statement. "OEHHA's findings support our belief that MTBE is the most effective weapon we have for fighting air pollution in California." MTBE has pit clean air and clean water advocates against each other. Although it has considerably improved air quality in California since it was added to gasoline in 1996, long-term toxicological studies on MTBE remain to be seen, argued Steve Via, a spokesperson for the American Water Works Association in Washington, D.C., which represents 55,000 members and about 3900 water systems nationwide, detecting MTBE in their water supplies. "We need to wait until we have a better body of evidence to make a decision," he said. "Studies on animals show testicular and lymphoid tumors. There is concern about its effects on water taste and odor. So there is concern from health and public perception [perspectives]." In a draft recommendation to the California Department of Health Services, which has the final approval of contaminant levels, OEHHA has recommended lowering the acceptable primary pollution level to 14 ppb from 35 ppb, said Colleen Murphy, chief counsel for the organization. The secondary maximum contaminant level (MCL) was set in December at 5 ppb, said Rufus Howell, assistant department chief. Primary MCLs are based on the threat to human health, while the secondary category is an aesthetic standard for odor and taste. MTBE, a byproduct of petroleum refining, is not currentiy regulated in drinking water, said Erik Olson, senior attorney specializing in drinking water matters for the Natural Resources Defense Council. MTBE gives water a smell and taste similar to turpentine, said Mike DiMarco, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, which includes San Jose and much of Silicon Valley. "That is not a desirable component of water, whether or not it causes cancer," DiMarco said. "At around 15 ppb, people can taste
it or smell it. That's our biggest concern." Nonetheless, it is unlikely state secondary standards for MTBE will change. If OEHHA recommends 14 ppb as an acceptable primary level, "the 5 ppb would still be the secondary MCL, and that would be the driver on any cleanups that would occur," Howell said. That's not in the best interest of public policy, said Eric Bolton, speaking for OFA. "Our view is that a 5 ppb secondary standard
tect the public's aesthetic appreciation for MTBE in water. MTBE has been a great contributor to public health by reducing the public's exposure to known human carcinogens like benzene by as much as 40 percent in California in the air. The price for water quality should not have to be choking to death on a remedy for air pollution," he said. California's health services department by law must decide a primary MCL for MTBE by July 1. DEBRA A. SCHWARTZ
EU countries discussing framework for future emissions inventory The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a three-stage process in December for implementing a pollutant emissions register across the European Union (EU). Although most member states already have emissions reporting systems in place, they operate according to national policies, and so, in most cases the data cannot be compared. A 1996 EU directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control strove to change this state of affairs, laying the groundwork for a European inventory of all significant emissions to air, water, and soil, as well as the sources responsible. The inventory is to be based on data supplied by member states and serve as a tool for evaluating the progress of environmental policy among the EU countries, according to the directive. Because the Swedish government was working on developing its own system at the time the EU regulation was passed, its environmental agency volunteered to analyze existing emissions reporting systems in other member states, as well as the types of pollutants being reported and their responsible sources, said Hakan Bjorndal, an associate professor with the Swedish EPA. As a result of its study, the agency has recommended a three-phase plan that could be introduced quickly, Bjorndal said. Phase one covers a number of
greenhouse gases and sulfur dioxide—substances member states already monitor under the CORINAIR (CORe INventory for AIR emissions) program—and a number of chemicals linked to water emissions. The second phase involves some metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium, as well as chlorofluorocarbons, benzene, ethylene, particulates, and volatile organic compounds. Finally, phase three would add emissions of long-lived organic compounds and certain other metals to the list. While the recommendations received a positive reaction at a December EU meeting, Bjorndal admitted that they were watered down in order to foster agreement among EU countries. Indeed, Anita Ringstrom, deputy director-general for the Association of Swedish Chemical Industries, said that "from our point of view, [the plan] is not very ambitious because it's almost what we have already in our national registers." And a spokesperson for the European Chemical Industry Council noted that most of its big member companies already report a variety of emissions data The organization published an update of its environmental reporting guidelines in November Sweden itself is likely to adopt a more stringent inventory, requiring its industry to report on a greater number of compounds, Bjorndal said. In addition, "We would also like to have a
FEB. 1, 1999/ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS " 6 1 A
