation Support Project aimed at developing a scrap tire pile inventory, along with GIS mapping, for five states (OH, MI, IN, PA, NY), and preparing training and marketing outreach documents on stock pile mitigation (presentation handout provided).

USEPA is presently working with the aforementioned five States to compile the scrap tire input data in dBase and Excel formats, with specific information listed as to location/coordinates of site, number of tires in storage, etc. A marketing outreach brochure is being developed on the USEPA web site providing regional/state maps and scrap tire inventories, along with pertinent information with respect to state laws, recyclers and processors, and incentive programs for mitigation. In addition, a forum is planned for Chicago in early 2004 for scrap tire program managers and clean-up experts to discuss and share strategies.

A “best practices” guidebook for stockpile mitigation is also to be developed in early 2004, along with an on-hands training program.

Paul highlighted the scrap tire program connections with the BTS - B(a)P/HCB workgroup, the RCRA challenge goal of eliminating 55% of piles by 2008, the revitalization of Brownfields, and the West Nile virus issue. As more exact inventory information becomes available on the number and location of scrap tire piles, the number of fires, etc., the various agencies will be in a much better position to set their mitigation priorities. The hope is for 50% of the stockpiles to be gone by 2007/8, and the remaining ones to be gone by 2015.

Michael Blumenthal made a presentation on the clean-up of tire piles and emphasized that the clean-up costs associated with eliminating scrap tire piles ($0.80 to $3.50 per tire) is far cheaper than having to dealing with a scrap tire fire.

Jack Brunner provided an overview on fire prevention measures for tire piles (site assessment, limiting storage, design of piles, security, enforcement of regulations), on education and training of firefighters, on fire suppression techniques and emergency response measures, and on the environmental consequences of fires (2 lbs of particulate released per tire). Jack also discussed guidelines such as the California Office of State Fire Marshall’s “Ring of Fire” document on the prevention and suppression of scrap tire fires, and tire pile fire workshops held by that Office. It was noted that two technical workshops are to be held in the near future, one in Omaha and one in Banff.

Next Steps:

Timeline – USEPA Region 5 Scrap Tire Pile Mitigation Support Project
GIS Maps	January 2004
Marketing Brochure	January 2004
Meeting (re cleanup strategies)	February 2004
Guidebook	April 2004
Training	April 2004

Ontario Scrap Tire Diversion Program

Lora Smith detailed the scrap tire management program now in place in Ontario as a result of the Waste Diversion Act (Bill 90) passed in June 2002 (presentation handout provided). Under this legislation, a multi-stakeholder board called Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) has been setup, and one of its tasks is to develop, implement and operate a scrap tire program and to establish an industry funding organization. As a consequence, a not-for-profit organization called Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) composed of an industry Board is now in place and working with the WDO to come up with a scrap tire diversion program for Ontario.

Several areas of the Ontario Tire Stewardship program highlighted were:

OTS mission: to maximize the number of scrap tires processed and eliminate tire stockpiles and landfill disposal; and to promote existing collection and processing initiatives and encourage development of new capacity
OTS guiding principles: including harmonizing, where possible, the program with other Canadian provincially based and bordering US state diversion initiatives; and encouraging by way of financial incentives the manufacture of value-added products from scrap tires.
Components of the OTS proposed program: collection infrastructure/points of generation; hauling; processing and financing diversion; and raising revenue.
The Ontario Tire Stewardship Consultation Plan: http://www.ontariotirestewardship.ca/PDF%20Files/OTSProgramPlanv11.pdf

Lora also reviewed the current status of scrap tire programs in other provinces, all of which are managed - registration and manifest systems for tracking tire movement, payment only received on delivery to registered processors, diversion rates running at 80 to 90%.

Next Steps:

Ontario Scrap Tire Diversion Program
OTS is scheduled to submit a Scrap Tire Diversion Program proposal to the WDO Board of Director in January 2004 for approval and submission to the Ontario Minister of the Environment on January 30, 2004.

Participant Roster

Last Name	First Name	Organization	Telephone	E-mail Address
Ailor	David	American Coke and Coal Chemicals	(202) 452-1140	Dailor@accci.org
Bailey	Bob	Bailey Associates	(734) 994-8989	Bob.Bailey@tm.net
Beidler	Tom	Syngenta	(336) 632-2976	tom.beidler@syngesta.com
Blumenthal	Michael	Rubbers Manufacturers Association	(202) 682-4882	michael@rma.org
Brunner	Jack	Tetra Tech EM Inc.	(312) 856-8700	jack.brunner@ttemi.com
Collins	Jim	Environment Canada, Ontario Region	(416) 739-5801	james.collins@ec.gc.ca
Downes	James	Solutia Inc.	(314) 674-2918	jedown@solutia.com
Hogg	Darryl	Contractor, Environment Canada	(416) 483-6563	hoggrd@rogers.com
Michajluk	Shawn	Environment Canada, Ontario Region	(416) 739-5888	shawn.michajluk@ec.gc.ca
Phenicie	Dale	Council of Great Lake Industries	(770) 487-7585	DKPhenicie@Mindspring.com
Risotto	Steve	Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, Inc.	(703) 741-5780	Srisotto@hsia.org
Rosenthal	Steve	USEPA Region 5	(312) 886-6052	Rosenthal.Steven@epamail.epa.gov
Ruesch	Paul	USEPA Region 5	(312) 886-7598	ruesch.paul@epa.gov
Smith	Lora	Environment Canada, Ontario Region	(416) 739-4425	lora.smith@ec.gc.ca
Thomas	Amy	Battelle	(614) 424-3431	thomasa@battelle.org
Tseng	Tom	Environment Canada, Ontario Region	(416) 739-5853	tom.tseng@ec.gc.ca
Yang	Cindy	Environment Canada, Ontario Region	(416) 739-4493	Cindy.Yang@ec.gc.ca