Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxics (PBT) Program Setting the Context TOM MURRAY, USEPA EPA PBT Monitoring Workshop April 22, 2002 Raleigh, North Carolina.

Persistent, Bioaccumulative Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxics (PBT) Programand Toxics (PBT) Program

Setting the ContextSetting the Context

TOM MURRAY, USEPATOM MURRAY, USEPA

EPA PBT Monitoring WorkshopEPA PBT Monitoring Workshop

April 22, 2002April 22, 2002

Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina

Happy Earth Day!Happy Earth Day!

I’M HERE TO ….I’M HERE TO ….

Provide some contextProvide some contextExplore the question: Who Explore the question: Who

cares?cares?A Perspective on the A Perspective on the

Monitoring StrategyMonitoring StrategyShare a few thoughts on the Share a few thoughts on the

challenges that lie aheadchallenges that lie ahead

The ContextThe Context

The PBT Program as an organizing The PBT Program as an organizing principleprinciple

GPRA goals and measuresGPRA goals and measures Our scopeOur scope The PBT Program National Action The PBT Program National Action

PlansPlans

The ContextThe Context

The PBT Program as an organizing The PBT Program as an organizing principleprinciple

What is the PBT Program?What is the PBT Program?

All programs working together toAll programs working together to Identify and reduce risks to human Identify and reduce risks to human

health and the environment from health and the environment from current and future exposures to current and future exposures to priority PBT pollutantspriority PBT pollutants

Stop their transfer across Stop their transfer across environmental media!environmental media!

Prevent new PBT chemicals from Prevent new PBT chemicals from entering commerceentering commerce

What are its Program Goals?What are its Program Goals?

Reduce risks to human health and the Reduce risks to human health and the environment from current and future environment from current and future exposures to priority PBT contaminantsexposures to priority PBT contaminants

Reduce/eliminate PBT emissions in U.S. Reduce/eliminate PBT emissions in U.S. and promote international reductionsand promote international reductions

Reduce exposure of general U.S. Reduce exposure of general U.S. populations, especially high risk populations, especially high risk populationspopulations

The National PBT Program The National PBT Program AgendaAgenda

Focus on Mercury, Dioxin/Furans, PCBs Focus on Mercury, Dioxin/Furans, PCBs firstfirst

Focus on two cross-cutting issues:Focus on two cross-cutting issues: MONITORINGMONITORING Outreach/risk communicationOutreach/risk communication

Derive actions from National Action PlansDerive actions from National Action Plans Get the resources to where the action isGet the resources to where the action is Build on successful effortsBuild on successful efforts Provide the tools to “get the job done”Provide the tools to “get the job done”

What is the value added by the PBT What is the value added by the PBT Program?Program?

It facilitates corporate decisionmaking. It simplifies communication to outside

stakeholders. It fosters holistic problem solving. It engenders the use of sound science. It leads to win-win solutions, more

responsible spending and more effective coordination among programs both within and outside of EPA.

NHANESNHANES

Alaskan Native Alaskan Native Fetal Cord Blood Fetal Cord Blood

Monitoring ProgramMonitoring Program

Arctic Monitoring and Arctic Monitoring and Assessment ProgramAssessment Program

What fuels the PBT Program?What fuels the PBT Program?

Human Health and Ecological ConcernsHuman Health and Ecological Concerns Realization that some single-medium Realization that some single-medium

approaches fall shortapproaches fall short Realization that for efforts like Realization that for efforts like

monitoring, no one program can do itmonitoring, no one program can do it States, Tribes, Legislators, Stakeholders States, Tribes, Legislators, Stakeholders Tenacity, hard work and determinationTenacity, hard work and determination A specified Agency-wide budgetA specified Agency-wide budget

Http://intranet.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/Http://intranet.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htmplan.htm

