Re: National Environmental Health Association

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

  Hi again,
  
  Note that the resolution quoted the infamous RIGO
  report. See Waste Not for more on this report and on
  its author. It's astonishing that once such a report
  gets published, even though it is challenged and
  often discredited, it gets recirculated over and over
  again. Dr. Rigo became quite famous in the controversy
  
  about the Columbus, Ohio incinerator, which was
  eventually shut down for being one of the world's
  single largest sources of dioxin (approx 1000 TEQs
  per year).
  
  Jon
  
   ----
  From: Steve Frankel <stevefra@uiuc.edu>
  To: Multiple recipients of list <dioxin-l@essential.org
  >
  Date: Thursday, July 31, 1997 3:51 PM
  Subject: National Environmental Health Association
  
  Comments?
  
  
  >
  >"Dioxin, Health Care Facilities, and the Use of PVC
  -- a
  >Chlorine-based Product
  >
  >The National Environmental Health Association,
  >
  > Acknowledging, as did the U.S. Environmental
  >Protection Agency, that medical waste incinerators
  >(MWIs) emit significantly less dioxin than previously
  
  >estimated, (from an initial assessment of 5100 grams
  per
  >year to 150 grams per year). In addition, a 99%
  >reduction in dioxin emissions from both new and
  existing
  >MWIs is anticipated from the implementation of EPA's
  >proposed MWI rule,[1] and
  >
  > Acknowledging, as did the American Society of
  >Mechanical Engineers, that "there is no correlation
  >between the amount or type of chlorine in the waste
  >constituents of combustion facilities and dioxin
  >concentrations measured at the stack ..." [2] and
  >
  > Recognizing, as did the American College of
  >Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the
  American
  >College of Preventive Medicine, the important role
  that
  >chorine chemistry plays in our society, particularly
  in
  >the prevention of disease through disinfection of
  public
  >drinking water, the formulation of disinfectants,
  and
  >refrigerants used in food preservation, [4]  and
  >
  > Noting that PVC, in particular, has been recognized
  >and accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  
  >and international ministries of health as a component
  of
  >medical devices and their packages. In fact, about
  one
  >quarter of medical devices are composed of PVC, which
  is
  >widely used in manufacturing blood bags, intravenous
  >fluid bags, oxygen tents, catheters, and component
  parts
  >of many diagnostic instruments, [5] and
  >
  > Noting the significant role that chlorine chemistry
  >plays in the formulation of a wide variety of
  >pharmaceuticals including vitamins and medicines to
  >treat diseases, and
  >
  > Noting the public health and environmental concerns
  >that have been raised regarding exposure to toxic
  >substances, including some chlorinated organic
  >chemicals, and
  >
  > Recognizing the important role that PVC plays in
  >medical settings, and
  >
  > Noting that prevention is one of the basic tenets
  >of public health,
  >
  >Be it resolved that the National Environmental
  Health
  >Association:
  >
  >(1) Supports the continued responsible use of PVC
  >
  >(2) Supports a scientifically based risk assessment
  >process to evaluate the potential risks associated
  with
  >the use or disposal of PVC products
  >
  >Submitted by:
  >
  >Chris J. Wiant, Ph.D.
  >Tri-County Health Department
  >Englewood, Colorado
  >
  >Footnotes:
  >
  >[1] US Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed
  Rule:
  >Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources
  and
  >Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Medical
  Waste
  >Incinerators. 40 CFR Part 60 31736. Vol. 61, No.
  120,
  >Thursday, June 20, 1996.
  >[2] Rigo, G; Chandler, A; Lanier W. An ASME Research
  >Report: The Relationship Between Chlorine in Waste
  >Streams and Dioxins from Waste Combustor Stacks. The
  >American Society of Mechanical Engineers. CRTD-
  >VOl.36.1995.
  >[3] Karol. M. Commentary: Toxicologic Principles Do
  Not
  >Support the Banning of Chlorine. Fundamental and
  Applied
  >Toxicology. No. 24 p.1-2. 1995.
  >[4] American College of Occupational and Environmental
  
  >Medicine. Position Paper. Adopted by Board of
  Directors
  >on January 20, 1994.
  >[5] Cascadia Consulting Group. "Hospital Plastic
  >Characterization and Recycling Feasibility Study."
  >Report Prepared for the American Plastics Council.
  1994. "
  >