Why Indoor Environmental Quality is important: an Industrial Hygienist s perspective

Transcription

1 Why Indoor Environmental Quality is important: an Industrial Hygienist s perspective Michael J. Richen, Certified Industrial Hygienist Boulder County Public Health

2 Overview Importance of Indoor Environmental Quality Comparison of American Housing Survey and Healthy Homes Keep It Values Some questions Asbestos, Mold, Radon, Lead, Carbon Monoxide A surprise Summary

3 Indoor Environmental Quality Why Important We spend 90% of our time indoors Indoor environments trap and sometimes concentrate contaminants Lack of home maintenance The connection between health and the dwelling is one of the most important that exists. - Florence Nightingale

4 We don t maintain our homes 17% exterior problems 4.6% missing roofing 10% exterior leakage and water issues 1.1% room heaters without a flue 67% have no carbon monoxide alarms 48% are uncomfortably cold 0.09% cooking stove primary heating source 7.6% no working fire alarm 5.5% mice Keep this information in mind! Source 2007 American Housing Survey

5 Keep It: (Your house as a system, people are affected by) Dry Pest Free Clean Safe Maintained Contaminant Free Well Ventilated National Center for Healthy Homes

6 American Housing Survey Compared with National Center for Healthy Homes Keep It Values Dry (6) 17% exterior problems 4.6% missing roofing 10.3% exterior leakage and water issues 3.4% leaky pipes 7.9% interior water leakage 4.8% open cracks or holes Clean (1) 5.5% mice 4.8% open cracks or holes Maintained (5) 17% exterior problems 4.6% missing roofing 10.3% exterior leakage and water issues 7.9% interior water leakage 4.8% open cracks or holes Well Ventilated (6) 0.09% cooking stove as primary heating source 1.1% room heaters without a flue Pest Free (7) 17% exterior problems 4.6% missing roofing 10.3% exterior leakage and water issues 5.5% mice 3.4% leaky pipes 7.9% interior water leakage 4.8% open cracks or holes Safe (8) 0.09% cooking stove primary heating source 1.1% room heaters without a flue 7.6% no working fire alarm 56% fire extinguishers not been inspected for more than 2 yrs. 67% no carbon monoxide alarms 9.1% blown fuses or breakers Contaminant free (9) 4.8% open cracks or holes

7 Some missteps Ongoing asbestos and mold litigation Costly, focused on blame, doesn t fix problems, doesn t prevent anything, intense resources spent on 1 issue Personal experiences Western Minerals Asbestos Litigation

8 Question # 1 How much money has been spent on asbestos litigation in the US as of 2005? A. $1 trillion B. $100 billion C. $70 billion D. $1 billion Raw (right hand) and popped (left hand) vermiculite (Photo source: U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, Denver, Colorado)

9 Question # 2 What percentage of the total amount of money spent on Asbestos litigation went to the claimants? A. 100% B. 50% C. 10% D. 42%

10 Answers 1 & 2 70 billion total Defense costs $21 billion Claimants legal costs $19 billion Claimants got $30 billion (41.8%)

11 Asbestos Asbestos not banned in all home products Find in homes popcorn ceiling wall board texturing 9 inch by 9 in floor tile & glue exterior siding pipe insulation Not a health concern unless disturbed or the material is damaged Know your Asbestos Containing Building Material identify & manage in place or test building material prior to & remove as part of renovation

12 Practical advice Water and fire damage repair often involves screening for asbestos prior to repair Asbestos is a chronic health concern, all efforts to control aimed at minimizing risk Testing inexpensive $ cost for a state qualified asbestos inspector list at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website Keep It: Maintained, Dry, Clean, Contamination free, More?

13 Question # 3 Identify all true statements. A. Mold causes allergic reactions; asthmatics and sensitive individuals suffer more from mold. A. Any Black mold growth in your home is always a serious health hazard. B. There is no practical way to prevent all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control mold is to control moisture. C. A & C above

14 Answers 3 A. symptoms include allergic reactions, asthmatics and sensitive individuals suffer more D. the way to control mold is to control moisture

15 Mold Damp Indoor Spaces & Health 2003 National Academy of Science (NAS) Report Health problems in sensitized persons (makes asthma worse, hypersensitivity pneumonitis) Allergy symptoms in healthy persons. (cough, runny nose, wheezing) Respiratory illness in healthy children Recommend removal of at-risk individuals (immunecompromised, old, young, asthmatics, sick) from potential exposure, and prompt removal of all moldy materials

16 It s the water damage not mold Water Damage = Mold Growth = Health Effects Black mold is not more toxic than other types of mold, see US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Not a new health or a property management concern, fix cause then remove affected materials; use containment Immediate hazard, can make a home uninhabitable for some people Boulder County Public Health gets about 300 mold calls a year; major issue with low income housing

17 Practical advice Instead of costly expert sampling, inspect home for the signs of water damage and repair causes like leaking roof, dripping pipe, etc. assume mold growth if water damaged valid air testing for mold can cost between $1,500 & $5000 if done correctly better to apply effort to inspect and remove water damaged materials Next, remove affected building material that can grow mold and bacteria and was wet for longer than 48 hours, like the bottom piece of drywall, rugs, other wood products Many different kinds of professionals are qualified to look for water damage Some Industrial Hygienists Home inspectors especially those who used to build homes Insurance company associated disaster restoration companies Keep It : Dry, Maintained, Ventilated, More????

