Estimated health effects from a regionwide weatherization program

Conference · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5402336

Sandusky, W F; Craig, R A; Cross, F T; Sever, L E; Parker, G B

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposed expanded regionwide residential weatherization program. One aspect of the DEIS was to estimate regionwide health effects resulting from increased levels of radon, formaldehyde, and Benzo-a-pyrene (BaP) that may occur in various residence types. To do this, a simple modeling technique was used in conjunction with data from a survey of regional housing stock. Our results indicated that for the BPA residential service region (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and western Montana) between 8 and 9 additional lung cancers per year above the current level (113 to 114 lung cancers per year) are estimated to occur. The above value is based on assumption that 85% of those homeowners not currently eligible to receive tightening measures would actually participate in the program. If the participation rate is 50 to 55%, then between 4 and 5 additional lung cancers per year are estimated to occur. Described in this paper are the modeling techniques, assumptions, and data used to obtain the above noted values. Also provided is information for the present weatherization program being implemented by BPA and relative uncertainty associated with each estimated health effect value.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5402336
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-11763; CONF-8311122-1; ON: DE84003959
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320101 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
AROMATICS
BENZOPYRENE
BODY
BUILDINGS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
GASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
LUNGS
NEOPLASMS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POLLUTION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RISK ASSESSMENT
WEATHERIZATION