Geospatial Evaluation of Major Public Safety-related Infrastructure in the Event of an Accidental Radionuclide Release in South Carolina

Geospatial Evaluation of Major Public Safety-related Infrastructure in the event of an Accidental Radionuclide Release in South Carolina Isoken T Aighewi and Helen Tamboue Benedict College, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Health Sciences, 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204 ABSTRACT Recent nuclear incidents in the U.S and elsewhere such as the 2010 Yankee nuclear reactor leakage in Vermont, the recent wild fire that threatened the Los Alamos National laboratory in New Mexico in 2011 and the Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 have brought about new concerns and discussion about how safe and prepared Americans living near nuclear installations are.

The United States have 65 operating nuclear plants with 104 commercial reactors, of which four operating plants are in South Carolina. Although site-specific emergency response plans for nuclear plant accident exist for communities in the immediate vicinity of nuclear plants, the ever-changing demography could render those plans ineffective overt time. This study was initiated to evaluate the present state of vulnerability of populations residing near one of the four nuclear installations in South Carolina-The Savanna River Site (SRS). Using Geospatial techniques, we evaluated populations at risk living within 25km and 50km radius of the installation, number of health facilities, major highways for evacuation during emergency-including their respective 2010 vehicle traffic loads (AADT).


The result shows that in the event of a nuclear emergency resulting in mass release of radionuclide, 12, 780 people in six towns in the immediate vicinity of the SRS will be at risk. However, 295,545 people will be affected if up to 50km radius is considered-based on the latest U.S 2010 census. Only one health facility is located within the immediate vicinity for emergency treatment and 15 within 50km radius of the site. For Emergency evacuation, Northeast bound U.S highway 278 to Georgia state line in Aiken county, SC has a higher traffic load compared to the Southwest bound alternative of the same limited access highway (AADT of 15,200 compared to 13, 800) leading to highway S-68. For the 50 km scenario however, several more evacuation routes are available. A comprehensive comparison of the different evacuation routes for the towns will be presented.

Responding to Mercury Incidents

Mercury is the only elemental metal in its natural physical state to be liquid at standard temperature and pressure.  You can pour it out of a container; watch it separate into little globs; roll them back together with your hands; and pour it back into the container.  What we don’t realize is that mercury vapors are is extremely toxic.  Mercury vapors can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes.  Acute exposure from inhalation of mercury vapors can cause short term health effects such as difficulty breathing, coughing, chest tightness, and upset stomach.  Chronic exposure to mercury has been known to cause headaches, weakness, tremors, emotional changes like mood swings, decreased cognitive functions and kidney problems.  

On March 21, 2011, Kern County Environmental Health and Bakersfield City Fire Department responded to an elementary school for a jar of mercury brought in by a couple of students.  This course will address the challenges First Responders faced from what seemed like a simple response call to a full scale hazardous materials response to mitigate, isolate, and decon 70+ students and faculty staff members while under the watchful eye of concerned and frightened parents.

The course will help the audience determine and evaluate what steps to take initially when responding to a mercury spill.   Lessons learned on the logistical challenges faced on how to decon children, disseminate public information, and multiple location responses will be discussed.  Cleanup techniques performed and acceptable cleanup action levels for mercury will be defined.  

Attendees will gain the knowledge and the ability to apply the necessary skills needed for proper response and mitigation procedures, the understanding of the effectiveness of utilizing a joint multi agency response team, identifying the risks associated with mercury releases, and the proper ways of handling a cleanup.

California’s Unified Approach to Hazardous Material Programs

The task of regulating the use of hazardous materials in industry can be very complicated, and has become complex due to numerous and convoluted regulations and the multitude of agencies that are charged with the administration of these programs. This presentation will illustrate California’s innovative and unique approach to this issue. In 1993 California Senate Bill 1082 was enacted. SB 1082 consolidated six existing hazardous materials and hazardous waste regulatory programs to improve coordination and consistency. These programs are referred to collectively as the Unified Program.

Prior to the creation of the Unified Program, the six program elements were implemented by over 1,300 separate state and local agencies. Today there are 83 Unified Program Agencies that were certified to meet established standards by the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA).  These Certified Unified Program Agencies are known as CUPAs. Cal/EPA certifies and regularly evaluate the CUPAs to ensure compliance with established statutory and regulatory standards. The mission of the Unified Program is to protect public health and safety, and to restore and enhance environmental quality, and sustain economic vitality through effective and efficient implementation of the Unified Program. California is an extraordinarily diverse state.  Alpine County has 1000 residents and Los Angeles County has 10,000,000. Local agencies know how to best adopt, implement and enforce these requirements in their jurisdiction. The CUPA Forum Board works with US EPA and Cal EPA to ensure that their efforts are coordinated and implemented consistently with federal and state standards. At the heart of the implementation of SB 1082 was the requirement for every County in California to apply and become certified as a Unified Program Agency. Due to the type of programs being administered most CUPAs were placed in local Environmental Health Departments. Today 42 of the 83 CUPAs are within Environmental Health Departments. This lecture will address the history and structure of the Unified Program, and describe the innovative and successful approach California chose. Attendees will learn how the use of education and a consolidated inspection and enforcement program can lead to success. 

