trussell technologies, inc. - constituents of …...1962 1970 1980 1990 2000 emerging constituents...

Constituents of Emerging Concern: Another

Environmental Threat or aPolicy Opportunity?

R. Rhodes Trussell

Gloyna Distinguished Lecture

John Hopkins University, 06

Outline of talkOutline of talk

�Historical perspective on emerging compounds of concern and the role of technology

�The current US model for risk management and its problems

�The need for change

�The precautionary principle

�A case study on emerging compounds in domestic wastewater

�Historical perspective on emerging compounds of concern and the role of technology

�The current US model for risk management and its problems

�The need for change

�The precautionary principle

�A case study on emerging compounds in domestic wastewater

Emerging constituents is not a new issue


�45 year history:�45 year history:

19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000




19701970 19801980 19901990 200020001962




19701970 19801980 19901990 200020001962




wrote about the dangers of pesticides

like dieldrin, toxaphene, heptachlor

and DDT

19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

wrote about the dangers of pesticides

like dieldrin, toxaphene, heptachlor

and DDT

1962

Saw implications beyond these to

other man-made chemicals




19701970 19801980 19901990 200020001962

The book was very controversial




Carson came out of the review with

her reputation in tact

President Kennedy had a Science

Advisory Committee review the issue

19701970 19801980 19901990 200020001962




“Sometimes, technological progress is so

fundamentally at odds with natural processes that it

must be curtailed”.

19701970 19801980 19901990 200020001962

“Sometimes, technological progress is so

fundamentally at odds with natural processes that it

must be curtailed”.

And so began the struggle between those in the

environmental movement and those in industry

pursuing a higher standard of living through

investment in technical innovation




Rachel may have been influenced by Jacque Ellul, a French Philosopher who warned of “La Technique”Rachel may have been influenced by Jacque Ellul, a French Philosopher who warned of “La Technique”

� Technological Society, 1964

� Ellul saw the technological society as a corruption or degradation of man’s moral character

� Ellul sees mankind’s fascination (obsession) with technology as resulting in a redirection of our collective intellectual resources to the further development of more technology

�We focus on doing what we do more efficiently and more productively without concerning ourselves with whether we are doing the right thing

�We do so because we are fascinated with the technology itself

� Instead of doing deep thinking and authoring a modern edition of Plato’s Republic

�We spend our time authoring the software for Grand theft auto

� Technological Society, 1964

� Ellul saw the technological society as a corruption or degradation of man’s moral character

� Ellul sees mankind’s fascination (obsession) with technology as resulting in a redirection of our collective intellectual resources to the further development of more technology

�We focus on doing what we do more efficiently and more productively without concerning ourselves with whether we are doing the right thing

�We do so because we are fascinated with the technology itself

� Instead of doing deep thinking and authoring a modern edition of Plato’s Republic

�We spend our time authoring the software for Grand theft auto

� Carson sees man’s obsession with technology as resulting in a redirection of the earth’s resources to make more technology

� Carson sees man’s obsession with technology as resulting in a redirection of the earth’s resources to make more technology

Rachel was probably influenced by Jacque Ellul, a French Philosopher who warned of technology


� A process that moves forward in spite of long-term consequences to the the ecosystem

� Ellul spoke of the impact that our focus on “la technique” is having on our moral character

� Carson spoke of the impact that our focus on “la technique” was having on our compatibility with the ecosystem

� A process that moves forward in spite of long-term consequences to the the ecosystem

� Ellul spoke of the impact that our focus on “la technique” is having on our moral character

� Carson spoke of the impact that our focus on “la technique” was having on our compatibility with the ecosystem

� Ellul:�We are spending more and more time trying to understand“how” to do things

� Rather than spending time trying to understand which thingswe should do

� Carson:�We are spending more and more time trying understand how to do things more efficiently

� Rather than spending time trying to understand how we can do things in a way that is compatible with Mother Nature

� Ellul:�We are spending more and more time trying to understand“how” to do things

� Rather than spending time trying to understand which thingswe should do

� Carson:�We are spending more and more time trying understand how to do things more efficiently

