A bill was introduced in the legislature to allow burning of salvage,demolition and leftover construction wood(sorry I can't find the #). This combined with the switching of funds for a pilot salvage recyling facility in Eastern Iowa to Low-income energy assistance is worrisome Charlie Winterwood --- Debbie Neustadt <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > From: Debbie Neustadt. These are questions raised by > Roy Overton MD. He > is member of Ikes and Sierra Club. There are 5 brief > descriptions. Open > burning was brought up at the issues workshop the > Chapter held in > January. > > Department of Natural Resources > Memo > To: Pete Hamlin > From: Wendy Walker > Date: 02/07/01 > Re: Air Quality issues on proposed legislation > > Question #1: HF 156 about air quality and CAFOs > The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is > concerned over the health > effects from confined animal feeding operations > (CAFO). The DNR would > like to work with farmers, agricultural groups, the > Department of Public > Health, citizen groups, and other key members to > craft a program that > will protect the health of Iowans without causing an > undue burden to the > agricultural industry. We want to develop a program > that will enable us > to protect Iowans and their livelihoods. > Question #2: HF 68 about open burning of wood from > demolition waste > The burning of wood from demolition waste poses > several potential health > threats. The obvious threat is from the soot or > particulate matter from > the combustion. Burning of wood can produce all > sizes of particulate > matter, from 2.5 microns or smaller to larger than > 10 microns. > Particulate matter is inhaled and causes breathing > difficulty. It > directly affects people with respiratory diseases, > such as asthma, the > elderly and the infirm. The following link provide > more detailed > information on the health effects of particulate > matter, > http://www.lungusa.org/air/pm_factsheet99.html > Demolition wood could include pressure treated wood. > Lumber is treated > to preserve the wood and make it resistant to > insects. Preservatives > include creosote, pentachlorophenol, and chromated > copper arsenate. > These chemicals and their derivatives could be > contained in the waste > and released in the combustion process. The > following link provides > more information on treated lumber, > http://www.acsh.org/publications/story/wood/index.html > In addition, the asbestos National Emission > Standards for Hazardous Air > Pollutant (NESHAP) could be violated. With a few > exceptions to the type > of structure, an inspection for asbestos must occur > before demolition. > Asbestos must be removed before demolition. If a > structure cannot be > inspected before demolition, in the case of > disasters, condemned and > structurally unstable buildings, the demolition > material is assumed to > contain asbestos and must be removed and disposed of > according to the > federal regulations. An asbestos fact sheet can be > found at the > following link, > http://www.state.ia.us/epd/airq/airnews/asbest3.pdf > . > The regulations of the Federal Emergency Management > Agency (FEMA) and > Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) > should be reviewed > for possible conflict. > Question #3: Emission Inventory > The emission inventory will track air quality > trends, locate monitors to > ensure federal health standards are met and > characterize public health > risks in Iowa. It is not intended to lead to an air > toxics program. > The emission inventory will provide information to > understand what > emissions are produced in Iowa and assist in > regional air quality > planning. > Question #4: Effect of airborne contaminates on > water quality, open > burning > > The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recently > published a recent > report on airborne nitrogen causing water pollution. > Much of the excess > nitrogen in US rivers and estuaries comes from air > pollution, according > to a Dec. 15, 2000 USGS study. The abstract can be > found at the > following link, > http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/sparrow/coast/agu_sparrow.html. > In > waterways, excess nitrogen can deplete oxygen, kill > vegetation and > wildlife, and lead to algal blooms toxic to people > and wildlife. > According to a June 2000 report from NOAA's National > Ocean Service, 60% > of 138 estuaries studied had significant or moderate > water-quality > problems linked to nutrient enrichment -- and about > the same percentage > are likely to worsen in the next 20 years. > http://www.sej.org/go/010110-1.htm. > > The DNR has withdrawn the current proposed burn ban > rule. We are > starting the process over due to significant changes > in the proposed > rule and due to the interest received. A copy of the > updated proposal, > when available, will be forwarded and we look > forward to receiving any > future comments. > Question #5: Tracking health effects of air > contaminates > Two staff members of the Air Quality Bureau of the > DNR are members of > the Iowa Asthma Coalition (IAC). The IAC is a > coalition of local, state > and national groups concerned with asthma in Iowa. > The IAC requested > that University of Iowa permanently host the asthma > tracking database. > The University conducted an intensive study of > asthma in school children > in Keokuk County, where more than 15% of the > children suffer from asthma > or asthma like symptoms. A report is due to be > published on the Keokuk > County study this spring. > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > - - - - - - > To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message > to: > [log in to unmask] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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