[en] Full tex: Minimization of load to environment - an essential problem of ecology. Preservation of the unique nature of the Caucasus, at construction of the large power enterprises with large volumes of toxic emissions, demands improvement of technical means and technologies, along with improvement of models of dispersion taking into account atmospheric conditions. In this work, for the characteristic of instability of the atmosphere which defines conditions of dispersion and vetro-diffusive transfer of polluting substance, instead of Richardson's usually used parameter which calculation demands carrying out expensive gradient measurements.

No abstract available

[en] Poison Control Centers (PCCs) have historically played a limited, parallel role in management of CBRN incidents; they are frequently called for advice by the public or health care providers when such incidents occur, but in many cases are not considered an integral part of the CBRN disaster emergency response team, lacking a 'place' in the Incident Command Structure (ICS). This is unfortunate, as PCCs represent an important public health resource. The roughly 60 centers in the U.S. are available 24/7, 365 days/year. Telephones are manned by professionals, including pharmacists and nurses with additional specialized training in poisoning response. PCC medical directors are generally trained in Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics or Preventive Medicine, with subspecialty training in Medical Toxicology. Many toxicologists attend specialized training in the radiation emergency management at REAC/TS. PCCs have extensive databases for poisoning management coupled with GIS surveillance. This combination of expertise and information renders PCCs well prepared to advice on decontamination and treatment of CBRN-contaminated victims. Their toxicology expertise allows their participation in risk assessment. PCCs are highly trusted by the community, enhancing their role in risk communication. We recently initiated a program that provides guidance on activation of PCCs by the Region 6 Regional Response Team (RRT6), Co-Chaired by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Coast Guard, serving as the federal component of the National Response System for the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The program will be described, with emphasis on how PCCs may work within ICS.(author)

[en] Nanomaterials exemplify a new class of emerging technologies that have significant economic and social value, pose uncertain health and environmental risks, and are entering the marketplace at a rapid pace. Effective regimes for regulating emerging technologies generate information about known or suspected hazards and draw on private sector expertise to guide managers’ behavior toward risk reduction, even in the absence of clear evidence of harm. This paper considers the extent to which the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) accomplishes those objectives. It offers the approach of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) as a possible supplement to TSCA, filling gaps in agency knowledge and private sector capacities. TURA is notable for its focus on chemicals use and hazard and its emphasis on strengthening firms’ internal management systems. Given the current deadlock in Congressional efforts to modernize federal laws such as TSCA, the role of state laws like TURA merit attention. Absent definitive information about risk, a governance strategy that generates information and focuses management attention on reducing hazards is worth considering.

[en] A recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada was discussed in which the Court upheld the federal government's right to control toxic substances in Canada. The Supreme Court ruling came contrary to a challenge by Hydro-Quebec and decisions of the Quebec Court of Appeal and two lower Quebec courts. The Supreme Court decision affirmed that the Government of Canada has a legitimate constitutional right to prohibit toxic substances as a way of protecting the environment. The ruling of the Supreme Court will be incorporated into currently ongoing revisions and improvements to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), to reflect the federal government's continuing commitment to ensuring a healthy and safe environment. The Supreme Court decision arose out of a motion brought by Hydro-Quebec in 1990 before the Court of Quebec to have Sections 34 and 35 of CEPA declared unconstitutional as being outside the federal government's sphere of competence. The Quebec Court granted the motion and struck down the provisions in question. The lower court decision was subsequently upheld by the Quebec Superior Court in 1992, and the Quebec Court of Appeal in 1995, until overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada in September 1997

[en] The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential ecological danger and toxic effect of uranium mill tailings leaching solution (UMTLS) on aquatic animals. UMTLS was identified to contain two radioactive elements, nine heavy metal elements, and five non-metallic materials. The acute toxicity test indicated that the 1, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 h LC₅₀ values of UMTLS to the zebrafish were 12.1, 7.1, 4.4, 3.8, 3.4, and 2.9%, respectively. In sub-lethal toxicity tests, superoxide dismutase, catalase, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activities, and malondialdehyde content were respectively determined and analyzed in the zebrafish gill, gonad, muscle, and liver after exposed to four different concentration levels of UMTLS for 7 and 14 days, respectively. The result showed that the most sensitivity of the antioxidant system in zebrafish tissues in UMTLS was gill, and then decreased in gonad, muscle and liver respectively. Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity in the liver and gonad may be considered as a reference biomarker of UMTLS stress. The data in this study may be valuable that the toxicity of such as the leaching solution of potentially hazardous material was compared with that of each constituent. (author)