� Rather than spending time trying to understand how we can do things in a way that is compatible with Mother Nature



So let’s return to our timeline of emerging concerns

19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

National Organics Reconnaissance Survey (NORS) - looking

for organics in drinking water

19741974




19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

NORS

SDWA - protect our drinking water from man-

made chemicals

19741974




19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

NORS

SDWA

Discovery of THMs - SOC’s created during chlorination of

drinking water

19741974




�45 year history:

�The Disinfection By-Products Story

�45 year history:

�The Disinfection By-Products Story

19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

19821982THMTHM

RuleRule

1974 Discover

THMs

19981998DBP Rule DBP Rule

Stage IStage I

20062006DBP Rule DBP Rule

Stage IIStage II

20012001NDMA NDMA

DiscoveredDiscovered



�45 year history:

�Manufactured chemicals: where they aren’t supposed to be

�45 year history:

�Manufactured chemicals: where they aren’t supposed to be

19701970 19801980 19901990 20002000

Late 70Late 70’’ssVOCVOC’’ss

EverywhereEverywhere

1978 NOMS

19861986VOCs VOCs RegulatedRegulated

SARASARA

CA Prop. 65CA Prop. 65

SDWA AmendmentsSDWA Amendments

19951995MTBEMTBE

1974 NORS

{

19971997PerchloratePerchlorate

1976NRDC Consent

Decree

65 “classes of

chemicals”

19771977CWA CWA

Amendments 129 Amendments 129

PriorityPriority PollutantsPollutants

NPDESNPDES Superfund1977 DBCP

20012001Stockholm Stockholm

ConventionConvention

DirtyDirty dozendozen



19801980CERCLACERCLA

�45 year history:

�Manufactured chemicals: new implications?

�45 year history:


19951995 20002000 20052005

Colburn et al., Endocrine Distrupters

1996



19951995 20002000 20052005

Colburn et al., Endocrine Distrupters

1996

The idea was that some man-made

chemicals may mimic natural hormones



�45 year history:


�45 year history:


19951995 20002000 20052005

Science not equal to that of Rachel Carson

1996

Nevertheless, an element of truth



�45 year history:


�45 year history:


19951995 20002000 20052005

Perhaps the message is that we aren’t

through learning new things

1996

Strongest evidence is for feminization of fish

downstream of sewage outfalls (Sumpter &

Jobling ‘95)



�45 year history:


�45 year history:


Some Classes of Today’s Emerging Constituents of Concern


�Herbicides (Atrazine, Metolachlor)

�Person care products (DEET, Triclosan)

�Household chemicals (Caffiene, detergents)

�Industrial chemicals (EDTA, Bisphenol a)

�Herbicides (Atrazine, Metolachlor)

�Person care products (DEET, Triclosan)

�Household chemicals (Caffiene, detergents)

�Industrial chemicals (EDTA, Bisphenol a)

�Pharmacueticals �Metabolic regulators (Diclofenac, Gemfibrozil)

�Hormone substitutes (EE2)

�Antibiotics (Sulfamethoxychlor, Erythromycin)

�Others (Carbazmazepine, Iopromide)

�Microbes (parasites, adenovirus, norovirus)��

�Nanoparticles

�Pharmacueticals �Metabolic regulators (Diclofenac, Gemfibrozil)

�Hormone substitutes (EE2)

�Antibiotics (Sulfamethoxychlor, Erythromycin)

�Others (Carbazmazepine, Iopromide)

�Microbes (parasites, adenovirus, norovirus)��

�Nanoparticles



What should we do about it?

What does it mean?

First, not sorting all out soon.

On the way to a new age

Impacts on a whole new scale

In this new age, with impacts at this

scale, any chemical which is persistent

in the environment should give us

pause

What is our decision-making process today?

