California Interagency Working Group on Indoor Air Quality
Pre-Meeting Notes
March 12, 2003
Cal EPA Headquarters
1001 I Street, Sacramento
American Lung Association of California
California Air Resources Board / IAQ &
Personal Exposure Assessment
Program
California Department of Education / School Facility and Planning Division
California Department of Health Service / Environmental Health Investigations Branch
California Department of Health Service / Indoor Air Quality Section
California Department of Health Service / Occupational Health Branch
California Department of Health Service / Tobacco Control Section
California Department of Industrial Relations (Cal/OSHA)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / Indoor Environments Program
Office of Environmental Health
Hazard Assessment / Indoor Air Risk Assessment Group
UC Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Center
U.S. EPA Region IX / Indoor Environment Team
Indoor Environmental Quality of Schools
Building Design and Operations
AB 1173. The Air Resources Board is planning a workshop on activities related to AB 1173 (see ARB notes). The workshop is scheduled for April 4, 1:30-3:30 at the Cal/EPA building in Sacramento. For more information and updates, check their web site:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/ab1173/ab1173.htm
IAQ Legislation Introduced.
· School Sites Nearby Busy Roadways. Senator Martha Escutia has authored a bill, sponsored by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Senate Bill 352. The purpose of the bill is to reduce exposures to hazardous air pollutants at schools by restricting new school construction near pollutant sources, such as busy freeways, and allowing districts greater flexibility to spend funds to address air pollution with engineering controls. The bill can be viewed on-line at:
·
Environmental
Tobacco Smoke. Three bills were introduced this session
addressing secondhand smoke exposures:
AB 210 (Nation), AB 384 (Leslie), AB 846 (Vargas). See DHS-TCS notes for additional details.
Upcoming Conferences:
§ 4th Annual Recycled Product Trade Show, April 10 &11, Sacramento, CA. http://www.associationtradeshows.com/CIWMB/home03.htm
§ Conference on Building & Operating Sustainable College & University Campuses in the 21st Century. April 28-29, UC Merced, Modesto, CA. http://www.cce.csus.edu/cts/merced/
IAQ
Tools for Schools Grant Opportunity:
U.S. EPA Region IX has posted a notice of
available funds for EPA’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools (TFS) Program
to assist the Fresno Teachers Association (FTA) and the Fresno Unified School
District (FUSD), Fresno, CA, with implementing the IAQ TFS Program
district-wide (99 schools). The Request
for Applications can be viewed at:
http://fedgrants.gov/Applicants/EPA/OGD/GAD/EPA-GRANTS-020703-001/Grant.html
and the due date is
March 31, 2003. Please read eligibility requirements carefully, this is a grant
and not a contract for commercial services.
Applicants eligible to submit applications under this announcement
include: School district or groups of Districts; Community based organizations
or coalitions, Voluntary organizations, and other Non-Profit Organizations;
Colleges, Universities or other Institutions of Higher Education; State,
Tribal, County, City or local Health Departments.
None planned this meeting.
-- Bonnie Holmes-Gen (bhgen@alac.org)
-- Peggy Jenkins (mjenkins@arb.ca.gov)
AB1173 Listserve and Workshop: Assembly Bill 1173 (Keeley, 2002) requires the Air Resources Board, in consultation with other health and environmental agencies, to prepare a report on indoor air pollution. ARB has established a web page, http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/ab1173/ab1173.htm, to keep the public informed of our progress and plans on this project. The web page currently includes a summary of AB1173 requirements, a link to the complete bill, a tentative schedule for developing the report and receiving public input, and access to the listserve. To register for this or other ARB listserv’s, please visit http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.htm. Contact: Susan Lum, slum@arb.ca.gov; or Dorothy Shimer, dshimer@arb.ca.gov.
Portable Classroom Study. The Research Screening Committee (RSC), an external peer review advisory group for ARB’s research program, continued their review of Research Triangle Institute’s draft final report on the Portable Classrooms Study (PCS) to their next meeting on April 29, because the February report was not yet completed. It is anticipated that a completed report will be reviewed and discussed at the RSC’s April 29 meeting. Interested parties who have not yet signed up for ARB’s PCS listserv should be sure to do so at http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/indoor.htm. Contacts: Tom Phillips, tphillip@arb.ca.gov, and Peggy Jenkins, mjenkins@arb.ca.gov.
Re-thinking the Relocatable Classroom. Staff participated in a February meeting of state agency representatives convened by Southern California Edison (SCE) to review SCE’s plans for their Phase II high performance portable classroom project, review design criteria, and identify potential opportunities for collaboration. The Phase II classrooms will be sited at a school in the Pomona District. Planning is scheduled for the next few months. The meeting served as a useful update for all involved. Peggy Jenkins, mjenkins@arb.ca.gov.