[en] This Final Design Report (FDR) presents a review of the definitive design of the Sludge Handling System (SHS), Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Sub-project A. 13(b). The information presented in this document, and the Sludge Handling System Compliance Matrix (HNF 8767), demonstrates compliance with HNF-6579, Baseline Design Criteria for the Sludge Handling System. The SHS project provides the equipment necessary to receive, store, and maintain radioactive sludge at T Plant where the sludge will be stored until it can be treated to meet disposal site requirements. In keeping with the principles of ALARA, the systems supplied are designed to operate remotely. The sludge storage systems are designed to meet Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requirements. In addition to the new equipment necessary to safely receive and store sludge, other existing T Plant systems were modified

[en] Environmental risk assessments of chemical mixtures are internationally recognized as important to understanding potential human health risks from pollutant exposures. Risk assessment methods research, statistical modelling, combination toxicology and epidemiology studies have increased knowledge since the 1980s. Although technically complex methods have been developed to assess mixtures (e.g., pharmacokinetic modelling, whole mixture approaches), simple additivity-based approaches are used on a global scale and are the focus of this presentation. Early work on mixtures risk was accomplished in the United States (US) and Europe. Importantly, legislation often drives mixtures risk research and applications. Two key US laws mandating the evaluation of mixtures are the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, which led to guidelines for assessing Superfund sites, and the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996, which led to evaluations of cumulative exposures to pesticides sharing a common mechanism of toxicity. In Europe, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation motivated research on chemical mixtures risk assessment. (author)

[en] Highlights: • A novel data engineering framework for supporting chemical risk evaluation. • End-of-life exposure scenarios can be systematically identified. • Chemicals releases from end-of-life activities can be tracked and estimated. • Data-driven models for forecasting exposure, releases, and life cycle inventories. Performing risk evaluation is necessary to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health or the environment across its life cycle stages. Data gathering, reconciliation, and management for supporting risk evaluation are time-consuming and challenging, especially for end-of-life (EoL) activities due to the need for proper reporting and traceability. A data engineering framework using publicly-available databases to track chemicals in waste streams generated by industrial activities and transferred to other facilities across different U.S. locations for waste management is implemented. The analysis tracks chemicals in waste streams generated at industrial processes and handling at off-site facilities and then estimates releases from EoL activities. The final product of this effort is a framework that identifies a set of chemical, activity, and industry sector categories as well as hazardous waste flows, emission factors, and uncertainty indicators to describe EoL activities. This framework helps to identify EoL exposure scenarios that would otherwise not be evaluated. As a case study, methylene chloride, one of the first ten chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under the amended U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act, was evaluated with results highlighting potential additional exposure scenarios.

[en] Many State and Federal environmental protection laws and regulations apply to Western. Western facilities are within the jurisdiction of six Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regions and 17 states. Western's environmental policy statement directs employees to prevent, control, and abate environmental pollution at their facilities, and when possible, enhance the environment. To help assure conformance with all regulatory requirements, and to achieve its pollution prevention goals and objectives, Western is developing an Environmental Management System (EMS). One of the major regulatory impacts on Western continues to be the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that regulates the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Western's policy is to eliminate PCBs from its system wherever economically and operationally possible. This will lessen the impact of PCB regulations on operations and the impact of PCBs on the environment. Executive Order 12856 requires Federal Agencies to comply with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). As with other DOE elements, Western has been complying with EPCRA since before the Executive Order was issued. To summarize, in 1999, Western's Regional offices implemented programs to notify State and local emergency response entities in accordance with Section 311 and 312 of EPCRA. Chemical inventories indicate that Western does not manufacture, process, or otherwise use reportable quantities of EPCRA Section 313 chemicals so Toxic Release reports were not required