The Current U.S. Model for Environmental Management is Risk-based


From the NRC in the Mid 1980sFrom the NRC in the Mid 1980s

Hazard

Identification

Dose-

Response

Assessment

Exposure

Assessment

Risk

Characterization

Risk

Management

(action)




Hazard

Identification

Dose-

Response

Assessment

Exposure

Assessment

Risk

Characterization

Risk

Management

(action)



� This process was originally designed to assess likely health effects in humans

� This process was originally designed to assess likely health effects in humans


Hazard

Identification

Dose-

Response

Assessment

Exposure

Assessment

Risk

Characterization

Risk

Management

(action)



� This is a carefully reasoned process based on the execution of what Kuhn called normal science - science that operates within our currently-accepted paradigms about how the world works

� This is a carefully reasoned process based on the execution of what Kuhn called normal science - science that operates within our currently-accepted paradigms about how the world works


Hazard

Identification

Dose-

Response

Assessment

Exposure

Assessment

Risk

Characterization

Risk

Management

(action)



� To use this process we have to get data:� Dose-response

� Occurrence

� To use this process we have to get data:� Dose-response

� Occurrence


But problems have developed in applying risk-based managementBut problems have developed in applying risk-based management

� But hard, scientific data are not available (and won’t be)�We cannot directly measure health-effects in humans

�So we test outcomes in other animals

�We cannot make effects measurements with acceptable sensitivity�So we give the animals high doses

� And we use cross-species safety factors and multi-stage models to understand what the results mean�both are logical, neither is science

�We suspect that impacts resulting from exposure to one chemical may be affected by exposure to another�but we don’t understand these complexities well enough to include them in our risk assessments

� But hard, scientific data are not available (and won’t be)�We cannot directly measure health-effects in humans

�So we test outcomes in other animals

�We cannot make effects measurements with acceptable sensitivity�So we give the animals high doses

� And we use cross-species safety factors and multi-stage models to understand what the results mean�both are logical, neither is science

�We suspect that impacts resulting from exposure to one chemical may be affected by exposure to another�but we don’t understand these complexities well enough to include them in our risk assessments


� But hard, scientific data are not available (and won’t be)

� But hard, scientific data are not available (and won’t be)� Most of the analytical methods we use to assess occurrence are target-specific� i.e. we only find what we look for

�Hence, we don’t know what we don’t know

� The analytical methods we do have are becoming increasingly sensitive�Increasingly we know something is present without knowing if its presence, at that level, is significant

� Most of the analytical methods we use to assess occurrence are target-specific� i.e. we only find what we look for

�Hence, we don’t know what we don’t know

� The analytical methods we do have are becoming increasingly sensitive�Increasingly we know something is present without knowing if its presence, at that level, is significant


� It is not surprising that disagreements exist among members of the scientific community about how the data we do have should be interpreted

� Nor is it surprising that not everyone is in agreement about the significance of the risks identified

� The problem is even more complex when weexpand our horizon to consider impacts on the entire eco-sysytem

� It is not surprising that disagreements exist among members of the scientific community about how the data we do have should be interpreted

� Nor is it surprising that not everyone is in agreement about the significance of the risks identified

� The problem is even more complex when weexpand our horizon to consider impacts on the entire eco-sysytem

Meanwhile Meanwhile

�Change is coming at an increasingly rapid pace�Driven by population growth

�Driven by economic growth

�Potential new problems are out-strippingthe resources we have to address them

�Change is coming at an increasingly rapid pace�Driven by population growth

�Driven by economic growth

�Potential new problems are out-strippingthe resources we have to address them

Only during the last 100 years have there been enough of us to impact the global

environment in a profound way

Only during the last 100 years have there been enough of us to impact the global

environment in a profound way

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But the increase during my lifetime has been particularly profound


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Today 2007

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Today 2007



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Today 2007

Driven by technological innovation the world

economy has grown faster yet





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Today 2007

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The potential for unanticipated, but profound

impact is rapidly increasing every day

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Great environmental events as man’s population increases


