EPA Issues Fourth Draft Particulate Criteria Document, June 30, 2003
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released for public review and comment the “Fourth External Review Draft of Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter (June, 2003).”
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to develop a “Criteria Document” assessing the latest scientific information on the health and welfare effects of air pollution as part of its periodic review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
This Fourth Draft includes assessment of more than 2,000 new references published since the First External Review Draft in October 1999.
The 1,800 page document summarizes new scientific research findings since the publication of the 1996 Criteria Document for Particulate Matter, during EPA’s last review of the air quality standards. Topics covered include:
–Physics, Chemistry and Measurement of Particulate Matter
–Concentrations, Sources, and Emissions of Atmospheric Particulate Matter
–Environmental Effects
–Human Exposure to PM and its Constituents
– Dosimetry
–Toxicology of PM in Humans and Laboratory Animals
–Epidemiology of Human Health Effects
Chapter 9 is an Integrative Synthesis of the most important new information since EPA’s last review.
The document contains numerous important findings. One of many key concusions states:
“Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown statistically significant associations of ambient PM levels with a variety of human health endpoints, including mortality, hospital admissions, emergency department visits, other medical visits, respiratory illness and symptoms measured in community surveys, and physiologic changes in pulmonary function. Associations have been consistently observed between both short-and long-term PM exposure and these endpoints. The general internal consistency of the epidemiologic database and available findings demonstrate well that notable human health effects are associated with exposures to ambient PM at concentrations currently found in many geographic locations across the United States.”
EPA is seeking public comment on the draft document, and the document will also be reviewed by EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC).
Under a proposed court-ordered schedule, EPA must issue a final Criteria Document for Particulate Matter by December 19, 2003.
EPA [www.epa.gov/ncea] offers the document online.
A CD-ROM or hard copy version of the document may be requested from Diane Ray of EPA, at: 919-541-3637, or by email: ray.diane@epa.gov.
Public comments on the draft document will be taken at the August 25-26, 2003 meeting of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Written comments are due by August 31, 2003 and may be addressed to:
Dr. Rob Elias
National Center for Environmental Assessment-RTP (B243-01)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Email: elias.robert@epa.gov.
Public comments on the draft document will be taken at the August 25-26, 2003 meeting of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The American Lung Association will be advocating that CASAC “reach closure” on the document so that the review process can move forward.
