csepp aegl march 2003

Chemical Risk Assessmentand Exposure Guidelines (and how AEGLs fit in): 

Chemical Risk Assessment and Exposure Guidelines (and how AEGLs fit in) Veronique Hauschild, MPH Directorate of Health Risk Management US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine Presentation to Arkansas Dept of Health - March 2003

AGENDA: 

AGENDA Background –CHPPM Introduction to Chemical Risk Assessment What are AEGLs What are the health effects associated with chemical warfare agent AEGLs? How are AEGLs used?

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Who is USACHPPM?

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CSA Chief of Staff- Army MEDCOM / TSG Medical Command / The Surgeon General rest of Army

USACHPPM MISSION: 

USACHPPM MISSION Preventive medicine, public health, occupational health and safety, and health promotion/wellness technical services Advise/assist Army OTSG in policy and guidance development Evaluate compliance and adequacy of programs and policies (report to OTSG) Support world-wide technical support (Army and DoD; other Federal and State entities; international efforts)

Example USACHPPM CWA initiatives: 

Example USACHPPM CWA initiatives Emergency Planning and Response Army/FEMA (CSEPP) AEGL policy and supporting risk communication/ implementation guidance Coordination with National Advisory Committee on AEGLs (for CWA) Homeland defense planning support (Installations, States, other Federal) Development of safe soil /reentry levels (1999) Risk Communication support Occupational and General Population and Environmental Health Re-evaluation and development of new AELs (1996-2000) Soil remediation goals and waste treatment goals (1999) Revision of DA Regs/Pams (40-8/173; 50-6, 385-61) Coordination with CDC (supporting OEMD) Military Exposures Guidelines (MEGs) for air, water soil USACHPPM TG 230 (Chemical Exposure Guidelines for Deployments) TB Med 577 (Field Surveillance of Drinking Water)

Development & evaluation of health criteria for different applications and populations: 

Development & evaluation of health criteria for different applications and populations MILITARY -FHP -Operations -Army/DoD OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Stockpile Homeland Defense - Research ENVIRONMENTAL & PUBLIC HEALTH -US Stockpile -Non-Stockpile -Homeland Defense

Chemical Risk Assessment and Standards Development:What is a ‘safe’ or ‘acceptable’ level of Chemical “X”?: 

Chemical Risk Assessment and Standards Development: What is a ‘safe’ or ‘acceptable’ level of Chemical “X”? Basics of the science: What media (air, water, soil, surfaces?) Who (what population?) How long and/or how frequent is the exposure? What health effects? Additional Risk Management Considerations: What health effects? What are competing risks? Are they ‘voluntary’? What are the the possible actions to be taken? Bottom line – every chemical has numerous safe/acceptable “numbers”

Chemical Air Exposure Levels Continuum*: 

Chemical Air Exposure Levels Continuum* mg/m3 ug/m3 Single exposure Lifetime exposure *not to scale for any specific chemical– general representation AEGL-1 AEGL-2 AEGL-3 IDLH Daily 8-hr worker TWA “WPL” Ambient air - general population lifetime “GPL” EC50 LC50 15 min 4 x per day worker “STEL” Catastrophic release Work environments Ambient air (emissions)

So what are Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs)?: 

So what are Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs)? - Short-term, one-time, airborne exposure levels - 3 levels of health severity and different exposure times - For risk managers to appropriately balance risks and prioritize resources in Emergency planning/prevention Emergency response Concept started in the mid-80’s – result of Bhopal incident

History of “Emergency” Exposure Limits: 

History of “Emergency” Exposure Limits Regulatory 1964- NRC EEGLs 1974- NIOSH IDLHs 1984- EPA National Air Toxics Strategy Separates Routine from Accidental Releases 1986- SARA Title III 1990- CAA 112r Industry 1964- AIHA EELs 1970s- Company Specific STELs 1984 – Bhopal Incident 1985- Company Specific EELs 1987- ORC ERPG Task Force 1988- AIHA ERPG Committee 1993 – NAS Guidance for Developing AEGLs 1995- Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 1996 – National Advisory Committee on AEGLs

Who Establishes AEGLs?A two-committee process (NRC ‘final say’ over NAC): : 

Who Establishes AEGLs? A two-committee process (NRC ‘final say’ over NAC): National Advisory Committee (NAC) for AEGLs Co-chairs from EPA & Industry Public Sector: Federal and State agencies Private Sector: Industry, Academia, Medical associations International regulatory reps: (unofficial members at present - Netherlands, France, Germany) National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Toxicology (COT) Subcommittee on AEGLs Under National Academy of Sciences –mandate to advise Federal government Private Sector: Industry, Academia International technical reps: Canada, Netherlands, Germany