The Plague

Waterborne disease

Oxygen depletion

in major rivers

LA SmogAcid rain

Hole in

O3 layer

Gulf

hypoxiaGlobal

warming

Mesopotamia

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The Plague

Waterborne disease

Oxygen depletion

in major rivers

LA SmogAcid rain

Hole in

O3 layer

Gulf

hypoxiaGlobal

warming

Mesopotamia

Notice - the problems are becoming grander in scale

We need a new schemeWe need a new scheme

� Some European governments and international organizations are exploring what it would mean to apply a “Precautionary Principle” (PP)

� There are many definitions of the PP

� All include the idea of using guidelines to make decisions before the data required for scientific certainty are in

� Some European governments and international organizations are exploring what it would mean to apply a “Precautionary Principle” (PP)

� There are many definitions of the PP

� All include the idea of using guidelines to make decisions before the data required for scientific certainty are in


�In it’s most extreme form the PP:� Does not allow an action until there is proof that it will do no harm to human health or the environment

�Possible guidelines for the application of precaution� Substance is known to be toxic

� Evidence of adverse effects is accumulating

� Substance is persistent in the environment

� Substance accumulates in the food chain

� The devil is in the details

�In it’s most extreme form the PP:� Does not allow an action until there is proof that it will do no harm to human health or the environment

�Possible guidelines for the application of precaution� Substance is known to be toxic

� Evidence of adverse effects is accumulating

� Substance is persistent in the environment

� Substance accumulates in the food chain

� The devil is in the details


�The strength of the PP is that it results in earlier action

�The weakness of the PP is that investments are made before the proof is in

�Major resources could be diverted to some minor problems

�Minor resources could be diverted tosome major problems

�The strength of the PP is that it results in earlier action

�The weakness of the PP is that investments are made before the proof is in

�Major resources could be diverted to some minor problems

�Minor resources could be diverted tosome major problems


�It is time we (the U.S.) re-examined our approach

�A dialogue about the proper design of aPrecautionary Principle may be the right place to start

�It is time we (the U.S.) re-examined our approach

�A dialogue about the proper design of aPrecautionary Principle may be the right place to start

Contaminants in treated wastewater as an example

A quick thumbnail of what we know at this point

Data from several sources

Studies in Europe and in the US

List of 64 Compounds Often Found in Municipal EffluentsList of 64 Compounds Often Found in Municipal Effluents

Androstenedione, 17 α ethinyl estradiol, 17 β estradiol, estrone, bezafibrate, bisphenol A, nonylphenol, nonylphenol polyethoxylate, octylphenol, octylphenol polyethoxylate, polybrominatd diphenyl ethers

Aetominophen, amoxicillin, azithromycin, caffiene, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, clofobric acid, ethylenediamine tetra acetic aid, gemfibrozil, lipitor, metaprolol, salicylic acid

Androstenedione, 17 α ethinyl estradiol, 17 β estradiol, estrone, bezafibrate, bisphenol A, nonylphenol, nonylphenol polyethoxylate, octylphenol, octylphenol polyethoxylate, polybrominatd diphenyl ethers

Aetominophen, amoxicillin, azithromycin, caffiene, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, clofobric acid, ethylenediamine tetra acetic aid, gemfibrozil, lipitor, metaprolol, salicylic acid

Atrazine, coptosoanol, coyinine DEET, diazepasm, dichlotoptop, diclofenac, dilantin, erythromycin, estriol, fenofibrate, fluoranthene, galaxolide, hydrocodone, iopromide, ketoprofen

lincomycin, mecoprop, meprobamate, metolachlor, naproxen, NDMA, oxybenzene, pentoxifyline, phenacetine, primadone, progesterone, propranolol, roxithromycin, sulfathometaoxazole, TCEP, TDCPP, Testosterone, Tonalide, Triclozan, trimethoprim

Atrazine, coptosoanol, coyinine DEET, diazepasm, dichlotoptop, diclofenac, dilantin, erythromycin, estriol, fenofibrate, fluoranthene, galaxolide, hydrocodone, iopromide, ketoprofen

lincomycin, mecoprop, meprobamate, metolachlor, naproxen, NDMA, oxybenzene, pentoxifyline, phenacetine, primadone, progesterone, propranolol, roxithromycin, sulfathometaoxazole, TCEP, TDCPP, Testosterone, Tonalide, Triclozan, trimethoprim

Can we remove these in biological treatment?

