U.S. EPA Releases Annual Enforcement Results and Mapping Tool

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released enforcement results for fiscal year 2009, and has developed a new Web-based tool and interactive map that allows the public to get detailed information by location about the enforcement actions taken at approximately 4,600 facilities.

In FY2009, EPA concluded enforcement actions requiring polluters to invest more than $5 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects. Civil and criminal defendants committed to install controls and take other measures to reduce pollution by approximately 580 million pounds annually once all required controls are fully implemented.

The new mapping tool allows the public to view the locations of facilities that were the subject of those enforcement actions on interactive maps of the U.S. and territories. The maps show facilities where civil enforcement actions were taken for environmental laws for air, water, and land pollution, and a separate map shows criminal enforcement actions.

Viewers can click on specific facilities to find historical information about specific enforcement actions, such as violations and monetary penalties. In addition, viewers can use the zoom function to find out which facilities are located near water bodies that are listed as "impaired” because they do not meet federal water quality standards. EPA mapped the locations of more than 90 percent of the facilities that were the subject of enforcement actions last year. EPA did not map the locations of drinking water treatment plants due to potential security concerns.

For the past 10 years, EPA has described annual enforcement results by focusing primarily on two measures, the estimated pounds of pollutants reduced and estimated cost of commitments made by defendants to control or reduce pollution. These measures vary significantly from year to year and are dependent upon the number of large cases that settle in a given year. While these large cases are a vital part of our work to protect public health and improve compliance, they do not reflect the totality of the annual environmental enforcement activities, and do not capture the number and variety of enforcement actions taken to help clean up local communities. The new mapping tool will help increase transparency, improve access to data, and provide the public with the bigger picture of enforcement activity occurring in communities around the country.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2009/index.html

Statewide recycling and waste management conference

Great opportunity to get updated on recycling and solid waste management topics:

2010 Wisconsin Integrated Resource Management Conference
February 24 - 26, 2010 - Wisconsin Dells, WI

Conference flier can be found at:
http://arow-online.org/PDF/FINAL%20Conference%20flier%2011-09-09.pdf

Final Effluent Guidelines

On December 1, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) and new source performance standards (NSPS) to control the discharge of pollutants from construction sites.

The regulation is effective on February 1, 2010. After this date, all permits issued by EPA or states must incorporate the final rule requirements. All construction sites required to obtain permit coverage must implement a range of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures. Beginning on August 1, 2011 all sites that disturb 20 or more acres of land at one time are required to comply with the turbidity limitation. On February 2, 2014 the limitation applies to all construction sites disturbing 10 or more acres of land at one time. These sites must sample stormwater discharges and comply with a numeric limitation for turbidity. The limitation is 280 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units). (More....)

Here's a frosty workplace hazard assessment

Putting a research station out on a frozen freshwater lake? Establishing a road on an iced-over river? One bit of bedtime reading for you should be Best Practice for Building and Working Safely on Ice Covers in Alberta, by the Government of Alberta, Work Safe Alberta. Those Canadians know their ice.

Even if your campus isn't doing either of those, Appendix D has some great links and tips for surviving ice water immersion.

http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_sh010.pdf

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EPA News Release (HQ): Limited EPA Study Finds Low Level of Concern in Samples of Recycled Tires from Ballfield and Playground Surfaces‏

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released results of a limited field monitoring study of artificial-turf playing fields and playgrounds constructed with recycled tire material or tire crumb. The study was intended to gain experience conducting field monitoring of recreational surfaces that contain tire crumb. EPA will use the information to help determine possible next steps to address questions regarding the safety of tire crumb infill in recreational fields.

“The limited data EPA collected during this study, which do not point to a concern, represent an important addition to the information gathered by various government agencies,” said Peter Grevatt, director of EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection. “The study will help set the stage for a meeting this spring, where EPA will bring together officials from states and federal agencies to evaluate the existing body of science on this topic and determine what additional steps should be taken to ensure the safety of kids who play on these surfaces.”

Recycled tire material, or “tire crumb,” is used in many applications, including as a component in synthetic turf fields and playground installations. In response to concerns raised by the public, EPA conducted a limited “scoping study” of tire crumb, which consisted of collecting air and wipe samples at three locations near EPA laboratories at Raleigh, N.C., Athens, Ga., and Cincinnati, Ohio. Sampling also was conducted in the Washington, D.C. area.

The limited study, conducted in August through October 2008, found that the concentrations of materials that made up tire crumb were below levels considered harmful. However, given the limited nature of the study (limited number of constituents monitored, sample sites, and samples taken at each site) and the wide diversity of tire crumb material, it is not possible, without additional data, to extend the results beyond the four study sites to reach more comprehensive conclusions.

The study confirmed that most of the methods tested were accurate, reproducible and appropriate for measuring concentrations of tire crumb constituents and therefore can be used in future studies.

Study findings
Particulate matter, metals and volatile organic compound concentrations were measured in the air samples and compared with areas away from the turf fields (background levels). The levels found in air samples from the artificial turf were similar to background levels.
No tire-related fibers were observed in the air samples.
All air concentrations of particulate matter and lead were well below levels of concern.
More than 90 percent of the lead in the tire crumb material was tightly bound and unavailable for absorption by users of the turf fields.
Zinc, which is a known additive in tires, was found in tire crumb samples. However, air and surface wipe monitoring levels of zinc were found to be below levels of concern.

EPA is aware that studies by other agencies were undertaken or completed while this survey was under way. EPA is planning a 2010 meeting with federal and state agencies to review all new study data and determine next steps.

More information on artificial turf: http://www.epa.gov/nerl/features/tire_crumbs.html Note:

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View all news releases related to pesticides and toxic chemicals

Jackson Says GHG Rules Will be Issued under CAA

By L.K. Williams
Dec 07, 2009

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed finding of endangerment from greenhouse gases (GHGs) released in April became final today despite efforts to delay the action.

Citing "decades of sound, peer-reviewed, extensively evaluated scientific data … from around the world and from our own U.S. scientists," EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson enumerated several examples of evidence of climate change:

• polar ice caps crumbling into the oceans,
• changing migratory patterns of animals,
• broader ranges for deadly diseases,
• historic droughts,
• more powerful storms, and
• disappearing coastlines.

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Legacy Mercury Products

Interesting article about mercury in old medical equipment:

http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/projects/legacy/healthcare.cfm