High levels of arsenic contamination around CCA-treated staircases in high-density apartment complexes: strategies for mitigating health risks

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a commonly used wood preservative that was phased out of residential use after arsenic contamination resulted from rainwater leaching. Because CCA-lumber has a useful lifetime of 20-40 years, it is still prevalent in residential neighborhoods, where it is found in fencing, childrens’ playhouses, surrounding raised beds, in decking, picnic tables and exterior stairs. This study evaluated soil contamination outside multi-storied, high-density apartment complexes that have exterior staircases constructed of CCA lumber. High levels of arsenic, averaging 50 ppm, were found surrounding the stairs and had migrated into areas where people and pets have frequent contact with the soil, dust and run-off. Several mitigation strategies are under evaluation, including phytoremediation and other direct barriers to contact.

What Goes Up Must Come Down: Lessons Learned from Emergency Air Monitoring during the Escondido Bomb House Burn

On December 9, 2011, San Diego County authorities intentionally burned a house with the largest stash of homemade explosives and bomb-making material ever discovered in the United States. The cache was discovered when a gardener stepped on an unknown substance in the backyard, touching off an explosion that sent him to the hospital. When county, state, and federal hazardous materials experts surveyed the property they found highly toxic and explosive chemicals along with blasting caps, homemade hand grenades, and improvised explosive devices. Hazmat crews and bomb squads tried repeatedly to enter the home to remove chemicals and explosives. When the situation became too dangerous, the San Diego County Sheriff and Environmental Health Department officials decided the best alternative was to burn the house down.

State-of-the-science plume models were employed to predict the worst-case chemical release. Based on those models, neighbors living close to the home were evacuated and residents, businesses, and schools farther away were provided instructions to "shelter in place" before and during the burn. A multi-agency air monitoring task force consisting of the California Air Resources Board, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, and the San Diego County Hazardous Materials Incident Response Team was deployed to monitor and analyze toxics and smoke from community locations immediately adjacent to the “bomb house” and throughout the projected plume path. Some hazardous chemicals, including hydrochloric acid and hydrogen cyanide, were detected in the evacuation zone during the burn but at levels below emergency health action limits. Downwind concentrations of smoke and toxics were not significantly elevated during the height of the burn. However, homes close to the incident did experience smoky conditions overnight as the home was allowed to slowly smolder out. The time and day of the burn were selected to maximize favorable meteorological conditions. This was the key in preventing any reported public exposures. This presentation will detail the interagency monitoring and sampling efforts, a summary of the results of airborne sampling and analysis, and lessons learned from successful efforts to protect public health during such an unprecedented event.                 

Exploring the Nature of Acute Petroleum Releases Using Data from the National Toxic Substance Incidents Program, 2010 [POSTER]

Introduction

In January 2010, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry established the National Toxic Substance Incidents Program (NTSIP) to reduce injuries and deaths associated with acute hazardous substance incidents. Unlike its predecessor, the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system, NTSIP captures petroleum only releases that result in a public health action (e.g. evacuations or injuries). Petroleum can cause serious morbidity, mortality, and property loss due to its explosive properties. Additionally, it can have a negative impact on the environment (e.g., Deep Water Horizon oil spill). In this analysis we characterize the nature of petroleum incidents to guide future prevention efforts.

Methods

We analyzed single substance incidents involving petroleum that occurred in 2010 from the seven state NTSIP dataset.  To identify petroleum incidents, we queried the field “chemical name” for petroleum fuels; including but not limited to:  gasoline, diesel, kerosene, propane, and natural gas.

Results

Of the 2,806 single chemical releases that occurred in 2010, 345 (12.3%) were petroleum.  A majority of the petroleum events occurred at fixed facilities (79.4%).  Equipment failure and human error were the most frequently reported contributing factors (46.8% of events each). Fires and/or explosions were involved in 13.0% of the events. Of the 278 events that included an industry type, utilities were the most commonly reported (33.1%).  A total of 9,395 persons evacuated in 63.5% of the events. Sixty-two events (18.0%) resulted in 116 injured persons and five fatalities. The public (65.5%) and employees

(31.9%) were the most frequently injured population groups.  Dizziness and headaches were the most frequently reported injuries.

Discussion

Utilities constituted about a third of all petroleum incidents and should be the main focus of prevention outreach.  Recent high profile incidents have increased the awareness of the dangers associated with petroleum releases. Data gained from this analysis, and other more in-depth reports, can be used to guide prevention efforts.

Conclusion

Because of the potential dangers caused by petroleum incidents, efforts should continue to find alternatives.  Additionally, strong efforts to improve safety, including the safety culture, training, and equipment design and maintenance are crucial for preventing loss of life and property.