AEGL Development Process: 

AEGL Development Process Based on National Research Council (NRC) approved technical procedure (publicly available document) Several standardized review levels: DRAFT: Developed by National Advisory Committee (NAC-AEGLs); PROPOSED: Federal Register public comment period; INTERIM: NAC-AEGLs addresses public comments FINAL: NRC Committee on Toxicology reviews/modifies and finalizes (publishes)

Official NAC AEGL Level Definitions:: 

Official NAC AEGL Level Definitions: AEGL Level 1: level above which general population (including susceptible individuals) may have some notable discomfort ( non-disabling, transient and reversible) AEGL Level 2: level above which general population (including susceptible individuals) may experience serious long-lasting effects or impaired ability to escape AEGL Level 3: level above which general population (including susceptible individuals) could experience life threatening effects or death BUT: These should not be interpreted too literally…. The final AEGL concentrations for chemicals (especially CWA) are designed to be VERY protective

AMMONIA Air Criteria (mg/m3): 

AMMONIA Air Criteria (mg/m3) Lethality Concentration– 50 deaths – published data (animal and human) based human estimate AEGL- Acute Exposure Guideline Levels – *proposed levels Occ & Public Health standards developed by OSHA, NIOSH, and EPA

Carbon Monoxide Air Criteria (mg/m3) : 

Carbon Monoxide Air Criteria (mg/m3) Lethality Concentration– 50 deaths – published data (animal and human) based human estimate AEGL- Acute Exposure Guideline Levels – *proposed levels Occ & Public Health standards developed by OSHA, NIOSH, and EPA

GB (SARIN) Air Criteria (mg/m3) : 

GB (SARIN) Air Criteria (mg/m3) IDA - Institute for Defense Analysis ( endorsed by ASD) AEGL- Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (developed by NRC, referenced in TG230) AELs- Air Exposure Limits (endorsed by CDC, occupational and general population regulatory standards)

Summary of CWA AEGL Status/Issues: 

Summary of CWA AEGL Status/Issues HD and Nerve Agent AEGLs are ‘FINAL’: NRC pre-publication (March, 2003) ‘Street version’ publicly purchasable book by May ($58 from the National Academies Press at 800-624-6242) Or – will be viewable online: www.nap.edu “Final” values currently cited in USACHPPM Fact Sheets Overall data considered good quality (exception VX); Data- based values are down-adjusted with “uncertainty factors” (providing a margin of safety) to account for unknowns: Animal- to human extrapolation Human variability Data quality

Sulfur Mustard Health Effects and AEGLs: 

Sulfur Mustard Health Effects and AEGLs Significant adverse effects No significant adverse effects Severe adverse effects No adverse effects Above AEGL 3, increasingly severe delayed effects and incapacitation, to include (delayed) blistering and lung effects; eventually potential fatalities AEGL-3 AEGL-2 AEGL-3 Above AEGL 2, increasing chance of significant eye irritation with possible delayed impairment of vision; possible breathing difficulties approaching the AEGL 3; effects will be delayed, but not permanent AEGL-1 Below AEGL 1, no observed adverse effects AEGL-1 AEGL-2 Above AEGL 1, may begin to see minor eye discomfort, irritation, redness; effects will be delayed but not permanent  AEGL1  AEGL 2  AEGL 3 few  many few  many few  many  Margin of safety addresses uncertainties that may not be completely explained by available data

Nerve Agent Health Effects and AEGLs: 

Nerve Agent Health Effects and AEGLs Significant adverse effects No significant adverse effects Severe adverse effects No adverse effects Above AEGL 3, increasing cases nausea, vomiting, then seizures and increasing possibility of fatalities AEGL-3 AEGL-2 AEGL-3 Above AEGL 2, increasing degree of miosis (constriction or shrinking of the pupil) with possible impairment of vision after dark or in dim light; runny nose; sweating; possible breathing difficulties, but no permanent effects AEGL-1 Below AEGL 1, no observed adverse effects AEGL-1 AEGL-2 Above AEGL 1, may begin to cause minor miosis (constriction or shrinking of the pupil); possible runny nose; no permanent effects  AEGL1  AEGL 2  AEGL 3 few  many few  many few  many  Margin of safety addresses uncertainties that may not be completely explained by available data

AEGL APPLICATIONS: EPA Guidance for Toxic Industrial Chemicals: 

AEGL APPLICATIONS: EPA Guidance for Toxic Industrial Chemicals US EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness Office (CEPP) to replace use of “ERPGs” with AEGLs (Federal Register 1996) Current CEPP guidance requires use of ERPG Level 2 in Risk Management Plans (RMPs) to model potential for reaching civilian population ABOVE LEVEL 2 requires facilities to develop preventive measures Initially Level 3 was considered, as well as IDLH, but determined not enough safety margin

