You are here:
Update to An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 (2013, External Review Draft)
EPA is announcing the availability of the draft report, Update to An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 for a 30-day public comment period. EPA also announced that an independent contractor will select and set up a group of experts to conduct a letter peer-review of the draft document. The deadline for comments is September 6, 2013. [Federal Register Notice August 7, 2013]
Citation:
U.S. EPA. Update to An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 (2013, External Review Draft). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-11/005A, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
The Report Presents An Update To The Dioxin Source Inventory Published In 2006 (U.S. Epa, 2006). The Peer-Review Panel For The 2006 Document Provided Additional Comments After The Final Report Had Been Issued. The Purpose Of This Document Is To Present Revisions And New Material In Response To These Comments. The Document Presents Estimates Of Environmental Releases Of Dioxin-Like Compounds To The Air, Water, Land And Products. Release Estimates Are Provided For The Years 1987, 1995 And 2000.
Description:
In 2006, EPA published an inventory of sources and environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds in the United States. This draft report presents an update and revision to that dioxin source inventory. It also presents updated estimates of environmental releases of dioxin-like compounds to the air, water, land and products. The sources are grouped into five broad categories: combustion sources, metals smelting/refining, chemical manufacturing, natural sources, and environmental reservoirs. Estimates of annual releases to land, air, and water are presented for reference years 1987, 1995, and 2000.
While the overall decreasing trend in emissions seen in the original report continues, the individual dioxin releases in this draft updated report are generally higher than the values reported in 2006. This is largely due to the inclusion (in all three years) of additional sources in the quantitative inventory that were not included in the 2006 report. The largest new source included in this draft updated inventory was forest fires. In the 2006 report, this was classified as preliminary and not included in the quantitative inventory. The top three air sources of dioxin emissions in 2000 were forest fires, backyard burning of trash, and medical waste incinerators.
URLs/Downloads:
EPA Dioxin Web SiteUpdate to an Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000 (Aug 2013, External Review Draft) (PDF, 409 pp, 2755 KB, about PDF)
FR Notice: Aug 7, 2013