Methamphetamine Lab Contamination: A Different Look at the Impact of the Meth Epidemic

The impact of the methamphetamine epidemic is far reaching. Twenty-years ago the only concern with methamphetamine was the crime associated with the drug, i.e. burglary, sexual-assault, child abuse, etc. Over the past decade more attention has been given to the “hidden” impact of methamphetamine – the residual contamination caused by indoor manufacturing and/or smoking of methamphetamine. Smoked methamphetamine and meth labs alike generate airborne methamphetamine. The pyrolytic characteristic of methamphetamine when heated causes the drug to become an aerosol when smoked.

In manufacturing, methamphetamine becomes an aerosol during the final
“gassing” phase. Both instances the residue attaches itself to any and all
indoor surfaces, as well as, infiltrates a building’s furnace and/or HVAC
system causing both safety and health concerns to innocent children and adults alike. This presentation will identify the signs of methamphetamine manufacturing; discuss the health hazards associated with exposure to methamphetamine residue; outline West Virginia’s remediation regulations; review the latest manufacturing method; and define the steps to a decontaminated structure.

Environmental Health or Economic Development?: The Case of a Federal Facility in Appalachian Ohio

The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) is the site of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) former gaseous diffusion plant at Piketon, Ohio in the heart of Appalachian Ohio. From the 1950s through the 1970s, PORTS was one of three facilities in the country that enriched uranium for use in nuclear weapons and nuclear energy production. Uranium enrichment ceased in 2001, and DOE began the process of decontamination and decommissioning the facility. As part of this process, DOE is required to obtain community input on the future of the site and researchers at Ohio University were funded to develop and implement a widespread community outreach program to gather public opinion.

Focus groups, interviews, and a telephone survey were the primary methods of data collection used to enhance understanding of community perceptions related to the plant. Community visioning teams used public opinion data and detailed environmental data to create 9 possible future use scenarios for DOE’s consideration. Results of the public outreach work suggest that there is a range of beliefs and opinions related to the history and future of the site.

However, the common theme that emerged is the importance of using the facility to create jobs for the region, which posts the highest unemployment rates in the state. The scenarios that were selected indicate that the community may be willing to consider activities on the site that might contribute to environmental degradation if there is a promise to improve the economic conditions of the region.

Methamphetamine Contamination Closes West Virginia School

This presentation illustrates an unprecedented event regarding the environmental surface contamination that resulted from an incident involving two individuals whom allegedly smoked methamphetamine inside of a school building in West Virginia, and consequently resulted in the school building being closed while remediation was completed.  The school building is a career and technical school, along with a community college.  The career and technical school enrolls both adolescent and adult students.  West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources was notified per statute WV Code 64CSR92, “The Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation Rule, by the West Virginia State Police regarding the above mentioned incident.  Boone County Schools, owner of school building, hired a licensed Clandestine Drug Lab Remediation Contractor to perform an assessment of the building, which included, numerous wipe samples to detect methamphetamine residue.  The State Decontamination Level is 0.1 microgram per 100 centimeters squared (1 milligram per foot squared) of surface area sampled. 

The results indicated that various classrooms and offices, along with the HVAC within the school building were contaminated with residual methamphetamine.  This meant that the school would need to be decontaminated per West Virginia regulations prior to occupancy of students, as well as, staff.  The school system hired a licensed Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation Contractor to perform full remediation on the entire school building.  Final wipe samples were taken and the results indicated that the building met state regulations and could be reoccupied.                     

San Bruno - Restoring a Community

Even before the flames from a September 9, 2010 pipeline explosion, that claimed 8 lives and destroyed 35 homes, were extinguished, it was evident that a highly-coordinated effort would be needed to mitigate the public health threats and environmental damage caused by the ash and debris from the explosion. San Mateo County Environmental Health established a multi-agency team to coordinate resources from across a myriad of State and Federal agencies. The Health Officer issued a Public Health declaration due to concerns that mishandled debris could pose further pose a threat. Efforts to recycle as much as possible helped keep costs down. Without a coordinated debris removal effort, the costs to the homeowners and the City would have been much higher, and it would have taken owners much longer to rebuild and restore their community.

Two days after the explosion, household hazardous waste was collected from the 35 properties. Following this, the County established Right of Entry agreements with each of the property owners, giving full access to the properties with a commitment to return properties to the owners in a state that “a three-year-old could safely walk on.” Before initiating debris removal activities, Environmental Health developed a Health and Safety protocol to allow residents to safely access the area to document losses and salvage personal items. Because this was a difficult time for the community, mental health support was also available. A Debris Removal Operation Center (DROC) was established and operated under incident command protocol. Debris removal began 11 days after the fire. Less than four weeks after debris removal began, the DROC was able to demobilize, with all 35 lots cleared. 58 percent of the 7,891 tons of material removed from the neighborhood was recycled. This operation will also serve as a scalable model that can be used to address debris removal operations in other larger disaster events.