Heart of the Matter:Addressing Pollutants

ITEP TrainingJoseph Ponessa, Ph.DProfessor Emeritus,Housing, Indoor Environment and HealthRutgers Cooperative Extension

General strategies for Dealing with Pollutants

Source reduction

Dilution (Increase airflows/ add air

Removal/extraction

LEAD

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Lead PoisoningSources:

Old paint

Contaminated outdoor soils

Many other sourcesAuto exhaust, Toys, folk meds, vinyl, some pottery, etc.

Dust –young kids’ main exposure route (hand-to-mouth activity)

4Test toddlers @ 1st birthday!

Lead PoisoningHealth Effects

High doses

Organ damage

Convulsions, death

Low doses

Brain impairment

Delayed development

Learning, behavioral disorders

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Lead PoisoningHealth issues: Blood lead standards totally revised – 1991

“Low” doses VERY important but -asymptomatic: Kid doesn’t look sick

Young children especially vulnerable (Development; ingestion; absorption)

Hand-to-mouth (Contaminated dust): important exposure route

Start blood test: 1 year of age

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Pb & School Performance

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Lead poisoning

The good news

• Average US blood lead levels dropped about 80% following the banning of leaded gas

• The number of lead-poisoned children continues to decline

But still

• Millions of pre-1978 homes still pose a hazard

• Lead contamination is extensive in our environment

Lead, Old Paint Indoors

Fix peeling paint- Do not dry scrape or dry sand!

Use damp method to mop, dust. Wash kids’ hands!

Contractors must follow EPA RRP rules- April 2010

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Lead, Old Paint- Outdoors

Cover bare soil (grass)

Use doormat------------------------

Contaminated outdoor soils can be an important source of indoor lead dust!

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Lead in Soil

Risk settings:

Urban areas; busy roadways

Old bldg exteriors

Old orchards

Special situations

Testing available (RU FS 336)

Lead and gardens:

Relocate or raise bed

Pb Uptake: root veg>surface veg > above-ground: (peppers, corn, tomato, eggplant

Adjust soil pH to 6.5 –7.0

Treated Lumber- CCA

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Testing for leadKids

Blood test at about 1 year of age, again at 2

Sites

DIY tests: swabs; dust wipes (lab analysis) (leadlisting.org); soil & water (lab)

Professional risk assessment

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A Fatal Poisoning: Jewelry/Trinket

A four-year-old boy ingested a trinket included with a pair of sneakers and died of lead poisoning

(Minnesota, Spring 2006)

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Lead Issues in Construction

NJ - large pre ‘78 housing stock

32% of NJ units- pre 1950; lead likely in 79% (Sources: NJDHSS; USEPA)

Lead paint debris released through

Deteriorated housing (chalking, peeling)

Painting - sanding, scraping

Renovation, remodel, repair (demolition)

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New Federal Pb Regs: Renovation & Remodeling

Lead Issues in ConstructionSafe work practices mandated - highlights: Minimize

Dust, contamination! Protect occupants, workers & site

No open power sanding, no dry sanding

Site protection better than site cleanup

Large projects - isolate work area (Similar to asbestos protocols)

Adhere to EPA notification requirements

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Renovation & Lead Debris

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6500 mcg

Lead Issues in ConstructionFREE HUD Safe work practices training available: call 800 424

LEAD

For NJ trainings – 732 363 5400

Separate trainings for

Workers (renovation, repair, maintenance)

Supervisors

Abatement

Owner-occupants exempt…but doing it wrong can cause bigger problems

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RADON

19Source: USGS

Radon BasicsWhat is radon?

Where does it come from?

What does it do? (Health effects)

How is it found? Fixed?

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Radon FundamentalsWhat is it?Radioactive gas

Comes from soil (rock, gravel) (Also water)

Accumulates in buildings

Increases risk of lung cancer

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Radon: Where it all beganStanley Watras, a

worker at Limerick (PA) nuclear plant, set off radiation detectors going IN to facility

Radiation traced to high radon in his home

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Radon: SourcesRadon comes from Uranium, found in

sedimentary rock & phosphate depositsRadon can enter as a subsurface gas

Proximity of ‘hot’ rock to structure is key:

location, location, location Can also enter via water

Granite countertops?

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Radon- DynamicsHow does radon get into buildings?

