Hazards and Effects on Hazards and Effects on Respiratory Health of Backyard Respiratory Health of Backyard

BurningBurning

Theodore W. Marcy, MD MPHTheodore W. Marcy, MD MPH

Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care MedicinePulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine

University of Vermont College of MedicineUniversity of Vermont College of Medicine

American Lung Association of VermontAmerican Lung Association of Vermont

Outline of DiscussionOutline of Discussion

• Lung function, anatomy and inhaled toxinsLung function, anatomy and inhaled toxins

• Characteristics of the emissions from backyard Characteristics of the emissions from backyard burning of trashburning of trash

– ContentsContents

– Quantity compared to other emissionsQuantity compared to other emissions

• Health HazardsHealth Hazards

– In normalsIn normals

– In vulnerable populationsIn vulnerable populations

Function of the Respiratory Function of the Respiratory SystemSystem

• Gas exchangeGas exchange

– Eliminate CO2Eliminate CO2

– Transfer Oxygen to bloodTransfer Oxygen to blood

• To accomplish thisTo accomplish this

– Gas exchange organ (lung)Gas exchange organ (lung)

– Respiratory pump to move Respiratory pump to move air in and outair in and out

Anatomy of the Lung and Alveoli Anatomy of the Lung and Alveoli Location of Gas ExchangeLocation of Gas Exchange

Interaction of Lung with EnvironmentInteraction of Lung with Environment

• Volume of air we breath per day = 10,000 LitersVolume of air we breath per day = 10,000 Liters

• Surface area of lung = Squash courtSurface area of lung = Squash court

• Lung defenseLung defense

– Filtering by nose and upper airwayFiltering by nose and upper airway

– Impact of particles at branching airwaysImpact of particles at branching airways

– Particles removed by Particles removed by mucociliary escalatormucociliary escalator and swallowed or and swallowed or coughed outcoughed out

– Other foreign particles cleared by resident cells of the defense Other foreign particles cleared by resident cells of the defense system (macrophages)system (macrophages)

What Particles Get to the Alveoli?What Particles Get to the Alveoli?

Particles of most importance are less than Particles of most importance are less than 10 microns in diameter (RBC is 5 microns)10 microns in diameter (RBC is 5 microns)

PM10

Air Pollution and HealthAir Pollution and Health

• An increase in PMAn increase in PM1010 by 10 by 10 g/mg/m33 associated with a associated with a

0.5% increase in death rate from all causes 0.5% increase in death rate from all causes

• An increase in PMAn increase in PM1010 by 10 by 10 g /mg /m33 associated with an associated with an

8-18% increase in cardiovascular causes of death8-18% increase in cardiovascular causes of death

• Ban on coal sales in Dublin associated with a Ban on coal sales in Dublin associated with a

– Decrease in air pollutionDecrease in air pollution

– 6% decrease in non-trauma death rates6% decrease in non-trauma death rates

– 10% decrease in cardiovascular death rates10% decrease in cardiovascular death rates

– 16% decrease in respiratory death rates16% decrease in respiratory death rates

Wood BurningWood Burning

• CampfiresCampfires

• Woodstoves for Woodstoves for home heatinghome heating

• Incineration of Incineration of cleared brush and cleared brush and treestrees

Wood BurningWood Burning

• 100 different chemicals100 different chemicals

– Carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide

– Nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxideNitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide

– Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

– Large amount of PMLarge amount of PM10 10 particulatesparticulates

• Pollution from 1 home heated by wood for 1yr equalsPollution from 1 home heated by wood for 1yr equals

– 400 homes heated by oil or natural gas400 homes heated by oil or natural gas

– 1 car driving 130,000 miles1 car driving 130,000 miles

Burning 20 lbs of woodBurning 20 lbs of wood putsputs 1 lb of pollution in the air1 lb of pollution in the air

Backyard BurningBackyard Burning

• Used as low cost method of trash Used as low cost method of trash disposaldisposal

• Trash is Trash is NOTNOT just wood, paper and just wood, paper and yard wasteyard waste

• Trash consists of plastics, synthetics, Trash consists of plastics, synthetics, other chemicalsother chemicals

• Low temperature burning (500Low temperature burning (500) ) leads to incomplete combustionleads to incomplete combustion

• Emissions highly concentrated and Emissions highly concentrated and “in your face”“in your face”

Emissions from Backyard BurningEmissions from Backyard Burning

• LeadLead

• ArsenicArsenic

• MercuryMercury

• BariumBarium

• ChromiumChromium

• CadmiumCadmium

• Fine particulate matterFine particulate matter

• Carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide

• Carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide

• Sulfur dioxideSulfur dioxide

• Dioxins and Furans Dioxins and Furans

• PAHs and PCBsPAHs and PCBs

Comments on Some EmissionsComments on Some Emissions• Carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide

– Binds to hemoglobin, reducing oxygen deliveryBinds to hemoglobin, reducing oxygen delivery

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)– Contribute to ground level ozone pollution (smog)Contribute to ground level ozone pollution (smog)

– Aggravate respiratory and heart conditionsAggravate respiratory and heart conditions

– Some (PAHs) are carcinogenicSome (PAHs) are carcinogenic

• HexachlorobenzeneHexachlorobenzene– Birth defectsBirth defects

– Kidney and liver damageKidney and liver damage

• BenzopyreneBenzopyrene– Suspected cause of lung cancerSuspected cause of lung cancer

Health ConsequencesHealth Consequences• Upper airway irritationUpper airway irritation