AEGL APPLICATIONS: Toxic Industrial Chemicals, cont’d: 

AEGL APPLICATIONS: Toxic Industrial Chemicals, cont’d Per representative of USEPA CEPP office: Level 1 not used in prevention aspects (planning) because ‘represents level of exposure that doesn’t cause significant, much less permanent effects, and which citizens are potentially exposed to in daily lives (pumping gas, cleaning, hobbies)’ ‘there are more important things to worry about during an incident’ No known use of Level 1 (ERPGs or AEGLs) in response implementation HAZMAT teams typically use the distances identified in the Emergency Response Guidebook which presents Isolation Zones and Protective Action Distances The toxicological exposure values used to determine these boundaries included ERPG 2-3, IDLH, and LC50’s based on animal studies

Why Are AEGL Level 1 Values Derived? : 

Why Are AEGL Level 1 Values Derived? Demonstrates that full spectrum of health effects have been considered Level 1 and Level 3 bracket potential low end and high end effects around this action level with * It COULD be used as a ‘notification level’ to acknowledge that exposed person may NOTICE something (but not at a critical action level) There is not a Level 1 AEGL for all chemicals if the first effect is more appropriate as a Level 2 BUT –the NAC-AEGL does not provide any specific implementation guidance or recommendations as to applications (they develop AEGL values only)

Think of a Tornado Emergency ….. : 

Tornado sighted in area Conditions right for a tornado Tornado hits Normal weather Think of a Tornado Emergency ….. Assistance required Personal action required Personal awareness advised Tornado WARNING Tornado WATCH

CHPPM Suggested Applications of CWA AEGLs: 

Significant adverse effects No significant adverse effects Severe adverse effects No adverse effects CHPPM Suggested Applications of CWA AEGLs (increasing chance of fatalities) AEGL-3 AEGL-2 AEGL-3 (increasing chance of severe irritation/impact ability to escape) AEGL-1 AEGL-1 AEGL-2 (increasing chance of discomfort/ annoyance) Primary concern > AEGL-3 –be prepared to TREAT and ASSIST (rescue) Minimize exposures between AEGL 2-3 EX: Recommend shelter-in place (SIP) >AEGL 2 Prevent unnecessary response related hazards: ‘alert’ when > AEGL1 <2 Prevent additional entry at > AEGL 1 Allow unrestricted reentry if < AEGL 1 AEGL-1* AEGL-2* AEGL-3* few  many few  many few  many

Example AEGL Application – CEPP and Homeland Defense: 

>AEGL-3 AEGL-2 AEGL-3 AEGL-1 <AEGL-3 >AEGL-2 <AEGL-2 >AEGL-1 <AEGL-1 Example AEGL Application – CEPP and Homeland Defense Possible fatalities; severe effects ; medical attention Moderate effects; possible medical attention -*prevent these exposures* Non-permanent, mild effects– warning range (take action at AEGL-2) No adverse health impact (possible odor, annoyance starting at AEGL-1)

EXAMPLE: Installation Threat Assessment: 

EXAMPLE: Installation Threat Assessment “plume” based boundaries based on AEGL-2

Update CSEPP AEGL Policy Paper 20 (AEGLs) and Enclosure (Risk Communication Package): 

Update CSEPP AEGL Policy Paper 20 (AEGLs) and Enclosure (Risk Communication Package)

USACHPPM Health Risk Communication Workshops: 

USACHPPM Health Risk Communication Workshops For more information or to register on line, go to: http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/risk or call Ms. Suaquita Perry at 410-436-3515 April -- Las Vegas, NV June -- Providence, RI August -- Seattle, WA

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USACHPPM Chemical Agent Health Standards WEBSITE http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/HRA/Caw/index.html Veronique Hauschild, MPH Deployment Environmental Surveillance Program (DESP) 410-436-5213/DSN 548-5213 FAX – 2407 Veronique.Hauschild@apg.amedd.army.mil Coleen Weese, MD PM, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program 410-436-2578/DSN 584-2578 FAX -4117 Coleen.Weese@apg.amedd.army.mil Stephen Graham, CIH PM, Industrial Hygiene Field Services 410-436-5244/DSN 548-3118 FAX – 9988 Stephen.Graham@apg.amedd.army.mil Glenn Leach, PhD Director of Toxicology (US Army official member of NAC-AEGL) 410-436-5244/DSN 548-5244 FAX – 2407 Glenn.Leach@apg.amedd.army.mil USACHPPM POCs: