ChemSTEER Chemical Screening Tool for Exposures & Environmental Releases Scott Prothero US EPA AIHCE May 25, 2000
What Will You Learn Today? l Background / Context l Computer Requirements l Premises / Methods l Inputs / Outputs l Applications l Status / Availability
What does ChemSTEER do? In the absence of exposure data… l Estimates potential inhalation, dermal exposures to workers l Estimates potential releases to air, water, land... for a chemical in industrial and commercial operations.
Why Did EPA Develop ChemSTEER? l Initially developed for use in EPA New Chemicals Program risk screening process l Computerizes established methods and models l Tool for non-EPA use
What Do You Need to Run ChemSTEER? l Technical info and data on chemical and operation(s) l Understanding of methods l IBM- compatible computer l 10 MB storage, 16 MB RAM l Windows 95 or newer
How Do You Use ChemSTEER? l Choose Operations l Input Data on Chemical l Input Site Data and Info l Choose default models and parameters or other options
What Methods Are in ChemSTEER? l Vapor Generation Models for filling, open pools of liquid l “Box Model” for Inhalation l Dermal models l Container/ equip. residuals l Non-ideal behavior l Established exposure limits l Industry- specific “generic scenarios” Current Future
What Are Some Example Inputs? l Volume Handled or Produced l Operation Types (Uses) l Molecular Weight, Vapor Pressure l Weight Fractions l Numbers of Sites, Workers l Release Sources/Worker Activities l Ventilation Rates l Container Volumes
What Are Some Example Outputs? Exposures l LADD & mg/day inhaled, available for absorption through skin Releases l kg/day, kg/year to air, water, land, incineration
What Are Its Applications? l Prevent Pollution / Reduce Exposure & Risk l Identify & Prioritize Process “Problems” (esp. pre-design) l Examine Tradeoffs: Occupational & Non-occupational Impacts l Link to E-FAST: Tool for Non- occupational Exposures beyond Plant Boundaries
What is Its Status & Availability? l Use now for Demos only l User-defined operations only l Release Goal: Summer 2000 l Add industry-specific operations, methods, user manual, user friendliness, peer review in
EPA Exposure Homepage: l General info on ChemSTEER and other tools related to human and environmental exposures, fate, and risks l Describes the exposure assessment process l Download available tools