Some examples from Clara et al., Institute for Water Quality, Vienna

University of Technology

Removal in ASP vs SRT

SRTs of 2, 10, 34, & 68

Ibuprofen (Advil)[Data from Clara et al., 2005]Ibuprofen (Advil)[Data from Clara et al., 2005]

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1 10 100

SRT, d

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1 10 100

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17 β Estradiolfemale Hormone

[Data from Clara et al., 2005]

17 β Estradiolfemale Hormone


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Bisphenol a Antioxidant


Bisphenol a Antioxidant


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17 α Ethinylestradiol Synthetic hormone[Data from Clara et al., 2005]

17 α Ethinylestradiol Synthetic hormone[Data from Clara et al., 2005]

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DiclofenacLipid Regulator


DiclofenacLipid Regulator


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SRT, d

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CarbamazepineAntiepileptic


CarbamazepineAntiepileptic


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�64 regularly found

�Treatment data on 38/64 (26 we know nothing)

�8/38 biodegradable @ SRT = 1d�Triclosan, aspirin, some musks

�23/38 biodegradable @ SRT = 10d�Estrogens, ibuprofen, acetominophen, caffeine, bisphenol A, some detergent metabolites, others

�15/38 not biodegradable @ SRT = 10d�DEET, EDTA, Clofobric acid, diclofenac, meprobamate, carbamazepine, primidone, sulfamethoxazole, several detergent metabolites, others

�64 regularly found

�Treatment data on 38/64 (26 we know nothing)

�8/38 biodegradable @ SRT = 1d�Triclosan, aspirin, some musks

�23/38 biodegradable @ SRT = 10d�Estrogens, ibuprofen, acetominophen, caffeine, bisphenol A, some detergent metabolites, others

�15/38 not biodegradable @ SRT = 10d�DEET, EDTA, Clofobric acid, diclofenac, meprobamate, carbamazepine, primidone, sulfamethoxazole, several detergent metabolites, others

The 64 Compounds:A Preliminary OverviewThe 64 Compounds:A Preliminary Overview

One possible approach to managing the risk of emerging constituents like

these

Recommendations for Municipal WW IndustryRecommendations for Municipal WW Industry

� Goal should be to understand and eliminate these compounds from W effluents

� Invest in surveys to find them

� Invest in SM for the ones often found

� Learn which are biodegradable

� Improve biological treatment to remove those

� Goal should be to understand and eliminate these compounds from W effluents

� Invest in surveys to find them

� Invest in SM for the ones often found

� Learn which are biodegradable

� Improve biological treatment to remove those

Recommendations for Municipal WW IndustryRecommendations for Municipal WW Industry

� Learn those that are not biodegradable

� Study their removal by other means

� If the treatment is affordable, put it in

� If the treatment is too costly, study their effects on the environment and public health

� If the effect is de minimis, monitor them

� If their effect is not de minimis

� Look for substitutes (like detergents)

� Find another place to put them

� Learn those that are not biodegradable

� Study their removal by other means

� If the treatment is affordable, put it in

� If the treatment is too costly, study their effects on the environment and public health

� If the effect is de minimis, monitor them

� If their effect is not de minimis

� Look for substitutes (like detergents)

� Find another place to put them

Dirty Dozen - Stockholm Convention

Dirty Dozen - Stockholm Convention

�Aldrin

�Chlordane

�DDT

�Dieldrin

�Dioxins

�Endrin

�Aldrin

�Chlordane

�DDT

�Dieldrin

�Dioxins

�Endrin

�Furans

�Heptachlor

�Hexachlorobenzene

�Mirex

�PCBs

�Toxaphene

�Furans

�Heptachlor

�Hexachlorobenzene

�Mirex

�PCBs

�Toxaphene

trussell technologies, inc. - constituents of …...1962 1970 1980 1990 2000 emerging constituents...

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