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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-air-inventory@lists.state.me.us [mailto:owner-air-inventory@lists.state.me.us]
On Behalf Of Gould, Tammy
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 11:13 AM
To: air-inventory@informe.org
Subject: air-inventory Draft Rumford HAPs Report
forwarded from David Wright, DEP
The MEDEP is publishing a draft air toxics monitoring report for public comment. The report is entitled: Maine DEP's Ambient Air Toxics Monitoring Program in Rumford/Mexico, Maine 1997 - 2003, Revision of October 28, 2004, and is available on MEDEP's website at http://www.maine.gov/dep/air/monitoring/rumfordhaprpt.htm. Comments should be filed with MEDEP by January 15, 2005 in order to be fully incorporated into the final document.
Abstract of the Draft Rumford HAPs Report
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) initiated an Air Toxics (AT) Monitoring program in the Rumford Maine area in 1991. That pilot study found ambient levels of chloroform; tetrachloroethylene; 1,3-butadiene; and benzene above safe levels for long-term exposure. A follow-up study in 1992 found similar exposures across the state, with benzene; 1,3-butadiene; carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform posing unacceptable risks in several Maine towns. MEDEP sampled Rumford for ATs again in 1993, and found that ambient levels of Chloroform had decreased below ambient air guidelines. The decline was attributed to decreased use of chlorine in a local paper mill. Otherwise, the results were consistent with the results of earlier studies. Limited follow-up studies between 1995-1997 revealed the presence of benzene. However, the data could only indicate the potential for problems, as there was insufficient data to determine valid annual averages for comparison with the annual guidelines.
This report contains the results of MEDEP's detailed Air Toxics monitoring
program in the Rumford area from late 1997 until 2003. During this time, MEDEP
collected three, 24-hour samples every six days at three sites, until the
summer of 1999, when MEDEP scaled back to one long-term trend site.
Monitoring locations were established in likely areas of high impacts from
a local paper mill. The study site is located in a valley with complex meteorology,
making it impossible to establish a "background" monitoring site.
Samples were collected and analyzed for select Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs) using EPA method TO-15. Method TO-15 contains many protocols to ensure
that results accurately represent ambient concentrations of the pollutants
that were monitored. Samples from collocation sites showed good replicate
precision for most parameters.
Sample results were averaged, and compared to ambient air quality guidelines
(AAQG). The results show that benzene levels posed a greater than acceptable
cancer risk. That is, the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was in
excess of 10 in a million. Four other compounds likely exceed acceptable
health risk levels: 1,3 butadiene; tetrachloroethene; carbon tetrachloride;
and 1,2-Dibromethane. Twenty-six (26) compounds were determined to not
pose a significant risk to public health. MEDEP was not able to determine
the risk posed by air toxics that were not monitored for, the risk posed
by 23 compounds that were sampled for but that lack risk-based ambient
air guidelines, and for 14 compounds whose detection limits are too
high to enable measurement down to their low ambient air guideline levels.
Of particular concern are acrolein; 1,4 dichlorobenzene and 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane,
which have high detection limits, but were occasionally detected well
in excess of their respective AAQGs. Chloroform concentrations have
decreases from the levels that were detected in the earliest sampling
efforts in the area, to levels that do not pose a risk.
For more information, to file comments, or to request a hard copy of the
report, contact:
David Wright
Air Toxics & Inventory Program
Bureau of Air Quality, DEP
17 SHS
Augusta, ME 04333-0017
207-287-6104 (phone)
207-287-7641 (fax)
david.w.wright@state.me.us