Reduced toxics use in communities & environmental health

Reduced Toxics Use in Communities
&
Environmental Health

P. K. Melethil
Zero Waste Alliance – Technical Services

Healthy Places, Healthy People Project, awarded to the Josiah Hill Clinic,
Portland, Oregon. Funded by an Environmental Protection Agency CARE II
Grant.

Project Sponsors: Josiah Hill Clinic, Environmental Protection Agency

Communities in Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE)
PROJECT: Healthy Places, Healthy People
GOALS
Reduce health risks due to exposure to environmental
pollutants, specifically chemicals found in and around
homes, by utilizing a community-based collaborative
approach.

P. K. Melethil

ZWA Technical Services


OBJECTIVES
1) Reduce toxins found in and around home environments.

2) Educate landlords and property owners about less toxic
alternatives for property maintenance.
3)

Reduce toxins within N/NE Portland by promoting green
alternatives for goods and services.

NOTE
JHC is also working with residents/tenants along similar lines.

P. K. Melethil



APPROACH
Identify environmentally friendly and less toxic products that
affordable housing property managers and owners may use to
reduce tenant exposure from toxins and chemical hazards
associated with

1. cleaning supplies
2. carpet cleaning
3. pest and rodent control supplies
4. fertilizers and pesticides
5. paints

P. K. Melethil



ZWA Focus: Objective 2
Educate landlords and property management companies within
North/Northeast Portland about less toxic alternatives for
property maintenance.

NOTE
Cost-effectiveness of green options should include externalized
costs (i.e., damage to health, commons) that are often
neglected.

P. K. Melethil



Risk = Toxicity x Exposure (x Health Status)
: Chronic vs Acute
Consider concentrations
i.e., levels, amounts & duration

Chronic: often low level, but long term exposures
i.e., weeks, months, years

Acute: high concentrations, often due to an unexpected events
e.g. spills, accidents
P. K. Melethil



Risk= Toxicity x Exposure (x Health Status)
Issues to consider
Indoor vs Outdoor concentrations
indoor concentrations (VOCs) are often higher (LBNL, 2003)
Affected Populations: janitors, contractors-workers, residents, pets

Variability in Populations: Sensitive groups
children, pregnant women, elderly
respiratory system (Lung)I ssues- COPD, asthma
organ transplant, auto-immune disorders, etc.
NOTES
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
definition of “readily biodegradable”, adopted by City of Santa Monica (EPP)

P. K. Melethil



Indoor Air Quality- VOCs of concern
◊Acrolein (PEL: 0.1 ppm)

106 VOCs reported in existing and new
residences and in office buildings

◊Formaldehyde

40 Hazardous or Toxic compounds

Aldehydes
◊Acetaldehyde

◊Acetic Acid
◊Benzene
◊ Toluene
◊ Naphthalene
◊Tetrachloroethene

P. K. Melethil

Volatile Organic Compounds in Indoor
Air: A Review of Concentrations
Measured in North America Since 1990.
ALFRED T. HODGSON, HAL LEVIN
LBNL-51715 (April 21, 2003)

Aromatics

NOTE: Portland area
Radon (gas) can be an issue.

Chlorinated solvents



Precautionary Principle
(Principle 15, Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1992)

"In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach
shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities.
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of
full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for
postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental
degradation."

Why?

Many chemical substances in use have not been fully
studied with regard to health & environmental
impacts.

P. K. Melethil



Precautionary Principle (contd.)
(Principle 15, Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1992)

Why? Many chemical substances in use have not been fully

studied with regard to health & environmental impacts.

 Chemicals can “move around” after application
 Pesticides/chemicals change after being metabolized by insects or
after being exposed to the environment
 Unintended environmental & ecological impacts are possible
 Persistent and Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBTs)
 Endocrine disruptors: effective at low (ppb) levels, like hormones,
limited data available
 Disposal Costs (usually increase over time)
P. K. Melethil



Hazardous Materials Identification System

HMIS Ratings

The National Paint & Coatings Association, Inc. (NPCA)
developed the Hazardous Materials Identification System
(HMIS®) to aid employers in the implementation of an
effective Hazard Communication Program. Now known as
the American Coatings Association.

