SETTING PRIORITIES|Comparative Risk Report
Project Name: EPA National Comparative Risk Project

    Ranking Results:


    Project Description:


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  Ranking Results
 

 
Risks to Human Health
Relatively High-Risk Problems Online Information About This Issue
  Ambient air pollutants general   area specific  
  Pollutants in drinking water general   area specific  
  Pollution indoors general   area specific  
  Worker exposure to chemicals in industry and agriculture general   area specific  

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Consensus Ranking of Environmental Problem Areas on the Basis of Population Cancer Risk
Category 1 Online Information About This Issue
1.   Radon - indoor air only general   area specific  
1.   Worker exposure to chemicals general   area specific  
3.   Pesticide residues on foods eaten by humans and wildlife   area specific  
4.   Consumer product exposure general   area specific  
4.   Indoor air pollutants - other than radon general   area specific  
6.   Hazardous/Toxic air pollutants general   area specific  
Category 2
7.   Substances suspected of depleting the stratospheric ozone layer - CFC's, etc. general   area specific  
8.   Hazardous waste sites - inactive (Superfund) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
9.   From drinking water as it arrives at the tap (includes chemicals, lead from pipes, biological contaminants, radiation, etc.) general   area specific  
10.   Application of pesticides (risks to applicators, which includes workers who mix and load, as well as apply, and also consumers who apply pesticides)   area specific  
11.   Radiation - other than indoor radon general   area specific  
12.   Other pesticide risks, including leaching and runoff of pesticides and agricultural chemicals, air deposition from spraying, etc.   area specific  
13.   Hazardous waste sites - active (includes hazardous waste tanks) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
14.   Non-hazardous waste sites - industrial (includes utilities) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
15.   New toxic chemicals    
Category 3
16.   Non-hazardous waste sites - municipal (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
17.   Contaminated sludge (includes municipal and scrubber sludge) general   area specific  
18.   Mining waste (includes oil and gas extraction wastes) general   area specific  
19.   Releases from storage tanks (includes product and petroleum tanks - above, on and underground)   area specific  
20.   Nonpoint source discharges to surface water general   area specific  
21.   Other ground-water contamination (includes septic systems, road salt, injection wells, etc.) general   area specific  
22.   Criteria air pollutants from mobile and stationary sources (includes acid precipitation) general   area specific  
Category 4
23.   Direct, point source discharges (industrial, etc.) to surface water general   area specific  
24.   Indirect, point source discharges (POTW's) to surface water    
25.   Accidental releases - toxics (includes all media) general   area specific  
26.   Accidental releases - oil spills general   area specific  
Category 5
  Biotechnology (environmental releases of genetically altered materials) general   area specific  
  Carbon dioxide and global warming general   area specific  
  Other air pollutants (includes fluorides, total reduced sulfur, substances not included in other problems that emit odors) general   area specific  
Not Ranked
  To estuaries, coastal waters and oceans from all sources general   area specific  
  To wetlands from all sources general   area specific  

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Non-Cancer Relative Ranking of Environmental Problem Areas
High Non-Cancer Risks Online Information About This Issue
  Accidental releases - toxics (includes all media) general   area specific  
  Application of pesticides (risks to applicators, which includes workers who mix and load, as well as apply, and also consumers who apply pesticides)   area specific  
  Consumer product exposure general   area specific  
  Criteria air pollutants from mobile and stationary sources (includes acid precipitation) general   area specific  
  From drinking water as it arrives at the tap (includes chemicals, lead from pipes, biological contaminants, radiation, etc.) general   area specific  
  Hazardous/Toxic air pollutants general   area specific  
  Indoor air pollutants - other than radon general   area specific  
  Pesticide residues on foods eaten by humans and wildlife   area specific  
  Worker exposure to chemicals general   area specific  
Medium Non-Cancer Risks
  Indirect, point source discharges (POTW's) to surface water    
  Non-hazardous waste sites - industrial (includes utilities) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
  Non-hazardous waste sites - municipal (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
  Nonpoint source discharges to surface water general   area specific  
  Other pesticide risks, including leaching and runoff of pesticides and agricultural chemicals, air deposition from spraying, etc.   area specific  
  Radiation - other than indoor radon general   area specific  
  Radon - indoor air only general   area specific  
  Substances suspected of depleting the stratospheric ozone layer - CFC's, etc. general   area specific  
  To estuaries, coastal waters and oceans from all sources general   area specific  
Low Non-Cancer Risks
  Contaminated sludge (includes municipal and scrubber sludge) general   area specific  
  Direct, point source discharges (industrial, etc.) to surface water general   area specific  
  Hazardous waste sites - active (includes hazardous waste tanks) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
  Hazardous waste sites - inactive (Superfund) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
  Mining waste (includes oil and gas extraction wastes) general   area specific  
  Releases from storage tanks (includes product and petroleum tanks - above, on and underground)   area specific  
  To wetlands from all sources general   area specific  
Unranked
  Accidental releases - oil spills general   area specific  
  Biotechnology (environmental releases of genetically altered materials) general   area specific  
  Carbon dioxide and global warming general   area specific  
  New toxic chemicals    
  Other air pollutants (includes fluorides, total reduced sulfur, substances not included in other problems that emit odors) general   area specific  
  Other ground-water contamination (includes septic systems, road salt, injection wells, etc.) general   area specific  

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Risks to the Natural Ecology and Human Welfare
Relatively High-Risk Problems Online Information About This Issue
  Global climate change general   area specific  
  Habitat alteration and destruction    
  Species extinction and overall loss f biological diversity general   area specific  
  Stratospheric ozone depletion general   area specific  
Relatively Medium-Risk Problems
  Acid deposition general   area specific  
  Airborne toxics general   area specific  
  Herbicides/Pesticides   area specific  
  Toxics, nutrients, biochemical oxygen demand, and turbidity in surface waters general   area specific  
Relatively Low-Risk Problems
  Acid runoff to surface waters general   area specific  
  Groundwater pollution general   area specific  
  Oil spills general   area specific  
  Radionuclides general   area specific  
  Thermal pollution    

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Summary of Ecological Risks
1.   Carbon dioxide and global warming general   area specific  
1.   Substances suspected of depleting the stratospheric ozone layer - CFC's, etc. general   area specific  
2.   Mining waste (includes oil and gas extraction wastes) general   area specific  
2.   To estuaries, coastal waters and oceans from all sources general   area specific  
2.   To wetlands from all sources general   area specific  
3.   Criteria air pollutants from mobile and stationary sources (includes acid precipitation) general   area specific  
3.   Direct, point source discharges (industrial, etc.) to surface water general   area specific  
3.   Indirect, point source discharges (POTW's) to surface water    
3.   Nonpoint source discharges to surface water general   area specific  
3.   Other pesticide risks, including leaching and runoff of pesticides and agricultural chemicals, air deposition from spraying, etc.   area specific  
3.   Pesticide residues on foods eaten by humans and wildlife   area specific  
4.   Hazardous/Toxic air pollutants general   area specific  
5.   Accidental releases - oil spills general   area specific  
5.   Accidental releases - toxics (includes all media) general   area specific  
5.   Contaminated sludge (includes municipal and scrubber sludge) general   area specific  
5.   Hazardous waste sites - inactive (Superfund) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
5.   Non-hazardous waste sites - industrial (includes utilities) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
5.   Non-hazardous waste sites - municipal (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
5.   Other ground-water contamination (includes septic systems, road salt, injection wells, etc.) general   area specific  
6.   Hazardous waste sites - active (includes hazardous waste tanks) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
6.   Radiation - other than indoor radon general   area specific  
6.   Releases from storage tanks (includes product and petroleum tanks - above, on and underground)   area specific  

