Society for Risk Analysis

New England Chapter

2012-2013 Event Series
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Refreshments: 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Presentations: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Discussion: 6:00 – 6:30 pm

Assessing Risk to Modern Chemicals: Case Study of Flame Retardants in Homes and in Airplanes

Presentations

Dust & Serum Concentrations of Flame Retardants in California

Ruthann Rudel, M.S. – Silent Spring Institute

Occupational Exposure & Risk from Flame Retardants in Airplanes

Joseph Allen, D.Sc., and Jack Spengler, Ph.D. – Harvard School of Public Health

Understanding Near-Field Exposures to Modern Chemicals

Robin Dodson, Sc.D. – Silent Spring Institute

Location

Industrial Economics, Inc

2067 Massachusetts Avenue, Fourth Floor

Cambridge, MA

Please RSVP by Thursday, October 9th to Eric Ruder ().

Space is limited, so reserve your seat today. For more information on SRA-NE, please go to: www.sra-ne.org


Abstracts of presentations

Ruthann Rudel, Dust Serum Concentrations of Flame Retardants in California

Studies show higher house dust and body burden levels of PBDE flame retardants in North America than Europe; but little is known about exposure variation within North America, where California’s furniture flammability standard affects PBDE use. We compared dust samples from 49 homes in two California communities with 120 Massachusetts homes and with other published studies; California dust concentrations were four to ten times higher than previously reported in North America. We then investigated whether human serum PBDE levels were also higher in California compared to other North American regions by analyzing the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the only dataset available with serum from a representative sample of the U.S. population (n=2040). California residence was significantly associated with nearly two-fold higher PBDE serum levels. Household PBDE exposures in California were estimated to result in daily intakes for children at least 30 times higher than the EPA Reference Dose.

Joseph Allen & Jack Spengler, Occupational Exposure & Risk from Flame Retardants on Airplanes

The weight of combustible materials in airplanes ranges from 3000 kg to over 7000 kg in wide-body airplanes. To protect the flying public and flight crew it is essential that materials within airplanes have flame retardant properties. Attempts to address this critical passenger and flight crew safety issue include the Aviation Research Act of 1988, which had a stated goal of developing a ‘fireproof aircraft cabin’. Efforts to achieve this goal include the incorporation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) into manufactured materials, including carpets, seats and cabin interiors on aircraft, to slow the propagation of fire. To address the knowledge gaps regarding inhalation exposure of flight crew to PBDEs on airplanes, we measured PBDE concentrations in air samples collected in the cabin air at cruising altitudes. To evaluate risk, we adopted the approach used by the U.S. EPA to evaluate risks from PCBs in schools and determined the likelihood of inhalation exposure on aircraft to result in the average daily dose (ADD) of a member of the flight crew to exceed EPA Reference Doses (RfDs), accounting for all other aircraft and non-aircraft exposures.

Robin Dodson, Understanding Near-Field Exposures to Modern Chemicals

Population exposure prioritization schemes and models often rely on fate and transport parameters to predict far-field exposures to chemicals; however, comparisons to biomonitoring levels reveal that predicted levels are often underestimated, particularly for chemicals found in consumer products. Accurate near-field exposure modeling requires data on use patterns and concentrations of chemicals in consumer products, which are limited. To help fill this gap, we tested 213 consumer products representing 50 product types for 66 endocrine disruptors and asthma-associated chemicals. We tested 42 composited samples of high-market-share products, and 43 alternative products identified using criteria expected to minimize target chemicals. We detected 55 chemicals, indicating a wide range of exposures from consumer products. Many detected chemicals were not on product labels, suggesting label information alone may not yield accurate exposure estimates.

Getting to the Event

Directions to Industrial Economics: http://www.indecon.com/iecweb/FindUsDriving.aspx and http://www.indecon.com/iecweb/FindUsDirections.aspx

§  From the MBTA Subway (on foot) - Take the Red Line train to Porter Square. Exit the T Station to the right and cross the street. Turn left and proceed northwest along Massachusetts Avenue, keeping the Porter Square Shopping Center to the right. Continue northwest approximately 0.2 miles to the Henderson Carriage Building, which is located at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Hadley Street. IEc is on the fourth floor.

§  By Bus - The 77 and 83 bus routes stop in front of the building. Other bus routes that stop nearby include the 88, 87, and 96.

§  Driving directions

From I-95/Route 128 : Take Exit 29 for "Route 2 East - Cambridge." Follow Route 2 East approximately 6.4 miles to the first set of lights, located at the intersection of Route 2 and Routes 3 and 16. Bear left at the intersection onto Route 3 North/Route 16 East, following the signs for Arlington and Medford. Proceed approximately 0.3 miles to the next set of lights. Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue/Route 2A and proceed southeast approximately 0.9 miles, to the intersection of Rindge Ave. and Massachusetts Ave. Continue on Massachusetts Ave. through the Rindge Ave. intersection, then take the first left onto Russell Street. The entrance to the Henderson Carriage Building parking lot is between the second and third private residences on the right, approximately 50 yards down Russell Street.

From Harvard Square : Follow Massachusetts Ave. north approximately 1.1 miles to the Porter Square T Station. Continue on Massachusetts Ave. another 0.2 miles to the Henderson Carriage Building, which is located at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Hadley Street. Turn right onto Hadley. The entrance to the Henderson Carriage Building parking lot is on the left, immediately behind the building.

Parking is available along Massachusetts Avenue (meter parking). There may also be spaces available in the lot behind the Henderson Carriage Building.

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