0: Insignificant
1: Slight
2: Moderate
3: High
4: Extreme

http://www.paint.org/

OSHA
Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances,
29 CFR 1910.1200

Employer Guidelines
•MSDS info- accurate (current), available
•PPE required for use
Local Resources: OR-OSHA, Consultation Services
http://www.orosha.org/consultation.html

P. K. Melethil

3 Parameters listed on
product labels and MSDS
◊Health
◊Physical Hazard
(Reactivity)
◊Flammability



Cleaning Supplies (examples)
H
1

SPIC & SPAN Disinfecting Cleaner

R
0

F
2 Disinfecting Hard Surface Cleaner
1-4%
0.1-1%

3

0

3 Disinfecting Hard Surface Cleaner
12-25%
1-5%

1

0

0 Liquid Surface Sanitizing Cleaner

Ethyl alcohol
2-aminoethanol
SPIC & SPAN Disinfecting Cleaner Concentrate
Ethyl alcohol
2-aminoethanol
COMET-Liquid Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner Concentrate
NOTE: Citric acid (3-7%) listed in 2007, not in 2004

*Cleaning agents (ethanol, butoxypropanol), quaternary, water, colorant and perfume.

P. K. Melethil



Cleaning Supplies
fficacy
ost
uman (Workers, Residents) exposure
ingestion, inhalation, dermal

oxicity
nvironmental impacts
ersistence (Indoor air, Landfills)
Training and Procedures
for workers (residents) to minimize exposures
P. K. Melethil


http://www.ewg.org/files/2009/10/school-cleaners/general-purpose.png

Product
Certifications
Green Seal
EcoLogo

People who work in domestic or
industrial cleaning are at higher risk
of developing asthma than
professional employees in Europe
and the United States.

Increased risk of asthma has also
been associated with some specific
job tasks, such as cleaning windows
and washing dishes.
Cleaning Chemicals and Their Impact
on Indoor Environments and Health
www.greenguard.org

P. K. Melethil


Green Cleaning by the Numbers
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/green/gc_facts.htm
3,000: the number in tons of paper towels sent to landfills each day.
100: the number of dollars your family could save by replacing paper towels with microfiber
cloths or towels.
215,780: the number of exposure cases called into poison centers in 2007 involving
household cleaning substances; 118,068 of those calls involved exposure to children age five
and under.

100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above outdoor air
pollution levels, according to U.S. EPA estimates.
17,000: the number of petrochemicals available for home use, of which only 30 percent
have been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.
63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home,
translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.
275: the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides
because they are designed to kill microbes.

P. K. Melethil



Green Cleaning Products- Criteria (EWG)
do not contain ingredients that cause asthma
reduce unnecessary use of “antibacterial” agents
safer for workers
better for the environment
do not contain chemicals of concern common in traditional cleaning products:

Carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins
Heavy metals- e.g., Pb, Cr(VI), Se
2-Butoxyethanol
Phthalates
Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs)
>> alkylphenols, potent hormone-disrupting chemicals

EWG : Environmental Working Group
P. K. Melethil


Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/index.htm
Minimizes exposure to concentrates
No ozone depleting substances
Recyclable packaging, Reduced packaging
Recycled-content in packaging
Reduced bio-concentration factor
Reduced flammability
Reduced or no added dyes, except when added for safety purposes
Reduced or no added fragrances
Reduced or no skin irritants
Reduced or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Green Seal Standards
GENERAL-PURPOSE, BATHROOM, GLASS, AND CARPET CLEANERS USED
FOR HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES (GS-8 Rev.2, 2007)
INDUSTRIAL & INSTITUTIONAL CLEANERS (GS-37 Rev.5, 2009)

Eco Logo http://www.ecologo.org/en/certifiedgreenproducts/
P. K. Melethil



Carpet cleaning (examples)
H

R

F

Urine Pre-Treat Plus

Proprietary Mix, pH:3.0

T-RUST CS12

2

0

0

Rust Remover
5%
5%

1

0

3

Paint, Ink & Grease Remover

Ammonium Hydrogen Fluoride
Dipropylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether
P.I.G. CS09
Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether
Isopropyl Acetate
Ethylene Glycol
Isopropylamine Alkyl benzenesulfomnate
Bio Break CC18

2
Sodium Tripolyphosphate
Sodium Carbonate
Surfactants (mixed)
Sodium Metasilicate
D-limonene
Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether

P. K. Melethil

30-60%
10-30%
10-30%
3-7%
0

0

Powdered Enzyme Prespray

50-60%
14-20%
5-15%
3-7%
>3%
>3%



Carpet cleaning (examples)
Microban Disinfectant Spray Plus
2-Propanol
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
Liqua Gel

Commercial Sanitizer-Deodorizer
5-10%
EWG reports on potential hazards
Spot Cleaner
90-95%

1

0

2

1

0

0

Deodorizer

2

0

0

Concentrated carpet detergent

D-Limonene
Kill Odor
Alcohol Ethoxylate
Forumula 90 (Powdered, w Biosolv; pH:10-11)
Alcohol Ethoxylate
Disodium Trioxosilicate
Trisodium Nitriloacetate