Economic Analysis of Costs And Benefits of Sustainable Buildings. Staff commented on the human health and productivity benefits and the outdoor air quality benefits in the draft report on Economic Analysis of costs and benefits of sustainable buildings. This report was prepared for ARB and several other Sustainable Building Task Force members. Contact Tom Phillips, tphillip@arb.ca.gov.
Indoor Cooking Emissions. Staff assisted
with draft press releases issued by ARB warning Californians of hazards of
indoor CO and indoor cooking emissions (see http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/2002.htm),
and explained how to reduce those hazards.
Keeping appliances properly tuned and maintained and using good
ventilation are two of many actions people can take to reduce combustion
pollutant exposures, which can be higher during winter. Contact:
Tom Phillips, tphillip@arb.ca.gov;
Peggy Jenkins, mjenkins@arb.ca.gov.
Fuel Cell for Christmas Lights. Staff assisted the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research with set-up of a portable fuel cell to light LEDs on a Christmas tree in the courtyard of the Cal/EPA building. Indoor air quality issues were considering because the manufacturer initially proposed operating the unit in the lobby of the building. Contact: Tom Phillips, tphillip@arb.ca.gov.
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) for Improved Exposure Monitors. At a January 30-31 meeting of the Air Stakeholders Committee for the U.S. EPA’s Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program, staff presented information on ARB’s past and current projects to develop improved indoor air and personal exposure monitoring equipment, and discussed current needs in this area of technology. The ETV stakeholders include representatives from local and state air pollution agencies, industry, and others. The meeting was coordinated by Battelle, which manages the Advanced Monitoring Systems Center for the ETV program. This part of the ETV Program provides an opportunity for third party testing and verification of the performance of air pollution monitoring technologies. Staff discussed RD’s previously sponsored projects to develop portable, real-time nitrogen dioxide and ozone monitors for use in indoor air quality and health study applications, and the current effort under ARB’s Innovative Clean Air Technologies Program to support the development and demonstration of new, user-friendly monitoring technologies. Contact: Peggy Jenkins, mjenkins@arb.ca.gov.
Fresno Asthmatic Children’s Environment Study (FACES). The Air Resource Board voted in December to continue funding for FACES. The UC Berkeley investigators are about mid-way through the work originally planned. The study is an epidemiology study of more than 200 children with asthma to examine both the immediate and long-term effects of air pollutants on children’s asthma. One of its many strengths is that the study includes some of the most extensive exposure assessment ever conducted for such an epidemiology study, which should improve the investigators’ ability to identify possible relationships between exposure to air pollutants and the progression of asthma in the children. A one-year field effort to measure pollutants, potential asthma triggers and various home conditions (called the “Home Intensive”) in a subset of participants was completed in February. Contact: Peggy Jenkins, mjenkins@arb.ca.gov.
-- Tony Hesch (thesch@cde.ca.gov) http://goldmine.cde.ca.gov/facilities/
-- Jed Waldman (JWaldman@dhs.ca.gov) http://www.cal‑iaq.org
BASE Study. Derek Shendell has started working with IAQS staff (I mean, Dr. Shendell). An immediate effort will be to combine results originally in separate files into a single file with bioaerosol measurements by building. We plan to start collaborating with the LBNL-IED group to link moisture-indicating microorganisms with symptoms and descriptive evidence of microbial contamination. Abstracts on BASE research results have been submitted for APHA and the Sarasota Springs’ Bioaerosol Conference.
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Study. We have completed the filed study at a non-smoking office building with a designated smoking room in Las Vegas. We have completed the analyses of the data from this field study as well as the CATS 2001 data. The final report for this research study is due to TRDRP by August 31st.
Emissions of Building Materials With High-Recycled Contents. The CIWMB funded DHS to conduct a study to measure emissions of building materials with high recycled -content compared to "standard" products. The study includes three phases on products used in school classrooms, state office buildings, and tire-derived [flooring] products. The final report is due in April 2003. Contact: Leon Alevantis, lalevant@dhs.ca.gov.
Indoor Air Quality Testing at the Capitol East End Complex.. The IAQ Section conducted side-by-side sampling with the Block 225 contractor during the last IAQ sampling. The DHS-IAQ Section is planning to continue sampling of the indoor air of Block 225 and Blocks 171-174 after occupancy. We are anticipating that we will receive a grant from the U.S. EPA to partially fund this activity.
Designing Healthy Buildings Course. Jed Waldman (DHS-IAQS) and Rick Diamond (LBNL-IED) are again offering Arch 249x: Designing Healthy Buildings as a 2-credit elective in UC Berkeley’s School of Architecture. The class is meeting on Tuesdays, 11 am to 1 pm in Wurster Hall, during the Spring 2003 semester . Information and course materials are posted on the web at http://www.cal-iaq.org/CLASS/.
Portable Classroom Study. See related note under ARB.
