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BACKGROUND: Humans are exposed to hazardous chemicals found in consumer products. In 2019, the Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act was passed in Washington State. This law is meant to reduce hazardous chemicals in consumer products and protect human health and the environment. The law directs the Washington State Department of Ecology to assess chemicals and chemical classes found in products, determine whether there are safer alternatives, and make regulatory determinations. OBJECTIVES: To implement the law, the Department of Ecology developed a hazard-based framework for identifying safer alternatives to classes of chemicals. METHODS: We developed a hazard-based framework, termed the “Criteria for Safer,” to set a transparent bar for determining whether new chemical alternatives are safer than existing classes of chemicals. Our “Criteria for Safer” is a framework that builds on existing hazard assessment methodologies and published approaches for assessing chemicals and chemical classes. DISCUSSION: We describe implementation of our criteria using a case study on the phthalates chemical class in two categories of consumer products: vinyl flooring and fragrances used in personal care and beauty products. Additional context and considerations that guided our decision-making process are also discussed, as well as benefits and limitations of our approach. This paper gives insight into our development and implementation of a hazard-based framework to address classes of chemicals in consumer products and will aid others working to build and employ similar approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Real time number concentrations and size distributions of ultrafine particles (UFPs, diameter <100 nm) and time integrated black carbon, PM2.5 mass, and chemical species were studied at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and a background reference site. At LAX, data were collected at the blast fence (∼140 m from the takeoff position) and five downwind sites up to 600 m from the takeoff runway and upwind of the 405 freeway. Size distributions of UFPs collected at the blast fence site showed very high number concentrations, with the highest numbers found at a particle size of approximately 14 nm. The highest spikes in the time series profile of UFP number concentrations were correlated with individual aircraft takeoff. Measurements indicate a more than 100-fold difference in particle number concentrations between the highest spikes during takeoffs and the lowest concentrations when no takeoff is occurring. Total UFP counts exceeded 107 particles cm−3 during some monitored takeoffs. Time averaged concentrations of PM2.5 mass and two carbonyl compounds, formaldehyde and acrolein, were statistically elevated at the airport site relative to a background reference site. Peaks of 15 nm particles, associated with aircraft takeoffs, that occurred at the blast fence were matched with peaks observed 600 m downwind, with time lags of less than 1 min. The results of this study demonstrate that commercial aircraft at LAX emit large quantities of UFP at the lower end of currently measurable particle size ranges. The observed highly elevated UFP concentrations downwind of LAX associated with aircraft takeoff activities have significant exposure and possible health implications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Motor vehicle exhaust emissions are known to exacerbate asthma and other respiratory diseases. Several studies have demonstrated significant associations between living near highly trafficked roadways and increased incidence of asthma and increased severity of asthma-related symptoms, medication usage, and physician visits. This study tested the hypotheses that (1) exposure to particulate matter (PM) near a heavily trafficked Los Angeles freeway would enhance inflammatory and allergic responses in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized BALB/c mice compared to sensitized, clean air controls, and (2) there would be differences in response at two distances downwind of heavily traveled freeways because of greater toxicity of PM closest to the freeway. An ambient particle concentrator was used to expose ovalbumin (OVA)-treated BALB/c mice to purified air, to concentrated fine ambient particles, and to concentrated ultrafine airborne particles (CAPs) at 2 distances, 50 m and 150 m, downwind of a roadway that is impacted by emissions from both heavy-duty diesel and light duty gasoline vehicles. Tissues and biological fluids from the mice were analyzed after exposures for 5 days/wk in 2 consecutive weeks. The biomarkers of allergic or inflammatory responses that were assessed included cytokines released by Type 2 T-helper cells (interleukin [IL]-5 and IL-13), OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), OVA-specific immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), and pulmonary infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and eosinophils. IL-5 and IgG1 were significantly increased in mice exposed to CAPs 50 m downwind of the road, compared to responses in mice exposed to purified air, providing evidence of allergic response. No significant increases in allergy-related responses were observed in mice exposed to CAPs 150 m downwind of the road. The biological responses at the 50-m site were significantly associated with organic and elemental carbon components of fine and ultrafine particles (p ≤ .05). The primary source of these contaminants at the roadway sites was motor vehicle emissions, suggesting that particulate matter from motor vehicle fuel combustion could exert adjuvant effects and promote the development of allergic airway diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded five academic centers in 1999 to address the uncertainties in exposure, toxicity, and health effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) identified in the “Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter” of the National Research Council (NRC). The centers were structured to promote interdisciplinary approaches to address research priorities of the NRC. In this report, we present selected accomplishments from the first 6 years of the PM Centers, with a focus on the advantages afforded by the interdisciplinary, center-based research approach. The review highlights advances in the area of ultrafine particles and traffic-related health effects as well as cardiovascular and respiratory effects, mechanisms, susceptibility, and PM exposure and characterization issues. Data sources and synthesis: The collective publications of the centers served as the data source. To provide a concise synthesis of overall findings, authors representing each of the five centers identified a limited number of topic areas that serve to illustrate the key accomplishments of the PM Centers program, and a consensus statement was developed. Conclusions: The PM Centers program has effectively applied interdisciplinary research approaches to advance PM science.