PBT Program Management PBT Program Management StructureStructure

O P P T P B T P rog ramsu p p ort team

P B T P rog ramN ation a l A c tion P lan

W orkg rou p s

O th er Tech n ica lW orkg rou p s1 .M on ito rin g

2 .O u treach & R isk C om m u n ica tion

P len ary G rou pM u lti-o ffice

OFFICE DIRECTORSM 2P2 FORUM

Bill Sanders (OPPTS) - ChairT im Oppelt (ORD) - Co-Chair

AAs/DAAs/DRAsOPPTS as Chair

DeputyAdm inistrator

The ContextThe Context

The PBT Program as an organizing The PBT Program as an organizing principleprinciple

GPRA goals and measuresGPRA goals and measures

GPRA GOALSGPRA GOALS

2005 2006 2005 2006 20072007

GPRGPRAA

EPAEPA

DOIDOI

DODOCC

HHHHSS

The ContextThe Context

The PBT Program as an organizing The PBT Program as an organizing principleprinciple

GPRA goals and measuresGPRA goals and measures ScopeScope

PBTs -- A Global PriorityPBTs -- A Global Priority

"Pollutants that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic have been linked to numerous adverse effects in humans and animals. The United States has taken extensive action over the years to address these pollutants. But such pollutants not only remain in the environment for years and even decades, they also travel far beyond their initial points of release, posing threats across national and geographic boundaries. Only by addressing the threat of these pollutants on a global scale can we help to meet our goal of leaving America's air cleaner, our water purer, and our land better protected.” -Christine Todd Whitman

The ContextThe Context

The PBT Program as an organizing The PBT Program as an organizing principleprinciple

GPRA goals and measuresGPRA goals and measures ScopeScope The PBT Program National Action The PBT Program National Action

PlansPlans

National Action PlansNational Action Plans

Alkyl-Lead Alkyl-Lead

Benzo(a)PyreneBenzo(a)Pyrene

Dioxins/FuransDioxins/Furans

HexachlorobenzeneHexachlorobenzene

Mercury and CompoundsMercury and Compounds

OctachlorostyreneOctachlorostyrene

PCBsPCBs

PESTICIDESPESTICIDES

Aldrin/Dieldrin, Chlordane Aldrin/Dieldrin, Chlordane

Mirex,DDT(+DDD+DDE), Mirex,DDT(+DDD+DDE), Camphechlor(Toxaphene)Camphechlor(Toxaphene)

What are the major monitoring What are the major monitoring needs identified in the NAPs?needs identified in the NAPs?

Magnitude and nature of the Magnitude and nature of the human Exposure Problem human Exposure Problem (Hg, (Hg, Dioxins, B(a)P, HCB)Dioxins, B(a)P, HCB)

Magnitude and nature of exposure Magnitude and nature of exposure for high-risk populations for high-risk populations (PCBs, (PCBs, Dioxins, HCB, B(a)P)Dioxins, HCB, B(a)P)

Long-term National Environmental Long-term National Environmental Trends Trends (Hg, PCBs,Dioxins, Pesticides,HCB, (Hg, PCBs,Dioxins, Pesticides,HCB, B(a)P and OCS)B(a)P and OCS)

What are the major monitoring What are the major monitoring needs identified in the NAPs?needs identified in the NAPs?

International Contribution International Contribution (Mercury, PCBs, (Mercury, PCBs, Dioxins, Pesticides, HCB, B(a)PDioxins, Pesticides, HCB, B(a)P

Monitoring data to support Monitoring data to support environmental modeling needs in environmental modeling needs in predicting environmental levels and predicting environmental levels and multimedia transfers multimedia transfers (Hg, PCBs and Dioxins)(Hg, PCBs and Dioxins)

Support for Fish and Wildlife Support for Fish and Wildlife Consumption Advisory Programs Consumption Advisory Programs (Hg, (Hg, PCBs, Dioxins and pesticides)PCBs, Dioxins and pesticides)

What are the major monitoring What are the major monitoring needs identified in the NAPs?needs identified in the NAPs?

Source Characterization Source Characterization (Hg, PCBs, (Hg, PCBs, Dioxins, HCB, B(a)P and OCSDioxins, HCB, B(a)P and OCS

Who Really Cares?Who Really Cares?

Our decision makers care!Our decision makers care!

