PERCHLORATE UPDATE

1
PERCHLORATE UPDATE

• A Growing Concern for the Commercial Explosives
  Industry

2
Case in Point Massachusetts

• Saturday, October 09, 2004 - Selectman Allan
  Loiselle has questioned the logic . . . in the
  state's insistence that Westford is at least
  partially responsible for paying the freight on
  perchlorate contamination, while the state still
  allows industry to use explosives that put the
  chemical in the water in the first place.
• Loiselle, . . . wants to know how the state Fire
  Marshal's office can permit the offending
  explosive (and keep the town from banning its
  use), when MADEP says the town must pay for
  cleanups. . .

3
Case in Point Massachusetts

• The blaster used the explosives to blast for
  the new highway garage. Not long afterward, area
  wells tested for the presence of perchlorate . .
  . at an unusually high level. . .
• Had Westford realized the potential disruption
  dynamite would have on water in the region, it
  might have chosen a different site, or a
  different process. . . .

4
Case in Point Massachusetts

• The Story
• 2003/2004 MADEP detected perchlorate in 3 public
  wells in Bourne, MA (near military installation)
• 2004 MADEP ordered testing of all public drinking
  water sources
• September 2004 testing is 90 complete
• Perchlorate hot spots in several wells

5
Massachusetts

• Near two abandoned quarries (levels up to 819ppb
  in one quarry)
• Private well w/in 1 mile of quarry - 425ppb
• Highway garage construction site - 40ppb in
  garage storm drain
• Public wells - levels at 1-10 ppb
• MADEP health advisory level is 1ppb (young
  children, pregnant women, other high risk groups)
• Cleanup standard for soil and groundwater in 2005

6
Massachusetts

• Legislative attempts to ban perchlorate-containing
  explosives?
• A matter of time
• IME will be monitoring the MA legislature closely
• Similar local efforts to the extent we are able
  to monitor activity

7
Other States

• A ban was attempted in California in 2003
• State regulators accepted IMEs arguments
  regarding conversion of perchlorate during
  detonation and necessity for use of
  perchlorate-containing explosives
• CA health advisory is 6ppb
• Prioritization Protocol for Perchlorate Impacts
  to Drinking Water from Department of Defense
  Facilities in California Focuses on tracing
  perchlorate to military lands -- excluding
  operational ranges -- that are within five miles
  of contaminated water wells. Prioritizes
  sampling.

8
Nitrate Caliche Deposits

• Nitrate of soda caliche deposits
• Chilean Nitrate Caliche - imported into the U.S.
  since the late 1800s for use as fertilizer,
  saltpeter, and as a feedstock in the manufacture
  of nitric acid, explosives, and other end
  products
• Dupont imported Chilean nitrate of soda to make
  explosives on the east coast beginning in the
  late 1800s

9
Nitrate Caliche Deposits

• Suspected that explosives manufacturing/use sites
  may be contaminated
• IME needs information on historical and current
  use of caliche in blasting agents, dynamite, etc.
• Types of products
• Percentages
• Post-Blast Consumption/Residuals

10
ITRC

• Interstate Technology Regulatory Council
• State-led coalition working with industry and
  stakeholders to achieve regulatory acceptance of
  environmental technologies.
• 40 states, the District of Columbia, multiple
  federal partners, industry participants, and
  other stakeholders
• Remove barriers to new technologies, and helping
  states maximize resources

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ITRC

• ITRC develops guidance documents and training
  courses for regulators and environmental
  consultants
• Works with state representatives to ensure that
  ITRC products and services have maximum impact
  among state environmental agencies and technology
  users.

12
ITRC

• IME is a member of the Perchlorate Team and a
  participant in the sources subteam
• Preparation of a draft Guidance Overview document
  December, 2005
• Draft section on Commercial Explosives as a
  potential source.

13
EPA Regulation

• Research into health effects still ongoing
• October 5, 2004 EPA announced that it is unlikely
  to propose a standard until risk assessment is
  completed
• No projected date for research completion

14
IME Action Item

• Preparation of perchlorate Statement or White
  Paper
• Factual information available for customers,
  regulators, legislators, the public, the press
• Timing URGENT