Environmental Health and Awareness
Chemical Spills in the Environment
Chemicals are counted, measured, cleaned up and discarded according to EPA regulations. The EPA regulates pesticides used on farms, in the swimming pool, or on your lawn. The EPA monitors water quality and covers accidents such as oil spills. It also will decide how waste must be handled and discarded. Keeping on top of environmental protection takes continual commitment.
Air Quality and Mold Testing
Air quality is regulated under the Clean Air Act. The EPA uses the Clean Air Act to limit the amount of pollution in the air in the United States to make sure all residents have clean air to breathe. Two sources must meet emission limits in order to operate. Stationary sources, such as factories and mobile sources such as cars.
There are two kinds of air pollution: critical pollutants from vehicles and burning, coal or oil and hazardous pollutants, which are chemicals used in industrial operations. Sources must use specific equipment and safeguards to control their release.
States may impose stricter standards if local air needs greater protection. Requirements for a specific facility or spelled out in its air permit. Violations can be fines, jail terms, or even a facility shut down.
Mold is found everywhere in the environment, both inside and outside of buildings. Mold is an agent of opportunity. Mold requires moisture (water intrusion, high humidity, leaking pipes, etc.) and exposure to building materials for growth in a building or structure. Water intrusion can infiltrate a building in many locations, most notably from a leaking roof, around windows, or around the foundation High humidity in the form of unvented shower facilities or laundry exhausts can also provide the moisture needed for mold growth in some circumstances.
The most common symptoms of fungal exposure are runny nose, eye irritations, cough, congestion, and aggravation of asthma. Individual sensitivities to mold spores may vary widely across the population, from no response, to allergy-type responses, to life-threatening diseases and infections.
Where mold amplification sources are present (ex: contaminated HVAC equipment, stagnant water sources, wetted sour building materials, etc.) elevated spore production and distribution may result in these symptoms. Although there is evidence documenting severe health effects of fungi in humans, most of the evidence is derived from ingestion of contaminated foods and occupational exposures in agricultural settings where inhalation exposure is very high.
It is very difficult to narrow exposure levels due to the subjective nature of symptoms from one individual to another. The current information available for bioaerosol components is not sufficient to determine exposure levels. Thus, there are no true acceptable or unacceptable levels established to test for these air contaminants. Existing evidence suggests that for non-sensitized persons, very high concentrations of spores would be required for individuals to experience any health effects. If you suspect mold, please email EHS at envisafety@siue.edu
Water Quality
Water quality is regulated under the Clean Water Act and governs discharges of pollution into surface waters, such as lakes, rivers, and streams. Another law is the Safe Drinking Water Act, which regulates the quality of water people drink.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets rules for water quality, including drinking water, groundwater, and surface waters, such as rivers, lakes, and streams.
The Safe, Drinking Water Act says what the water supply systems' criteria must meet and limits contaminants, such as chemicals and bacteria. The regulation also controls practices that could affect underground water or aquifers. Facilities that discharge into a water or local sewer systems must get permits before operating. Permits are generally issued by the state but are based on EPA Rules and local water quality permit with conditions. The facility must meet such as treatment and pre-treatment amount of discharge, content, and temperature. A facility that violates its permit can be fined or can be shut down.
SIUE follows rules to protect air and water and comply with regulations and permit conditions:
- Employees must also work to protect the environment and keep their facility in compliance.
- Employees must read, understand, and follow operating procedures for all processes and equipment. They must read and understand Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDSs for the substances in their work area.
- They must be proactive and look for potential problems.
- They must maintain equipment in top condition.
- They must never tamper with emission control devices.
- They must dispose of waste properly and never pour liquids into drains, toilets, or on the ground. Never alter an operation without prior approval.
- They must report unusual situations and problems immediately.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) focuses on the proper handling and disposal of waste materials, especially hazardous wastes. The goal is to track hazardous waste. Fine maybe up to $1 million in jail terms of 15 years. Each personality must check its ways to see if they are listed in the EPA regulations as hazardous or if they meet certain Hazard criteria, such as reactivity. If the waste or hazardous, the facility is considered a hazardous waste generator, and it must register with a PA and follow rules for handling, collecting, and disposing of hazardous waste.
The Superfund Law, or Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) is a system to clean a situation where a past disposal of hazardous waste is causing a problem This may be sites, such as old landfills, or places where waste were dumped into the ground before the effects of such practices where are known for regulated.
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act (EPCRA) is a law enacted by Congress as part of an amendment to the Superfund law. It tries to get facilities and communities to work together to prevent and handle chemical emergencies. It requires facilities that use chemicals to provide MSDSS and information to local emergency responders. It requires emergency planning and responding to releases of chemicals. It’s set up a system for providing information to the public. It also establishes a national system for reporting accidental releases of chemicals.
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) gives the EPA broad power to gather information about new and existing chemicals and to ban or control substances depose unacceptable risks.
Anyone who wants to make or import a new chemical substance must notify EPA in advance and obtain approval. TSCA also gathers chemical information used by other EPA departments such as OSHA.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is used to regulate any substance that kills or controls pests. It controls the use of weed killers, insecticides, flea collars, and baits used to kill mice. The agency evaluates the risks and benefits of each pesticide and then, mandates conditions of use and application, procedures, labeling information, and approved uses and users. Anyone who makes or uses pesticides must be very careful to follow label directions and to wear proper protective equipment when handling or discharging.
