Community-Based Assessment of Cumulative Exposure. W. Walsh, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 20460
As part of the Cumulative Exposure Project, EPA is conducting a community-level assessment of cumulative exposures in the Greenpoint/Williamsburg neighborhood of New York city. The goal of this pilot study is to combine data and analysis available at the local level with data from the national studies for outdoor air toxics, food contaminants, and drinking water contaminants to estimate variations in cumulative exposure that are not captured in the national studies. Important contributors to exposure considered in this study which are not captured in the national studies include subsistence fishing and presence of dry cleaning establishments in residential buildings. Initial analysis of subsistence fishing has identified community residents who catch an average of 60 fish per week from the East River. Consumption of these fish by anglers and their families and friends, accounting for a significant portion of the diet, results in exposures in excess of health safety benchmarks for many community residents. Outputs of the Greenpoint/Williamsburg study can be used by the community and state/local regulatory agencies to address issues such as: permitting new facilities and modification and expansion of existing facilities (i.e., acquire and retire schemes, air bubbles); diversified development into non-polluting businesses; and targeted public health intervention programs (i.e., intensified multi-lingual fish advisories coupled with outreach services to provide food).
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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