• Neurologic symptoms (headache, fatigue)Neurologic symptoms (headache, fatigue)

• Acute respiratory symptoms (shortness of breathAcute respiratory symptoms (shortness of breath

• Asthma and chronic lung disease exacerbationsAsthma and chronic lung disease exacerbations

• Acute cardiac eventsAcute cardiac events

• Cancers (long term exposures)Cancers (long term exposures)

• HospitalizationsHospitalizations

• Increased deathsIncreased deaths

Emissions from burn barrels in Emissions from burn barrels in the US (lbs./year)the US (lbs./year)

benzenebenzene 4,500,0004,500,000

styrenestyrene 3,400,0003,400,000

formaldehydeformaldehyde 3,100,0003,100,000

dioxinsdioxins 139 139

furansfurans 22 22

PCBPCB 10,962 10,962

hydrogen cyanidehydrogen cyanide 1,700,0001,700,000

arsenicarsenic 8,186 8,186

Municipal Waste Combustor Municipal Waste Combustor (MWC) vs Barrel Burning(MWC) vs Barrel Burning

2,2002,200 F F 500 500 F F

EPA Evaluation of Emissions from EPA Evaluation of Emissions from Barrel Burning: Lemieux EPA 1998Barrel Burning: Lemieux EPA 1998

• Purpose: Risk assessmentPurpose: Risk assessment

– Qualitative identification and quantitative measure of Qualitative identification and quantitative measure of emissions from open burning of household refuseemissions from open burning of household refuse

– Comparison to other point and area sourcesComparison to other point and area sources

• Waste from non-recycling and avid recycling Waste from non-recycling and avid recycling householdshouseholds

– Burned in test facilityBurned in test facility

– Extractive samples analyzedExtractive samples analyzed

• Compared to emissions from MWC field testCompared to emissions from MWC field test

Household Burning vs MWCHousehold Burning vs MWC

Household family of 4Household family of 4• Non-recyclingNon-recycling

– 4.9 kg/day4.9 kg/day

– 62% paper products62% paper products

– 8% plastic resin8% plastic resin

• Avid-recyclingAvid-recycling– 1.5 kg/day1.5 kg/day

– 62% paperboard62% paperboard

– 16% plastic resin16% plastic resin

MWCMWC

• 182,000 kg/day182,000 kg/day

• 37,000 non-recycling 37,000 non-recycling households households oror

• 121,000 recycling 121,000 recycling householdshouseholds

Emissions per Mass of RefuseEmissions per Mass of RefuseMWC vs Open BurningMWC vs Open Burning

How many barrel burning homes How many barrel burning homes equals the pollution from a MWC?equals the pollution from a MWC?

Lemieux EPA March 1998Lemieux EPA March 1998

Daily MWC estimated emissionDaily MWC estimated emissionDaily estimated emissions from householdsDaily estimated emissions from households

#households that#households thatequal a MWCequal a MWC

=

Vulnerable PopulationsVulnerable Populations• Asthma in VermontAsthma in Vermont

– 41,000 adults41,000 adults– 13,000 children13,000 children

• Chronic lung diseaseChronic lung disease– 7,000 with emphysema7,000 with emphysema– 26,000 with chronic bronchitis26,000 with chronic bronchitis

• ChildrenChildren– Absorb more toxins per weight than adultsAbsorb more toxins per weight than adults– Second hand smoke increases respiratory tract Second hand smoke increases respiratory tract

infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndromeinfections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome

Vermont State Regulations on Open Vermont State Regulations on Open BurningBurning

• Allowed (if not prohibited by local ordinances)Allowed (if not prohibited by local ordinances)– Campfires and outdoor barbecuesCampfires and outdoor barbecues

– Burning of leaves, brush, deadwood, tree cuttingsBurning of leaves, brush, deadwood, tree cuttings

– Natural wood bonfires on festive occasionsNatural wood bonfires on festive occasions

• Illegal to burnIllegal to burn– Paper and cardboardPaper and cardboard

– Tires and other rubber productsTires and other rubber products

– Treated, painted, or finished woodTreated, painted, or finished wood

– Tarpaper or asphalt shinglesTarpaper or asphalt shingles

– Plastics Plastics

– GarbageGarbage

Backyard Burning in VermontBackyard Burning in Vermont

• 18,000 households18,000 households

• 28 million pounds 28 million pounds

of trash annuallyof trash annually

The Herald of Randolph, VT 11/30/00The Herald of Randolph, VT 11/30/00

Opinions Regarding Burn BarrelsOpinions Regarding Burn Barrels• 28% burn household garbage and other materials

(in burn barrel or other device)

Of those that burn household garbage

• 45% burn garbage because it is convenient

• 32% believe they are reducing waste

• 35% said that nothing would cause them to stop this practice

• 34% (ironically) believe there is not enough concern about the environment

Survey in Minnesota and WisconsinSurvey in Minnesota and WisconsinFrom ALA of WisconsinFrom ALA of Wisconsin

Alternatives to Backyard BurningAlternatives to Backyard Burning

• RecycleRecycle– NewspaperNewspaper

– Used oilUsed oil

– Plastic bottlesPlastic bottles

– MagazinesMagazines

– CansCans

– GlassGlass

– CardboardCardboard

– Office paperOffice paper

• CompostCompost– Yard wastesYard wastes

– Vegetable ScrapsVegetable Scraps

• ReuseReuse– ClothesClothes

– Donate to charityDonate to charity

• Buy smartBuy smart– Avoid unnecessary Avoid unnecessary

packingpacking