EPA releases a draft diesel emissions health assesment document

The US EPA has released a draft assessment of the possible health hazards from human exposure to diesel engine exhaust emissions. The February 1998 draft assessment is an update of a December 1994 draft assessment that was reviewed in 1995 by the Agency's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). The 1998 assessment focuses on health hazards (hazard identification and dose-response analysis for the purpose of recommending measures of risk/hazard), and also provides background information about diesel engine emissions that is useful for putting the health information into context. EPA risk assessment methods and practices have been followed in identifying possible human chronic health hazards for adverse noncancer effects as well as carcinogenicity hazards. The assessment will undergo a second review by the CASAC in the Spring of 1998 and, following a consideration of comments, a final document will be issued. Notice of the CASAC review will be published in the Federal Register.

The draft assessment document is available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, telephone 703-605-6000, fax 703-321-8547 (document reference number: PB98-124308, price $85.00). The document is also available online at http://www.epa.gov/ncea/pdfs/dstoc.pdf

Contact Dr. William Pepelko, telephone 202-564-3309; e-mail: pepelko.william@epamail.epa.gov.