guild" of scientists who will advance the that community regoals of the regulatory community and sources were being DOE. Krebs believes that the program will severely strained DOE's $50 million provide an "opportunity to coalesce the by answering CO grant program scientific community around environmen- alarm calls. tal cleanup." At the heart of The Galvin Commission, which rethe controversy is Thomas P. Grumbly, assistant secretary the voluntary stanfor environmental management, and Mar- ported its findings in a February 1995 reCPSC head Ann port, found that there was "a particular dard established tha A. Krebs, director of the Office of EnBrown promises a by Underwriters ergy Research, have announced a new De- need for long-term basic research in disreport in June. ciplines related to environmental cleanLaboratories (UL) partment of Energy (DOE) program proup." However, Grumbly said that DOE for CO monitors. viding $50 million for basic research The standard converts ambient CO conrelated to the management and disposal of realized the necessity of such a program prior to the report and that the program is centrations and exposure times to probawastes found at DOE sites. The program ble carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels. marks the first time the Office of Environ- long overdue. "One of the biggest frustrations for government officials is that The standard requires an alarm if ambimental Management, which has been ent CO concentration reaches 10% COHb driven by the need for short-term technol- cleanup choices are so restricted," said Grumbly. "Unless we focus on basic rewhich translates to 400 ppm CO for 15 ogy development, has provided money search, 10 to 20 years down the road, offi- minutes. On the other hand a monitor can for basic research. cials will have the limited choicsound an alarm when levels correspond According to Grumbly and Krebs, apes." to as little as 2.5% COHb. It is this gap beproximately $20 million will go to the DOE tween "may" and "must" alarm that national research laboratories and to uniThe call for proposals appeared in the writ*versities and private-sector research Federal Register, Feb. 9,1999, pp. 4976-78. ries some. groups. The remaining $10 million will Formal applications are due May 8,1996. Much of the concern stems from a 1994 be used for future collaborations with orInformation can be obtained on the interrequirement for installation of CO monitors ganizations such as the National Science net at http://www.er.doe.gov/producin all Chicago homes heated by fossil fuell Foundation (NSF), the Environmental tion/grants/grants.html. Consequendy, in a 3-month period, the city Protection Agency (EPA), and the Departresponded to about 8600 CO alarm calls, ment of Health and Human Services. A many of them false. An atmospheric invertypical award is expected to be $100,000sion forcing outdoor CO concentrations to CO monitors come $300,000 per year for a three-year period. 10-15 ppm was blamed for the spate of All proposals will be subject to peer re- under scrutiny alarms. UL subsequently amended its view, and proposals from the national labs standards for monitors to ignore 15 ppm CO and universities will be judged by the When is an alarm not an emergency? Too for 30 days rather than the original 8 hours. same criteria. "The capability and longoften, say emergency response services, However, Bloom would like to raise term viability of this program rest on the they will answer a 911 call based on a that number to 35 ppm CO for 30 days, fact that funding is based on outside merit home CO monitor alarm, only to find which corresponds to a 5.8% COHb. "The award," said Krebs. However, federal nondetectable or safe levels of the toxic lower the alarm level, the more our rescue and nongovernment scientists will comgas. These "false" alarms have become so services will be called to homes at which pete separately for appropriated funds. prevalent that the Consumer Product no actual health risk exists," he said. According to Carol Henry of the Office Safety Commission (CPSC) held public "The only [medical] consensus we've hearings in February to review standards of Science and Risk Policy, the program heard is that warnings should be available for home CO monitors. Many of the witwill be administered in consultation with when COHb levels reach approximately nesses called for revisions in the stanthe NSF and the EPA. Because "DOE 2.5%," countered UL's Paul Patty. The dards, but there were differing opinions on lower number, say medical experts, profaces the same costly problems as EPA" she said, an effort will be made to prevent what changes were appropriate. CPSC tects "sensitive" populations such as the chair Ann Brown promised to follow up the elderly and the very young. duplication of research. hearings with a report in June. Grumbly sees this program as an opAt the same time, the 10% COHb waa portunity to "bridge the gap" between the At the hearings there was broad support attacked as too high. Peter McGeehin of environmental and nuclear science comfor the use of the monitors. CPSC esttmates Capteur Sensors & Analysers reported munities with a "small but dedicated that monitors are installed in 6% of U.S. that new British standards set the alarm homes; approximately 220 deaths from CO gap at 3-7% COHb. However, he caupoisoning occur each year. liz Wortman tioned that U.S. officials should wait to of the American Lung Association called for see how these numbers worked before high- and low-level alarms with a digital adopting similar regulations. McGeehin readout that would distinguish chronic exalso said that it would be possible for the posure to < 50 ppm. Others, such aa Mont- monitor's electronics to calculate COHb gomery County, MD, air resources engi- levels directly based on measured levneer Bernard Bloom, argued for raising els, even in a fluctuating situation, and not the level at which a monitor can sound an rely on precalculated steady-state modalarm. Bloom and several other speakers, els. This technology would add little or including Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA)) worried nothing to the present cost he claimed. GOVERNMENT
