June 22, 2010

Science Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
June 22, 2010
DEP Boston – 2nd Floor - 1PM

SAB Members Present: Dave Williams, Anne Marie Desmarais, Martha Mittelstaedt, Hilary Hackbart, Larry Boise

Others Present: Heather Tenney (TURI), Liz Harriman (TURI), Glenn Keith (DEP), Carol Rowan West (DEP), John Raschko (OTA), Rich Kaplan (LCSP)

Welcome and Introductions

Program Updates
There was an Administrative Council meeting on June 15th. At that meeting, information about Priority User Segments was presented by OTA. The recommendation was not to do any PrUS at this time. The formaldehyde policy analysis was also presented. The Council asked that we add the 2008 TURA data on formaldehyde to the policy analysis and also add in information regarding paraformaldehyde. They will consider the revised policy analysis at the September 21 meeting.

The Senate amended TURI’s budget to match the Governor and House budgets (retained revenue account). We are currently waiting for the conference committee budget right now.

Approve May Meeting Minutes
May minutes were unanimously approved with one correction.

Paraformaldehyde
Additional information was searched for on paraformaldehyde. An actual degradation rate was not found, but clues regarding the degradation rate were found. There was a call with industry representatives from Celanese and Hexion. They reported that they do not report formaldehyde losses from their paraformaldehyde. They also reported (and we saw in the literature) that the degradation rate is dependent on temperature, pH, catalysts and N. They reported that they sell their formaldehyde almost exclusively as paraformaldehyde or formalin.

Methylene glycol is not reportable and formalin users report formaldehyde. It is expected in industrial uses that formaldehyde reporting would almost always capture paraformaldehyde use. There was a feeling that while paraformaldehyde is a formaldehyde source, it is not a high hazard by itself. If formaldehyde is a HHS then the use of formaldehyde will trip the TURA threshold. There is not enough information on paraformaldehyde to make it a HHS.

Published information on the hazard characteristics of paraformaldehyde is not as concerning as formaldehyde. However, it has been noted that much of the information is mixed with formaldehyde as it is assumed that paraformaldehyde will turn into formaldehyde.

The LD50s for the two are different. The larger the chain (N), the higher the LD50s and the less likely (or slower) it is to break down into formaldehyde. A short chain is more likely to behave like formaldehyde. For paraformalydehyde, we don’t know what N is in any application. The toxicity of paraformaldehyde is the toxicity of formaldehyde – N determines the rate which formaldehyde forms. Paraformaldehyde would get focused on by the program, even if just formaldehyde was a HHS.

Items for follow up:

  • Check the LD50s (are they backwards on Celanese MSDS?)
  • Check the IARC monograph for formaldehyde for any mention of paraformaldehyde
  • Get the Steri-Dry MSDS
  • Look for FDA info on paraformaldehyde (approved for glue posts in root canals?)

Higher Hazard Substance Alternatives
The spreadsheet with health and environmental information for common TCE/PCE alternatives was updated. The board made some suggestions for further areas to look at:

● The fluorinated ethers should be looked at further- there is very little information about them. Look at the SARs. They may be significant for green house gases.
● Look for general information on the napthas (specific information for any particular one is harder to find).
● VMSs – look for the EPA action plan under TSCA.
● Water based detergents – find ingredients.
● d-limonene – possibly an asthma concern.

TURI will collect this information and we will have more in-depth discussions on one or two of these chemicals per meeting.

Decision Making Document
The decision making document that Liz has distributed was discussed. Several specific changes were suggested. Anne Marie volunteered to help Liz adjust one specific portion of the document over the Summer.

Next Meeting
September 27 at 1pm.