Case studies in risk assessment for hazardous waste burning cement kilns

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:468195

Fraiser, L H; Lund, L G; Tyndall, K H ^[1]

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1. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), Austin, TX (United States)

In November of 1994, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final Strategy for Hazardous Waste Minimization and Combustion. In the Strategy, EPA outlined the role of risk assessment in assuring the safe operation of hazardous waste combustion facilities. In accordance with the goals of the Strategy, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission performed screening analyses for two cement companies that supplement with hazardous waste-derived fuel. The methodology employed was that outlined in the Guidance for Performing Screening Level Risk Analyses at Combustion Facilities Burning Hazardous Wastes. A tiered screening approach, allowing progression from a generic worst-case risk assessment to an increasingly more detailed site-specific risk assessment, was developed for applying EPA`s methodology. Interactive spreadsheets, consisting of approximately 50 fate and transport equations and an additional 30 algorithms for estimating human health risks by indirect and direct pathways, were developed for performing the screening analyses. Exposure scenarios included adult and child residents, subsistence farmers (dairy and beef), and a subsistence fisher. Residents were assumed to consume soil and vegetables and to inhale contaminated air. Farmers were assumed to consume soil, vegetables, beef and/or milk (as appropriate) and to inhale contaminated air. In addition to inhaling contaminated air, the fisher was assumed to consume soil, vegetables and fish. The subsistence fisher scenario dominated the estimated risks posed by the two cement companies evaluated. As expected, indirect pathways contributed the majority of the risk. In conclusion, the results indicate that the cumulative (indirect and direct) cancer risks and non-cancer hazard indices did not exceed target levels of 1E{minus}05 and 0.5, respectively.

• OSTI ID: 468195
• Report Number(s): CONF-9603210--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
CEMENT INDUSTRY
EMISSION
HEALTH HAZARDS
REFUSE DERIVED FUELS
REFUSE-FUELED BOILERS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY ANALYSIS
US EPA