Geology beneath bldg: main factorNegative pressure pulls subsurface gas in

Building pressure dynamics – many other factors

Radon volumes- small

In some areas-well water contains radon

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How Radon Enters The House (Pathways)

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Source: USGS

Also

•Water

•Bldg mat.

How Radon Enters The House (Dynamics)

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Two main factors in building depressurization

• Thermosiphoning

•Mechanical equipment

Source: USDOE

Neg. bldg. press. draws in soil gases

Radon: Health Effects Lung cancer is the only* known health effect. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Takes 20-30 years to develop

Smoking multiplies the risk

Some exposed persons not affected

US residential deaths est. @ 15,000 to

22,000 /year

* Some evidence for other effects

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Radon: Health Effects

Source: USEPA

Health Risk of Radon Radon Risk: Never Smoked

Radon Level

If 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime...

The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to... WHAT TO DO:

20 pCi/LAbout 8 people could get lung cancer

The risk of being killed in a violent crime Fix your home

10 pCi/LAbout 4 people could get lung cancer Fix your home

8 pCi/LAbout 3 people could get lung cancer

10 times the risk of dying in an airplane crash Fix your home

4 pCi/LAbout 2 people could get lung cancer The risk of drowning Fix your home

2 pCi/LAbout 1 person could get lung cancer

The risk of dying in a home fire

Consider fixing between 2 and 4 pCi/L

1.3 pCi/LLess than 1 person could get lung cancer (Average indoor radon level)

(Reducing radon levels below 2 pCi/L is difficult.)

0.4 pCi/LLess than 1 person could get lung cancer

(Average outdoor radon level)

(Reducing radon levels below 2 pCi/L is difficult.)

RADON RISK IF YOU HAVE NEVER SMOKED

Note: If you are a former smoker, your risk may be higher.

Source:US EPA

Cosmic8%

Terrestrial8%

Internal11% Medical X-Rays

11%

Nuclear Medicine4%

Consumer Products3%

Other1%

Radon54%

Natural 82%

Man-Made 18%

Occupational 0.3%

Fallout <0.3%

Nuclear Fuel Cycle 0.1%

Miscellaneous 0.1%

<

% Contribution of Radon to the Total Average Effective Dose Equivalent in the U.S. Population (NCRP – 1987)

Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes Radon in the Home Instructional Module Slide #8

Health risk of radon:How well documented is the risk?Miner studies:

n = 68,000 to date

BEIR VI studies

Residential studies

(Iowa study)BEIR VI Report

Where is radon?

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Common question:

“Is it a problem where I live?”

Varies from house to house, but local data often available

See:http://www.nj.gov/ dep/rpp/radon/radon map.htm

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Radon: Local

Radon: Local, Fine Detail

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MunicipalityMunicipalityTierTier

DesignationDesignation

Aberdeen Twp.Aberdeen Twp. 33

Allenhurst BoroAllenhurst Boro 33

Allentown BoroAllentown Boro 11

Asbury Park CityAsbury Park City 33

Atlantic HighlandsAtlantic Highlands 22

Avon-by-the-SeaAvon-by-the-Sea 33

Belmar BoroBelmar Boro 33

Bradley Beach BoroBradley Beach Boro 33

Brielle BoroBrielle Boro 22

Colts Neck Twp.Colts Neck Twp. 11

Deal BoroDeal Boro 33

Eatontown BoroEatontown Boro 22

Englishtown BoroEnglishtown Boro 22

Fair Haven BoroFair Haven Boro 22

Farmingdale BoroFarmingdale Boro 33

Freehold BoroFreehold Boro 11

Freehold Twp.Freehold Twp. 11

Radon Risk levels

Monmouth County municipalities

SOURCE: NJDEP

Radon TestingBut you DO need to test?