P. K. Melethil

Corrosive
Carcinogenic, >0.1%



Carpet cleaning (concerns, fixes)
chemical hazards
Children (pets) at risk playing on carpet, eating items off the floor
Respiratory hazards
Discharges of cleaning wastes to the environment
VOCs (e.g., 2-butoxyethanol- hemolytic, in Kill Odor 2009)
Phosphates (eutrophication: <0.5%, Green Seal GS-37)
Certified Products

EcoLogo, Green Seal, Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
CRI: http://www.carpet-rug.org/
Equipment- performance characteristics (high pickup, vacuum)
Technician/Operator training
P. K. Melethil


Pest and Rodent control (examples)
H
1

R
1

F
1

ORTHENE Crack & Crevice® Pressurized Residual Formula 1
1% Acephate

1

1

3

Pressurized pesticide

Mother Earth D Pest Control Dust

1

1

0

Diatomaceous Earth, Pest Control

Orthene-Acephate
(O,S-Dimethyl–acetylphosphoramidothioate)

Phantom-chlorfenapyr

Organophosphate pesticide
94.5-99.1%, possible carcinogen

Insecticide- Bed Bugs
21.45%
7.5%
70.97%

Chlorfenapyr
Propylene Glycol
Other/Inert
Prescription Treatment® brand Phantom
0.5 % Chlorfenapyr

1

0

1

Pressurized Insecticide, NFPA codes

Cedar Oil

1

0

2

Insect Control
10-20%
30-60%
30-60%
15-40%

Cedar Oil
Decamethyltetrasiloxane
Octamethyltrisioxane
Dodecamethylpentasiloxane

P. K. Melethil



Pest and Rodent control
Housing Interventions and Health: A Review of the Evidence
(National Center for Healthy Housing, 2009)
*** Role of Excess Moisture
- favored environment for
Bedbugs
Cockroaches
Ants
Dust Mites
Mold
2° Health Impacts
asthma from fecal pellets, mold spores
Orthene- Acephate
cholinesterase inhibitor, possible human carcinogen
P. K. Melethil


EXAMPLE
H R F
Phantom
1 0 1
Insecticide- Bed Bugs
Chlorfenapyr : 21.45%

Acute toxicity
Green Algae (76h): 132 ppb
Rainbow Trout (96 hours, LC50): 7 PPB
Aquatic Invert- Daphnia magna (48h, EC50): 6 ppb
Duck/mallard: 8.6 ppm
•Acutely very toxic to terrestrial organisms
•Not readily biodegradable by OECD criteria

Uses for pesticides change quickly
Reason for Issuance: New Chemical Registration
Date Issued: January, 2001
Insecticide Branch , Registration Division (7505C) Office of Pesticide Programs
http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/factsheets/chlorfenapyr.pdf (EPA, 2001)
Pesticide Registration Comment by EPA, 2001
“Since there are no residential uses of chlorfenapyr, no chronic residential exposure
is anticipated.”

P. K. Melethil


EXAMPLE
Maxforce roach gel
Fipronil : 0.5%

H R F
1 0 1

Termidor
2 0 1
Insecticide – Ants, termites
Fipronil : 9.1%
NOTES
•highly toxic to honeybees (contact)
•killed 38.8-94.5% of beneficial
predators such as Orius spp. (flower
bug) and Geocoris spp. (big-eyed bug)

Pesticides change after they are applied and they
move around in the environment
Fipronil-sulfone, the primary biological metabolite
of fipronil, is reported to be twenty times more
active at mammalian chloride channels than at
insect chloride channels.
Fipronil-desulfinyl, the primary environmental
metabolite (photoproduct) of fipronil, is 9-10
times more active at the mammalian chloride
channel than the parent compound.
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/fiptech.pdf

Fipronil is used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, termites, mole
crickets, thrips, rootworms, weevils, and other insects.
Fipronil is used in granular turf products, seed treatments, topical pet care products,
gel baits, liquid termiticides, and in agriculture.

