Comparative risk analysis of toxic release inventory data for carcinogens: Does quantity reduction necessarily indicate less risk? A Michigan case study.

摘要

In recognition of the disastrous effects of the accidental release by industry of toxic chemicals around the globe, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) was enacted. The EPCRA requires owners and operators of manufacturing facilities to submit reports on toxic chemical storage and release. One purpose of the EPCRA is to decrease total quantities of toxic chemicals and to provide local citizenry with the information necessary to protect themselves from the hazards presented by toxic chemicals.;Fundamental principles of toxicology illustrate that a direct correlation between quantity and risk, without consideration of other critical factors, does not necessarily exist. Therefore, a reduction in chemical quantity may not correspond to a decrease in the potential risk posed by that chemical. Recognition of this concept indicates that factors other than quantity must be used in determining whether the efforts to decrease toxic chemical quantities are directed appropriately.;Using Michigan as a case study, the dissertation focuses on specific carcinogens and extracts chemical data for reporting years 1987 through 1994. A hazard valuation algorithm, that integrates quantities with known toxicity values and accepted exposure assumptions to arrive at an estimated "hazard value," is applied to the Michigan data for the specific carcinogens. Evaluation of the correlation between the total quantities reported under the EPCRA and the total hazard values as calculated by the algorithm illustrates the EPCR's limitations for both evaluating toxic chemical data and assessing whether the efforts to decrease toxic chemical quantities are directed appropriately.;It is the thesis of this dissertation that analysis of the EPCRA toxic chemical data, using total quantity as the only analysis parameter, is not useful in assessing whether efforts to decrease toxic chemical quantities are directed appropriately.;Under the EPCRA, toxic chemical data is presented in quantities, without the incorporation of critical factors such as toxicity and exposure. Presenting data in this format is inaccurate and misleading and does not allow the average citizen to assess potential risk presented by the toxic chemicals. Further, with data presented in this format, accurate assessment of efforts to decrease total toxic chemicals is difficult.