18 Identify all true statements. Question # 4 A. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer death in the US. B. There is no need to test your home for radon if one house on your block has a high radon test result. C. Exposure to radon gas does not cause lung cancer, alpha particles coming from radon decay products cause cancer. D. Testing for radon in your home is more expensive than installing a radon remediation system. E. Answers A & C

19 Answers 4 A. Each year, an estimated 443,000 people die prematurely each year from cigarette smoking an estimated 21,000 people die from lung cancer each year from radon exposure B. Radon decays into other radioactive elements that give off alpha particles; exposure to alpha particles causes lung cancer C. Testing costs as little as $15; remediation costs between $1,000 to $3,000

20 Radon Invisible & odorless Colorado is a uranium resource area, naturally occurring uranium and radium can be found in the soils and water Indoor radon levels are impacted by the length of the heating season Boulder County has elevated radon levels in 54% of tested homes Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk US EPA recommends 4 picocuries per Liter

21 Practical advice Testing and Remediation are cheap $15 for test kit $1,000 to $3,000 remediate Using a qualified tester produces more accurate results Go to this website for a better understanding and lists of certified testers & contractors Radon resistant building now common Keep It : Well Ventilated, Maintained, More????

22 Question 5 Lead poisoning in children is caused by. Pick all that apply. A. Lead paint B. Jewelry C. Homeopathic medicines given for intestinal problems like Azarcon: a bright orange powder, also known as Ruedo, Corol, Maria Luiso, Alarcon, Ligo and Greta: a yellow powder D. All of the above

23 D. All of the above Answers 5

24 Lead Prohibited in home paint since 1978 Houses built before 1960 have the most lead Before % % % All housing stock 40% Goal is to prevent childhood lead poisoning The only way to know for sure is to test Inexpensive test kits available in the hardware store Painting, repairing or remodeling a pre 1978 home can contaminate your home and hurt your kids by causing delayed neurological development

25 New US EPA Renovation, Repair and Paint Rule if the work disturbs more than 20 square feet of lead based paint In the case that work disturbs lead paint it must be performed by US EPA Lead Safe qualified workers. No permitting is required. Go to US EPA websites for qualified contractors RRP Rule

26 US EPA Approved Lead Test Kits To date, EPA has recognized three lead test kits for use in complying with the false negative response criterion of the RRP rule. They are the 3M LeadCheck, the State of Massachusetts kit, and D-Lead.

27 Practical advice Parents should have their children tested 2X before 2 YOA in Boulder County 74% of kids tested have some lead 30% of elevated levels in kids not due to paint If you home was built before 1980 have your home tested for lead before renovating, repairing or painting; don t forget disaster repair Consumer test kits are not as reliable as a qualified inspector Lists of qualified testers available at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website Lists of trained contractors on US EPA website. Water damage makes paint flake off of surfaces connections?.asbestos, mold Keep It : Maintained, Dry, Contaminant free

28 March 25, 2009 Governor signs carbon monoxide detector measure, Bill arose from tragedies in Aspen, Denver Wyatt Haupt Jr., The Aspen Times, Aspen, CO Colorado Who Knows the story?

29 March 25, 2009 Governor signs carbon monoxide detector measure, Bill arose from tragedies in Aspen, Denver Wyatt Haupt Jr., The Aspen Times, Aspen, CO Colorado claimed Parker Lofgren, 39; his wife, Caroline, 42; and their two children, Owen, 10, and Sophie, 8, while staying at a home outside Aspen on Thanksgiving weekend last year. The family died of carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said. Family friends, who had driven from Denver to share the house with them for the holiday, found them dead inside a bedroom at the home on 10 Popcorn Lane. Second unrelated death of graduate student, Johnson, 23, died of carbon monoxide poisoning in January at her apartment near the Univ. of Denver.

30 Carbon Monoxide (CO) An odorless, colorless gas that has affinity for hemoglobin 200 times that of oxygen, symptoms of CO poisoning are at low levels headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion high levels of CO inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death Responsible for 15,000 emergency department visits and 500 unintentional deaths in US each year - US CDC 2009 Colorado law requires detectors in new homes and rentals if attached garage, fireplace, boiler, wood stove, furnace, sauna, pool heater 1 on each floor and 1 within 15 feet of bedroom must detect CO and produce a distinct audible alarm UL/ANSI 2034 listed can be combination smoke/co detector hard-wire, plug-in or battery

31 UL/ANSI Specifications CO concentration & response time Concentration (ppm) 70 + or or or 10 Response Time (min.) False Alarm Specifications Concentration (ppm) 30 + or or - 5 Exposure time, no alarm 30 days 60 minutes What s OSHA s standard for CO?

32 Real prevention is the Practical advice proper installation per manufacturer and building codes annual professional service, should also check chimneys and flues for blockages, corrosion, partial, complete disconnections, birds Install CO and smoke alarms designed to prevent accidental death Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle, tent burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers to heat your home operate unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room where people are sleeping cover the bottom of natural gas or propane ovens with aluminum foil. during home renovations, ensure that appliance vents and chimneys are not blocked by tarps or debris. Keep It: Maintained, Well Ventilated

33 New stuff A recent study of California (CA) homes built between found 98 percent exceeded the CA 2008 Chronic Exposure Levels for formaldehyde irritant effects of 9 micrograms per cubic meter. ASHRAE 62.2, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality for the most part now requires low-level, continuous ventilation in a home using a whole-building fan or other ventilation system as the best method for ventilating a home.

34 Why are Industrial Hygienists Alarmists Trained to minimize exposures Have experienced expensive and wasteful efforts i.e. asbestos & mold litigation Believe we don t ever have enough scientific information to do complete risk assessment Many of us practice the Precautionary Principal states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking the action IHs generally work for large employers, we are cautious Many of us ask would we allow our children do this work

35 Closing Indoor Environmental Quality an issue because spend 90% of the time inside concentrate some contaminants poor maintenance Other. Keep it ---, clean, maintained, , pest free, safe, contaminant free Maintenance an overriding issue Focus should be on science proven investigations and validated fixes of problems