P. K. Melethil



Fertilizers and Pesticides (Inorganics, Green Spaces)
H
1

21-4-21 Regal Green

R
0

F
1

Fertilizer

Potassium Sulfate
Monoammonium Phosphate
Urea
Iron Sucrate
Potassium Chloride
Ammonium Sulfate
Calpril

Calcium carbonate, CaCO3

Lime Sulfur, Calcium Polysulfide, 29%; Inert, 71%

2
QuickLime
Sulfur

P. K. Melethil

0

0

fungicide, pesticide
12.90%
23.70%



Fertilizers and Pesticides (Organics, Green Spaces)
Surflan A.S. (Oryzalin)
2
3,5-Dinitro-N4,-N4-dipropylsulfanilamide
Propylene glycol
Glycerine

0

0 herbicide
40.4%
Total Inerts @ 59.6%

Casoron 4G

2

0

3 herbicide
4%

Roundup Ultra
1
Glyphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl)Glycine, isopropylamine salt

0

0 Herbicide, Weed Killing Compound, Monsanto
pH 4.99, 50%

2,6-dicholorobenzonitrile

P. K. Melethil



Fertilizers and Pesticides: Concerns & Options (Green Spaces)
Potential Impacts
Runoffs- Surface Water Impacts
Unintended Exposures (residents, wildlife)

Define needs
Water, Fertilizers, Pesticides(?)

Organic supplements/amendments
Uses of Beneficial insects
ladybugs <> aphids

Integrated Pest Management Centers
http://www.ipmcenters.org/index.cfm
Western IPM Center
http://www.wrpmc.ucdavis.edu/

P. K. Melethil

Coordinator: Dr. Paul C. Jepson
Professor & Director IPPC, Dept
of Entomology , OSU
Phone: (541) 737-9082
FAX: (541) 737-3643
Email: jepsonp@bcc.orst.edu



Herbicides
Casoron- 2,6-dicholorobenzonitrile
highly toxic- inhalation hazards (0.25 ppm, rat)
runoff- toxic to aquatic organisms ( <10 ppm)
Roundup (Glyphosate)
N-(phosphonomethyl)Glycine, isopropylamine salt
runoff- toxic to aquatic organisms ( ~10 ppm)

Question
Do we really need herbicides/pesticides for small green spaces?
Non-toxic options may be available at relatively low cost.

P. K. Melethil


Paints
No clear standards
EPA- “Low” VOC (<250 g/L)
Low VOC products ( <50 g/L)
“Zero” VOC paints ( <5 g/L)
Natural/Non-Toxic Paints
Recycled paints
Metro Paints
•Architectural- Outdoor paints
•Indoor paints

Total VOCs
VOCs- Latex paints (1999) ~ 3% (wt)
Ethylene glycol
Texanol
Butoxyethoxyethanol (BEE)
Propylene glycol
Diethylene glycol

Effect of painted surface
Steel: drying complete in a few
days
Gypsum: <50% VOCs released in
a year

Miller Low VOC paint
Kilz Primer

P. K. Melethil

Indoor Air 9:10-17 (1999)



Seashell (cream)

Sweet Corn (yellow)

Misty (light gray)

Sand Dune (beige)

Desert (khaki)

Storm Cloud (dark gray)

Fawn (light brown)

Spring (light green)

Summer Sky (light blue)

Espresso (dark brown)

Forest (dark green)

Crater Lake (dark blue)

Carnation (pink)

Barn red (dark red)

Mountain Snow (white)

P. K. Melethil



Green Seal & Master Painters Institute certified
Metro premium paint
5 Gal
Seashell (cream)
$44
Mountain Snow (white)
Desert (khaki)
Fawn (light brown)
Summer Sky (light blue)
Barn Red (dark red)

1 Gal
$10

Nonprofit organization and
government agency discount

5 Gal
Crater Lake (dark blue) $39
Sweet Corn (yellow)
Sand Dune (beige)
Spring (light green)
Storm Cloud (dark gray)
Espresso (dark brown)
Misty (light gray)
Forest (dark green
Carnation (pink)

$34

1 Gal
$9

$8

A $5 discount off of the price of a
5-gallon pail (any color or variety) is
available to qualifying organizations.

P. K. Melethil



SUCCESS in green thinking involves
◊ Support from upper management
◊ Implementation of a pilot project
◊ Commitment to the project by key employees/supervisors
◊ Education of staff in face-to-face meetings
◊ Understanding of health benefits by all
◊ Simplified purchasing and reduced storage requirements
◊ Maintenance of the vision of a cleaner environment
◊ Continuous learning- opportunities to improve

Buy Local- support Portland businesses
see JHC report (Objective 3, Brianna Sherry) listing local suppliers
of green products in N/NE Portland.
P. K. Melethil



Thank you for participating in this project.
Please provide feedback.
How can we help?
Follow-up and Ongoing Support
- focused on specific information of interest
NOTE: Healthy Places, Healthy People project formally ends on
August 10, 2010.
FYI
Indoor Air Quality Guide: Best Practices for Design, Construction, and
Commissioning (ASHRAE, 2009)

P. K. Melethil


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