January 18, 2012
Science Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
January 18, 2012
Massachusetts DEP: 2nd Floor
1 PM
Members present: Larry Boise (Acting Chair), Ken Weinberg, Martha Mittlestaedt, Robin Dodson, Hilary Hackbart, Igor Linkov
Others present: John Raschko (OTA), Heather Tenney (TURI), Mary Butow (TURI), Liz Harriman (TURI), Sean Moynihan (MCTA), Dave Wawer (MCTA), Trish McCarthy (for ACC)
Welcome and Introductions
Program Updates
The regulations designating formaldehyde and hexavalent chromium compounds as higher hazard substances were promulgated on 12/23.
TURI will be holding the spring TURP conference on April 12th.
The Priority User Segment assessment for Perc is currently underway. OTA is leading this effort.
TURI has almost completed an Alternatives Assessment for Perc in dry cleaning. TURI will distribute that to the Board when it is complete.
There are two changes to the membership of the SAB. Anne Marie Desmarais is stepping down. Her efforts have been greatly appreciated and will be missed. Amy Cannon from Beyond Benign has been appointed and will hopefully be attending the March meeting.
EPA has almost completed their dioxin reassessment.
Recent publications were circulated to the Board including an article in Health Affairs by Rachel Massey and Ken Geiser, et al; an article for New Solutions on Higher Hazard Substances by Liz Harriman, Heather Tenney and Rachel Massey; and the latest brochure from the community program at TURI.
November Meeting Minutes
There were several items that needed to be corrected in the draft minutes:
● Three items in the Program Updates section: correct to ‘used water based methods’ in 2nd bullet; clarify that the training for dry cleaners was with regard to TUR planning; include that the Administrative Council did not approve the priority user segment for TCE and thus OTA will be following up.
● Elaborate on ‘Names to be removed’ in the October Meeting Minutes section.
● Change ‘will be’ to ‘is likely to be’ in the VMS section.
● Eliminate duplicate CNS comment in the Halogenated Compounds section.
● Add numbers for vapor pressure range in the Halogenated Compounds section.
Vote: To approve minutes as amended. 5 in Favor, 0 opposed, 0 Abstaining
Heather will send out amended versions of the October and November minutes.
Volatile Methyl Siloxanes (VMS): D4
The Board continued their work on the VMS category by looking at the specific cyclic VMS
D4:
The flash point is 51 degrees Celsius – flammable but not terribly so.
The LD50s are not very low.
There are a good number of studies available.
It is an endocrine disruptor.
It shows both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity – it may depend on dose-response curve.
Is it GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)?
It is persistent and bioaccumulative.
Motion to include on TURA list due to persistence and bioaccumulation
It bioaccumulates, doesn’t degrade in sediment and is an endocrine disruptor.
It is also on Maine’s PBiT list.
Several items were requested for further review:
LC50’s appear low and easy to reach. Gather these so members can look for divergent values.
Members would like to see the study referenced in the Terrestrial Fate section.
Members would like to see the referenced McKim study.
Members would like to see more information on the estrogenic/anti-estrogenic activity.
Members would like to see the fathead minnow reference.
Members would like to see Lassen et al. as well as any studies that are positive on repro.
To supplement that, members would like to see any studies that are negative on repro.
In addition, Heather had reached out to SEHSC in December, but will check in with them again.
The motion to list was withdrawn to allow for review of the requested information.
A motion was made to table D4 until further information can be reviewed.
All voted in favor.
Hydrofluorinated Ethers (HFEs): preliminary review
The Board began work on the HFE category as a continuation of their work to review common alternatives for the Higher Hazard Substances (HHS) percholoethylene and trichloroethylene. The HFEs are used for precision cleaning/heat transfer. OTA has worked with at least one company that is considering them.
They can produce HF at elevated temperatures – research specifics on potential for HF formation.
The SAB would like to see the MSDSs – research components.
Run the molecular structure (SMILES) through the PBT profiler for components where possible.
Members would like to see the Australian report.
Shown as genotoxic in TSCA study.
Contact 3M, work with MCTA/ACC to contact manufacturers.
Noted as an OSHA eye irritant – research backup information on that.
What does ‘BAN’ mean on CAS #333-36-8?
What is the global warming potential (GWP)? (The article distributed indicates less GMP than the EHS reference).
What is the central nervous system (CNS) effect indicated? Could it be expected in another substance?
AEGL stands for Acute Exposure Guideline.
Investigate concern about breakdown products further (distribute Wallington article).
What are the common mixtures/blends (10/40%, 20/80%) - azeotropes?
Major concerns relate to potential to create HF and high PBT numbers
Propylene Glycol Ethers: potential reproductive effects
The review of the propylene glycol ethers came from questions raised during TURI’s Alternatives Assessment for Perc in Dry Cleaning.
Concerns with potential carcinogenic and reproductive effects in humans.
β isomers potentially break down to the metabolite that causes problems for ethylene glycol ethers.
β isomers are approximately 0.5% of mixture.
None of the propylene glycol ethers are listed on TURA.
There is concern with sister chromatid exchange.
Many companies have switched from ethylene glycol ethers to propylene glycol ethers. What are the common PGEs used?
Board members would like to be emailed all the articles that were distributed at the meeting and have time to look through them further.
Next Meeting
Heather to schedule for either March 13 or 14