Review of EPA Homeland Security Efforts Safe Buildings Program Research Implementation Plan (2003) / Chapter Skim
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2. Assessment
2. Assessment
Pages 5-18
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From page 5... ...
, more comprehensive attack warning, evaluation, and containment strategies will require extensive advances in building systems and their components. The EPA Safe Buildings Program was conceived as a comprehensive response to these challenges.
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From page 6... ...
4EPA, 2003, Research Planning in the Safe Buildings Program Report to the National Academies, presented to the committee on June 30, 2003, by N Adams, Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, p.
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From page 7... ...
Civilian applications demand high standards for performance, including low false alarm rates. An important role for the EPA Safe Buildings Program would be the establishing of these standards and uniform test protocols.
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From page 8... ...
Role of the EPA Environmental Technology Verification Program Establishment of required chemical and biological agent detectors and detection systems for a range of potential applications is an important challenge for EPA's Safe Buildings Program. More robust, sensitive, specific, and faster responding sensors will be necessary for successful containment, decontamination, and potentially even disposal activities.
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From page 9... ...
However, the containment research proposed by the EPA's National Homeland Security Research
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From page 10... ...
REVIEW OF EPA HOMELAND SECURITY EFFORTS Another potential research topic is to use airflow and contaminant transport and fate modeling to help examine some of the contamination issues. It is an important task to protect the public by ensuring that decontamination materials are not lost to the environment and to maintain control over the building airflow to ensure that a building is decontaminated as efficiently as possible.
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From page 11... ...
A key activity for which EPA is well positioned is to identify some common research goals and priorities across the various agencies, both as a way of directing EPA research to fill in critical research gaps and as a means establishing interagency cooperation in sharing knowledge, if not research goals. Building Performance Criteria and Standards Projects in the proposed containment Research Implementation Plan (RIP)
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From page 12... ...
Academic REVIEW OF EPA HOMELAND SECURITY EFFORTS laboratories must be encouraged to participate in longer-term research. Development of Standardized Test Protocols for Decontamination Technology Performance The development of standardized test protocols for decontamination technology performance is an important area for EPA to pursue.
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From page 13... ...
Additionally, EPA needs to continue its collaborative working relationship with the Department of Homeland Security with regard to ongoing and planned demonstration programs for decontamination and restoration. 13 Evaluation of the Toxicology of Decontaminating Agents EPA has correctly concluded that there is a need for information on the fate and safe exposure levels of the decontaminating agents themselves, since residues may linger after the building has been decontaminated, and it is important to determine whether it is safe to enter the building and occupy it.
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From page 14... ...
However, the mechanistic studies should not be the focus of the testing, in light of the objectives of the overall Safe Buildings Program. In summary, the committee recommends that the EPA Safe Buildings Program concentrate on the potential for generation of toxic residues from the interactions of decontamination agents with building materials, furniture, carpets, and other furnishings and cover more than just chlorine dioxide.
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From page 15... ...
To address standards and policies for decontaminating public facilities affected by exposure to harmful biological agents, in particular, anthrax and smallpox, the Department of Homeland Security has commissioned a new study by the National Research Council. The EPA's Safe Buildings Program is providing useful direction regarding the scope and direction of that study.
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From page 16... ...
REVIEW OF EPA HOMELAND SECURITY EFFORTS 3. Restoration Systems Development and Evaluation the study and development of systems and tools to better understand, to plan, and to implement the restoration process (e.g., identification of preventative measures for sealing and covering porous surfaces with materials, such as epoxy paint or stainless steel sheeting, to create smooth surfaces that are easier to decontaminate)
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From page 17... ...
Thermal treatment temperatures that effectively kill any remaining anthrax spores are typically higher than those for standard medical waste incineration.7 To render biological warfare agents completely harmless, dry heat requires two hours of treatment at 160 degrees C If steam is used at 121°C and 1 atm of overpressure (15 psi)
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From page 18... ...
5. The EPA's proposals discuss liquid wastes generated as part of decontamination efforts, but they do not include research regarding disposal of this waste or whether there is a need to address liquid waste disposal options.
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