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Final Rankings of Welfare Effects Work Group
High Effects Online Information About This Issue
1.   Criteria air pollutants from mobile and stationary sources (includes acid precipitation) general   area specific  
2.   Nonpoint source discharges to surface water general   area specific  
3.   Indirect, point source discharges (POTW's) to surface water    
4.   To estuaries, coastal waters and oceans from all sources general   area specific  
5.   Carbon dioxide and global warming general   area specific  
6.   Substances suspected of depleting the stratospheric ozone layer - CFC's, etc. general   area specific  
7.   Other air pollutants (includes fluorides, total reduced sulfur, substances not included in other problems that emit odors) general   area specific  
8.   Direct, point source discharges (industrial, etc.) to surface water general   area specific  
Medium Effects
9.   Hazardous waste sites - inactive (Superfund) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
10.   Non-hazardous waste sites - municipal (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
11.   Hazardous waste sites - active (includes hazardous waste tanks) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
12.   To wetlands from all sources general   area specific  
13.   Other pesticide risks, including leaching and runoff of pesticides and agricultural chemicals, air deposition from spraying, etc.   area specific  
14.   Biotechnology (environmental releases of genetically altered materials) general   area specific  
Low Effects
15.   Non-hazardous waste sites - industrial (includes utilities) (groundwater and other media) general   area specific  
16.   Releases from storage tanks (includes product and petroleum tanks - above, on and underground)   area specific  
17.   Accidental releases - toxics (includes all media) general   area specific  
18.   Accidental releases - oil spills general   area specific  
19.   From drinking water as it arrives at the tap (includes chemicals, lead from pipes, biological contaminants, radiation, etc.) general   area specific  
20.   Radon - indoor air only general   area specific  
21.   Mining waste (includes oil and gas extraction wastes) general   area specific  
22.   Contaminated sludge (includes municipal and scrubber sludge) general   area specific  
23.   Hazardous/Toxic air pollutants general   area specific  
Minor Effects
  Application of pesticides (risks to applicators, which includes workers who mix and load, as well as apply, and also consumers who apply pesticides)   area specific  
  Consumer product exposure general   area specific  
  Indoor air pollutants - other than radon general   area specific  
  New toxic chemicals    
  Other ground-water contamination (includes septic systems, road salt, injection wells, etc.) general   area specific  
  Pesticide residues on foods eaten by humans and wildlife   area specific  
  Radiation - other than indoor radon general   area specific  
  Worker exposure to chemicals general   area specific  

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  Project Description
 

  Geographical Coverage:
United States of America

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  Project Purpose:
For the Science Advisory Board to review EPA's 1987 report on relative environmental risk, Unfinished Business, evaluate its findings, and develop strategic options for reducing risk." The objective of Unfinished Business "was to develop a ranking of the relative risks associated with major environmental problems that could be used as one of several important bases on which EPA could set priorities.

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  Ranking Process:
The Human Health and the Ecology and Welfare Subcommittees of the Relative Risk Reduction Strategies Committee reviewed and updated the findings from Unfinished Business. In Unfinished Business, four Work Groups (Cancer, Non-Cancer Health Effects, Ecological Effects and Welfare Effects) ranked the list of 31 environmental problems.

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  Participants in the Ranking Process:
Governmental Agencies
Public Interest/Nonprofit Organizations
Scientific/Academic Community

All of the above stakeholder groups had representatives on at least one of the Subcommittees or the Relative Risk Reduction Strategies Committee. Various U.S. EPA staff comprised the Cancer, Non-Cancer Health Effects, and Welfare Effects Work Groups, while a group of outside scientists and technical experts comprised the Ecological Effects Work Group.


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  Reference:
Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies for Environmental Protection. Science Advisory Board, U.S. EPA. SAB-ED-90-021. September 1990.
http://www.epa.gov/opperspd/history7/reduce/toc.htm
Unfinished Business: A Comparative Assessment of Environmental Problems Overview Report. Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, U.S. EPA. February 1987.
http://www.epa.gov/opperspd/history7/unfinish/toc.htm
Integrated Environmental Decision-Making in the 21st Century: Peer Review Draft. Science Advisory Board, U.S. EPA. May 1999.
http://www.epa.gov/science1/intenv1.htm

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  Contact Information:
Regional and State Planning Division
U.S. EPA
401 M Street, S.W. (2165)
Washington, DC 20460
http://www.epa.gov/opperspd/welcome.htm

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