reporting system that takes into account the amount [of chemicals] leaving the gate of a company in the form of products," he explained. But to allow for member states that currently do not have a strong emissions inventory in place to catch up, "we proposed a step system from a rather easy point of departure," Bjorndal said. Requirements could then be increased over time as countries "learn by doing." The Swedish study found that Ireland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom currendy have the best emissions registers, whereas Greece and Luxembourg failed to respond as to whether they GVGT1 have an operfitinff system Now under EU debate are exactly which pollutants to require in the inventory, the type of reporting thresholds to be used,
and whether they should be based solely on the amounts emitted and/or also include toxicity levels. Other difficulties include the fact that EU countries currently rely on several different measurement methods, and only half of the member states report ever having had their emissions inventories evaluated for data quality, according to the Swedish study. Moreover, data confidentiality, data aggregation, comparability, and uniform reporting formats also will problems. The biggest challenge, however, "will be to design something that member states and industry will be able to realistically comply with without having a huge cost burden," said Peter Wicks, a desk officer for the European Commission's Directorate-General XI, the depart-
ment responsible for environment, nuclear safety, and civil protection. "There will be a certain pressure to have an elaborate inventory, but in some countries it will be a question of setting up the right kind of administrative infrastructure to make the thing work, particularly when you consider the need for a sufficient degree of harmonization," Wicks added. Although the exact timing for implementation is still under discussion, the first reporting year is likely to be 2001, with an inventory published in 2003 and then every three years after that, Wicks said. Both he and Bjorndal noted that the European Environment Agency and the Statistical Office of the European Communities probably will play an important role in the processing of the data. KRIS CHRISTEN
EPA to strengthen persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutant controls—Mercury first to be targeted As part of a new national strategy to control chemicals that are classed as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBTs), EPA this year plans to publish and begin to implement control strategies for 12 priority pollutant groups. The action plans will integrate EPA efforts across all media—air, land, and water—and coordinate EPA program offices and regulations. The first action plan to control anthropogenic sources of mercury was unveiled in November 1998. The other priority PBT chemical groupings arealdrin and dieldrin; benzo(a)pyrene; chlordane; DDT; hexachlorobenzene; alkyl-lead; mirex; octachlorostyrene; PCBs, dioxins, and furans; and toxaphene. Most of these chemicals are industrial byproducts or have been banned from use, noted Lynn Goldman, EPA assistant administrator for prevention, pesticides, and toxic substances. The priority list reflects U.S. commitments under the 1997 Canada-U.S. Binational Toxics Strategy, which sets specific reduction targets for the 12 pollutant groups. Without clear action plans the United States will be
unable to meet this and other international commitments, she said. Several EPA offices are involved in regulatory, voluntary, international, and research efforts to address the health and environmental impact of PBTs, Goldman said. The strategy is to coordinate these efforts to ensure that EPA action for one medium, such as soil, does not inadvertendy result in increased pollution in another medium such as water. EPA will allocate $9.3 million for the program, she said. The mercury action plan is indicative of EPA's plans for other chemicals, according to the draft strategy published in November. It focuses on making emissions and other information about mercury publicly available while pressing industry to make voluntary reductions. To this end, EPA in January began collecting data from almost all of the coal-fired utilities regarding the mercury content of the coal they burn. A smaller number of utilities being required to test their stack emissions for the amount and type (speciation) of mercury
6 2 A • FEB. 1, 1999 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / NEWS
emitted. EPA plans to publish the mercury data in 2000. Last month, EPA proposed a rule that would add dioxins and five other PBT chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory and lower the reporting thresholds for many of the existing chemicals on the inventory. The reporting threshold for mercury was lowered to 10 pounds. Environmental groups have lobbied for this additional reporting. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the National Environmental Trust claimed that about 90% of mercury emissions, and 65% of lead emissions are not reported to EPA in a report published in November. Until recently according to EPA officials the plan to add PBTs was stalled by the Office of Management and Budget's concerns about its impact on small businesses After action plans are developed for the 12 pollutants, EPA will consider a list of 53 PBTs found in hazardous wastes. EPA's Office of Solid Waste produced the list as part of its waste minimization plan, a voluntary effort aimed at source reduction of the chemicals. —REBECCA RENNER