Our Senior Management OfficialsOur Senior Management Officials The White House Office of Science The White House Office of Science

and Technologyand Technology U.S. General Accounting OfficeU.S. General Accounting Office Commission for Environmental Commission for Environmental

CooperationCooperation UNEPUNEP

But , more ImportantlyBut , more Importantly

Our Tribal Partners Say:Our Tribal Partners Say:

Abnormalities in Abnormalities in animals and fish (e. g. animals and fish (e. g. wormy whitefish and wormy whitefish and lesions on salmon, and lesions on salmon, and Whirling disease)Whirling disease)

Moose meat tastes Moose meat tastes different and there are different and there are water bags in their water bags in their lungslungs

Muskrats have spots Muskrats have spots on their liver and lungson their liver and lungs

Caribou have runny Caribou have runny bone marrowbone marrow

A National Routine Monitoring A National Routine Monitoring Strategy should:Strategy should:

Summarize and orchestrate current Summarize and orchestrate current PBT monitoring activitiesPBT monitoring activities

Discern trends in both human health Discern trends in both human health and ecosystems (GPRA?)and ecosystems (GPRA?)

Measure the effectiveness of national Measure the effectiveness of national actions to meet the PBT program goals actions to meet the PBT program goals

Integrate across environmental mediaIntegrate across environmental media Integrate modelingIntegrate modeling

C H O I C E O F M E A S U R A B L E O B J E C T I V E S

P O I N TS O U R C ER E L E A S E S

R E L E A S E S• E m i s s i o n s

• D i s p o s a l

• E x i s t i n g d a t a s o u r c e s

• E a s i l y m e a s u r e d • D i r e c t a c c o u n t a b i l i t y• M a y b e d i f f i c u l t t o l i n k t o h u m a n e x p o s u r e• N o t a p p l i c a b l e t o c a n c e l l e d / b a n n e d t o x i c s

• E a s i l y m e a s u r e d• O n l y a v a i l a b l e m e a s u r e a t t i m e s

A C T I V I T YM E A S U R E S

P R O G R A MO U T P U T

• E d u c a t i o n

• I n t ’ l o u t r e a c h• S t a k e h o l d e r M e e t i n g s• P e r m i t s

• D i r e c t m e a s u r e o f h u m a n e x p o s u r e• N o m e a s u r e o f e c o l o g i c a l e f f e c t• O f t e n e x p e n s i v e

• D i r e c t m e a s u r e o f e c o l o g i c a l e f f e c t• C l o s e l i n k t o h u m a n e x p o s u r e• A p p l i c a b l e t o m a n y P B T s

F O O D C H A I N /E N V I R O N M E N T A LM E A S U R E S

F I S HS U R V E Y

• F i s h t i s s u e• A n i m a l t i s s u e• S e d i m e n t• W a t e r c o l u m n

H U M A NB I O M A R K E R S N H A N E S

• B l o o d• H a i r• U r i n e• T i s s u e

Inte

rval

of

Mea

sure

men

t (A

nn

ual

, Dec

ade)Figure 1 .

ChallengesChallenges

#1. No single governmental #1. No single governmental jurisdiction can solve the jurisdiction can solve the

problem!!problem!!

All federal, state, tribal, international All federal, state, tribal, international organizations must work together!organizations must work together!

#2 Monitoring is Costly#2 Monitoring is Costly

Find ways to leverageFind ways to leverage

#3 Monitoring takes time to #3 Monitoring takes time to yield valid resultsyield valid results

Persevere! And think of ways to keep Persevere! And think of ways to keep impatient decision makers happyimpatient decision makers happy

Maryland Terps National Maryland Terps National Champions!!Champions!!

#4. Maintain the vision#4. Maintain the vision

““As pollution problems become more As pollution problems become more complex, our monitoring programs complex, our monitoring programs must become more sophisticated and must become more sophisticated and cost-effective. We cannot control cost-effective. We cannot control what we cannot measure and we what we cannot measure and we cannot correct what we do not know”.cannot correct what we do not know”.

John R. Quarles, Jr. Deputy AdministratorJohn R. Quarles, Jr. Deputy Administrator 19771977