Go back to Scorecard's Comparative Risk Report for California. HUMAN HEALTH COMMITTEE SUMMARY SHEET RESIDENTIAL AND CONSUMER PRODUCT SOURCES Line Code I-12 I. DEFINITION This topic area covers contributions to airborne risks, indoors and outdoors, from residential use of consumer products, other residential activities and emissions from building materials and furnishings. Exposures experienced while in office buildings are also covered. Consumer product contributions to indoor air include, for example, emissions from moth balls, room deodorants, paint solvents, cosmetics, and furniture. Emissions to ambient air for this topic area include those from wood stoves, combustion of garden wastes, and painting. Topic List II (Environmental Health Stressors) areas particularly relevant to the evaluation of this topic area are: Carbon monoxide (II-2), environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) (II-3), volatile organics (II-12), and particulate matter (II-16). II. HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS FOR INDICATOR CHEMICALS A. Summary Table: Theoretical Cancer Risks
|
Indicator Chemical |
Weight of Evidence |
Average Individual Risk |
Size of Exposed Population |
Estimated Annual Cancer Cases a |
Risk Distrib. # > 10-4 |
Comments |
|
asbestos |
A |
?? |
?? |
? |
?? |
Indoor levels not well measured |
|
benzene |
A |
4 x 10-5 |
30 million |
17 |
5.6 million |
b |
|
benzo(a)pyrene |
B2 |
8 x 10-7 |
30 million |
<1 |
ª 0 |
b |
|
1,3-butadiene |
B2 |
3 x 10-6 |
30 million |
13 |
3.2 million |
b |
|
chloroform |
B2 |
3 x 10-7 |
30 million |
1 |
350,000 |
b |
|
p -dichlorobenzene |
B2/C |
3 x 10-4 |
30 million |
106 |
12 million |
b |
|
diethylhexyl-phthlate |
B2 |
2 x 10-7 |
30 million |
<1 |
3.2 million |
b |
|
environmental tobacco smoke |
A |
2 x 10-5 |
9 million |
200 |
-- |
b |
|
formaldehyde |
B1 |
3 x 10-4 |
30 million |
124 |
26 million |
b |
|
radon |
A |
3 x 10-3 |
30 million |
2000 |
Large number |
Ave. risks in 9 Cal regions ea >10-4 |
|
styrene |
c |
7 x 10-7 |
30 million |
<1 |
ª 0 |
b |
|
tetrachloroethylene |
B2 |
9 x 10-6 |
30 million |
4 |
110,000 |
b |
|
trichloroethylene |
B2 |
8 x 10-7 |
30 million |
<1 |
ª 0 |
b |
|
Total indicator chemical risk |
2 x 10-3 |
30 million |
ª2000 radon ª 470 non-radon |
a Cancer risk burden attributed to this topic area. This number was obtained by multiplying the number of people at 10-4 or greater risk from indoor exposure to the compound by the fraction that consumer or residential sources of the compound contribute to indoor levels.
b The risk estimates indicate risks associated with this Topic Area; total airborne risks for a given pollutant may be considerably higher. Cancer potency estimates derived from animal bioassay data are used in all risk calculations, with the exception of those for benzene, radon and environmental tobacco smoke, which are based on human data. Risk estimates for environmental exposures are inherently uncertain. For a discussion, see the caveat/uncertainty section of this report.
c US EPA classification not available. IARC classifies styrene as a 2B carcinogen.
B. Summary Table: Non-cancer Risks
|
Indicator Chemical |
Health Effect |
Hazard Index |
Size of Population at Risk |
Estimated Impact: Annual # of Cases or Exposures above Acceptable Level |
Comments |
|
Carbon monoxide |
Death |
-- |
1.5 million Californians may use unvented appliances |
33 deaths (annual average) |
Unintentional poisonings primarily from using unvented combustion appliances or misuse of gas stoves and kerosene heaters |
|
Headache, nausea, lethargy |
-- |
15 million |
Unknown but potentially significant |
" " |
|
|
Aggravation of angina and other heart disease |
-- |
Small |
Small number of cases. Difficult to quantitate. |
" " Plus motor vehicle traffic |
|
|
Nitrogen dioxide |
Decrease in pulmonary function, aggravation of condition of asth-matics and bronchitics |
-- |
asthmatics |
Difficult to quantitate |
The presence of a gas stove in a home increases risk of respiratory illness in children by approximately 20%. |
|
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) |
Aggravation of asthmatic conditions in children |
-- |
250,000 - 650,000 asthmatic children |
50,000 - 130,000 asthmatic children exposed to ETS |
Large exposures can occur in the home environment. |
|
Lower respiratory infections (LRI) |
-- |
675,000 children under age 18 months |
10,000 - 18,000 cases |
ETS exposure associated with 20 - 30% incidence of LRI |
|
|
Particulate Matter (PM10) |
Exacerbation of respiratory diseases; aggravation of asthma |
NQ |
NQ |
NQ |
Components of PM10 generated from indoor sources different from outdoor sources. Indoor exposure levels similar to outdoor. Morbidity and mortality from indoor sources not currently quantified. |
|
Formaldehyde and other VOCs |
mucous membrane irritation, headaches |
-- |
Potentially large |
Potentially large |
Occurrences of high exposures reported in the literature. VOCs may contribute to sick building syndrome. |
III. ESTIMATED PERCENT OF TOPIC AREA ANALYZED
|
X |
High |
Medium |
|
Low |
IV. LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE
|
X |
High |
Medium |
|
Low |
V. POPULATIONS OF CONCERN
A. Identifiable Susceptible/Sensitive Populations
Young children, children with asthma, and people with preexisting chronic respiratory disease are at higher risk from the respiratory effects of ETS. Those exposed to known causes of lung cancer (e.g., asbestos and radon) may be at higher cancer risk from ETS. Radon lung cancer risks are highest among smokers. Subgroups potentially susceptible to nitrogen dioxide include those with other pre-existing respiratory diseases, with compromised immune function, or both (e.g., infants and young children, people with cystic fibrosis, the elderly). People with pre-existing heart disease are most sensitive to carbon monoxide.
B. Highly Exposed Subpopulations
Children whose parents smoke heavily are highly exposed to ETS. The highest levels of radon occur in mountainous areas of the State. Those living in homes with combustion appliances are most exposed to nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Approximately 1.5 million Californians are exposed to unvented combustion appliances, such as gas stoves and kerosene heaters used for residential heating, and are thus at greater risk from carbon monoxide. African-Americans died from accidential carbon monoxide poisoning at twice the rate as whites on a per capita basis from 1977 to 1988, the last year for which data were analyzed. People who live in mobile homes and new conventional homes are more exposed to formaldehyde. New buildings can have very high levels of volatile compounds.
VI. COMPARATIVE RANK
|
X |
High |
|
Medium |
|
Low |
The topic area was given a rank of high. The health effects associated with exposures to radon and environmental tobacco smoke are highest. The health effects and exposures due to other indoor pollutants, especially VOCs, are significant. Theoretical cancer risks estimated for agents demonstrated to be carcinogenic in laboratory studies contributed to the high level of concern. However, the HHC noted that the level of uncertainty associated with the cancer risk estimates is moderately high. Non-cancer effects from indoor exposures to particulates, ETS and VOCs can also be significant.