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Radon Testing: Easy &

InexpensiveDIY tests

Charcoal

Track etch

No predictive radon test for a construction site

Radon testing: Real Estate Transaction

37Real time monitor

Understanding Radon Test Results

3- 5 day test: screening test; not representative of long term exposure

30-90 day test better

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EPA ‘Action level’: 4 pCi/L (WHO 2.7 pCi/L)

Outdoor avg: ~ 0.5 pCi/L

OSHA Mine Limit: 18 pCi/L equiv

Many NJ homes >20 pCi/L (Lifetime exposure- @ 20, non smoker: Ca risk = 1 in 27)

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Communicating About Radon RisksCompelling Arguments, Points To Be Made

Chances serious radon problem are small…

BUTYou need to test to find out…

It’s like having a smoke detector: while problem is unlikely, inexpensive device (test) can be lifesaver if problem exists

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Communicating About Radon Risks: Unique Features about

Radon

It’s a radioactive hazard BUT It’s natural

Can be easily measured

Clearly defined ‘action level’

Can be easily fixed, at relatively low cost with well-established methods

Health impacts pretty well established

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How We Perceive Risks…and How We Sometimes Miss The Point !

“The things that worry us are different from the things that kill us”

Peter Sandman

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Couple emerges from a session in a Montana

‘Radon Spa’

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Radon: How Fixed?

Subslab Depressurization provides preferred path for radon exit

Most common remediation method

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Source: US EPA

Radon: SummaryDo radon testFix high levelsIt’s real, it’s serious

EPA Radon hotline

1-800-SOS RADON

1-800-767-7236

NJ Radon Hotline

1-800 648 0394 43

A QuestionFrom what you know about dynamics of radon entry into buildings, are there other soil gases or vapors that might enter by the same mechanism?

If so, can you name them?

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COMBUSTION PRODUCTS

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Tobacco Smoke Don’t smoke

-------------------------

If you do…

Take it outside

Never smoke around kids

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Combustion Products

What are combustion products?

Burning any hydrocarbon fuel produces…?

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Combustion Products (cont.)

What are combustion products?

Burning any HC fuel produces

CO2, H2O—also NOx, CO, formaldehyde, particulates, etc.

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Combustion Products: Impacts On Occupants & Buildings

CO - health impairments, death

Moisture - large quantities accumulate if combustion not vented (e.g. salamander) (mold, damage to building)

Formaldehyde, NOX - irritants

Particulates - asthma triggers

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• CO2 - High levels can affect drywall joint compound (carbonation) (rarely high enough to harm health) 49

Combustion ProductsSpace Heaters –Fuel Fired

Burn hazard

Fire hazard

Pollution hazard

CO, CO2, H2O, etc.

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Combustion Products(cont.): Furnace

Service yearly, Use CO Detector

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How do combustion products enter?

Blocked chimney

Rusted flue pipe, heat exchanger

Backdrafting

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Combustion Products:Blocked Flue

Chimney blocked with crumbled mortar

• Cleaned chimney - clear to sky

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Combustion Products:Backdrafting

Reverse flow in flues can occur when

Chimney is blocked

Low pressure condition exists in surrounding space

Tissue or smoke stream shows direction of flow at hood

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Proper draft

Providing Fresh AirBest practice to control moisture, pollutants and to

save energy

Build a tight building

Tightly seal ducts (anything but duct tape)

Ventilate by design

Also

Use sealed combustion appliances

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Airflows: SummaryWhy be concerned about airflows into & out of

buildings?

1) Energy transfers (losses)

2) Moisture transport (into bldg or into walls)

3) Pollutant transport (e.g. radon, ozone, fireplace smoke, etc.)

And on the plus side, airflows provide

1) Fresh air

2) Replacement/ makeup air

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Airflow Dynamics Summary (cont.)

Amount of air entering (or leaving) through various openings (such as envelope leaks vs. flue openings) depends on relative sizes of openings (and is driven by pressure differentials.)

If total envelope leaks small relative to flue opening(s), some flues may become main sources of makeup air

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Combustion Products: SUMMARY

Use smoke, CO detector

Vent combustion appliances to outside

Operate combustion appliances according to directions (e.g. gas fireplaces)

Check furnace yearly

Use stove properly

Oil-filled space heaters safest

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Combustion Products:Summary

CO kills; many sourcesLow doses compromise CV, Respiratory patients.

Many other nasty components produced by combustion (strong irritants, asthma triggers etc.)

WATER VAPOR is a major combustion product, can be moisture source

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Some further thoughts about HVAC and IAQ

Filters:

Remove particulates

Media filters- Electrostatic filters (UL)

AVOID ozone generators

AC:

Troublespots:

Condensate tray. (Double pitch best)

Coils

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