Grant Proposals: The IAQ section recently submitted two extramural proposals:
Presentations:
Committee
Work:
Leon attended the ASHRAE 62 committee meeting in January 2003.
Janet Macher continued participating on the ASHRAE Aircraft Air Quality committee via conference calls (January 3, 22)
Janet Macher was elected Treasurer for the International Association for Aerobiology
.
· Jed Waldman served on the peer-review panel for American Chemistry Council’s Long Range Initiative, which is awarding ~$4 M in funding for air toxic exposure research projects.
· Jed Waldman was appointed to chair the ISEA Publications committee. He is also editing a special issue of the Journal of Exposure Analysis & Environmental Epidemiology, which will feature papers selected from INDOOR AIR 2002 presentations. Co-editors are Dr. Deb Bennett (HSPH) and Dr. Sumi Mehta (WHO).
-- Liz Katz (Ekatz@dhs.ca.gov) http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/
Pollution Prevention Activities: Joining P2 to
Occupational Health and Safety. HESIS was awarded the National Pollution
Prevention Week 2002 Award by the Department of Toxic Substances Control,
Cal/EPA, for "exemplary work and efforts" in pollution prevention
(P2) throughout 2002. Dr. Julia Quint,
HESIS Chief, accepted the award. Dr.
Quint has spearheaded HESIS' P2 initiatives, and she serves as a member of a
technical panel for the SCAQMD Lithographic Printing Industry Study. This panel will help ensure that alternative
cleaning materials are selected as viable alternatives to current high VOC
solvents used for cleaning printing press parts do not pose new hazards to
workers. HESIS' other ongoing P2
activities include participation in a CARB-funded project to develop, test and
demonstrate near-zero VOC water-based aerosol products for automotive repair;
and development of integrated strategies to prevent illnesses, injuries, and
environmental pollution in automotive repair.
New HESIS Fact Sheets on Diesel Engine Exhaust,
Formaldehyde. Diesel exhaust can cause lung cancer, and many occupations are at
risk. HESIS' new 6-page fact sheet
provides up-to-date health information and offers practical ways to reduce
worker exposure. Designed for employers
and employees, it is available on-line at www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/hesis/diesel.pdf,
or call (510) 622-4238 for tri-fold, color printed copies.
The HESIS
Formaldehyde Fact Sheet has been updated and printed in a color 8-page
format. It can be downloaded at http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/hesis/formaldehyde.pdf
or call to request print copies at
(510) 622-4238.
-- Joanne Wellman-Benson (JWellman@dhs.ca.gov)
News Conference Celebrating California’s Successful Smoke-free Work Place Law. On November 20, 2002, the National Conference on Tobacco or Health hosted a news conference in San Francisco celebrating the anniversary of California’s Smoke-free Workplace Act. January 1, 2003 marked the eight-year anniversary of smoke-free indoor workplaces and restaurants and the five-year anniversary of smoke-free bars.
At the news conference, State Health Director Diana M. Bontá, R.N., Dr.P.H. unveiled two opinion polls conducted in Fall 2002 and commissioned by the California Department of Health Services that show overwhelming support for smoke-free bars by bar owners, employees, and patrons.
Some
key findings of the “bar establishment” survey included:
· The majority (77 percent) of bar managers and employees surveyed said a smoke-free environment inside their bar is “very” or “somewhat” important to them, compared to 53 percent of those surveyed in 1998.
· The majority of bar managers and employees (77 percent) said complying with the law has been “very” or “fairly” easy.
· More than eight in 10 bar managers and employees (83 percent) surveyed said they think the smoke-free workplace law protects their health and the health of other bar employees, while only 15 percent think it does not.
Some
key findings of the “bar patron” survey included:
· The majority of bar patrons (87 percent), including smokers (71 percent), said they are more likely to visit bars, or have not changed their bar-going behavior as a result of the law.
· In 2002, 75 percent of bar patrons surveyed said they approve of the law, compared to 59 percent surveyed in 1998. Even among smokers, support of the law has nearly doubled, increasing from 24 percent in 1998 to 45 percent in 2002.
More than 100 media outlets throughout California and the United States covered the news story. Materials developed for the press conference have been reorganized into a Secondhand Smoke (SHS) Update. Available in April, the new issue includes the Fall 2002, Field Poll data on bar owners, employees, and patrons; an interview with Terry Friedman (original author of Assembly Bill [AB] 13); information on the economic impact of AB 13; and, a timeline of SHS activities in California.
· AB 210 (Nation)- Smoking in and near residential dwellings. It has three provisions that place limitations on the smoking that can take place in and around residences.
A) It defines drifting, wafting, or blowing smoke as a nuisance within common interest developments, with some exceptions.
B) It prohibits smoking in the indoor and outdoor common areas of multifamily residential housing.
C) By January 1, 2006, it would prohibit smoking in units of multifamily residential housing, except those units that have been specifically designated by a landlord as units where smoking is permitted.