|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 29 CFR | 40 CFR | 49 CFR | Federal Register | MSDS Search | Purchase CFR e-Books |
Great Lakes States and Tribes shall adopt provisions consistent with (as protective as) this appendix.
Great Lakes States and Tribes shall adopt provisions consistent with this appendix C to ensure protection of human health.
A. Goal. The goal of the human health criteria for the Great Lakes System is the protection of humans from unacceptable exposure to toxicants via consumption of contaminated fish and drinking water and from ingesting water as a result of participation in water-oriented recreational activities.
B. Definitions.
Acceptable daily exposure (ADE). An estimate of the maximum daily dose of a substance which is not expected to result in adverse noncancer effects to the general human population, including sensitive subgroups.
Adverse effect. Any deleterious effect to organisms due to exposure to a substance. This includes effects which are or may become debilitating, harmful or toxic to the normal functions of the organism, but does not include non-harmful effects such as tissue discoloration alone or the induction of enzymes involved in the metabolism of the substance.
Carcinogen. A substance which causes an increased incidence of benign or malignant neoplasms, or substantially decreases the time to develop neoplasms, in animals or humans. The classification of carcinogens is discussed in section II.A of appendix C to part 132.
Human cancer criterion (HCC). A Human Cancer Value (HCV) for a pollutant that meets the minimum data requirements for Tier I specified in appendix C.
Human cancer value (HCV). The maximum ambient water concentration of a substance at which a lifetime of exposure from either: drinking the water, consuming fish from the water, and water-related recreation activities; or consuming fish from the water, and water-related recreation activities, will represent a plausible upper-bound risk of contracting cancer of one in 100,000 using the exposure assumptions specified in the Methodologies for the Development of Human Health Criteria and Values in appendix C of this part.
Human noncancer criterion (HNC). A Human Noncancer Value (HNV) for a pollutant that meets the minimum data requirements for Tier I specified in appendix C of this part.
Human noncancer value (HNV). The maximum ambient water concentration of a substance at which adverse noncancer effects are not likely to occur in the human population from lifetime exposure via either: drinking the water, consuming fish from the water, and water-related recreation activities; or consuming fish from the water, and water-related recreation activities using the Methodologies for the Development of Human Health criteria and Values in appendix C of this part.
Linearized multi-stage model. A conservative mathematical model for cancer risk assessment. This model fits linear dose-response curves to low doses. It is consistent with a no-threshold model of carcinogenesis, i.e., exposure to even a very small amount of the substance is assumed to produce a finite increased risk of cancer.
Lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL). The lowest tested dose or concentration of a substance which resulted in an observed adverse effect in exposed test organisms when all higher doses or concentrations resulted in the same or more severe effects.
No observed adverse effect level (NOAEL). The highest tested dose or concentration of a substance which resulted in no observed adverse effect in exposed test organisms where higher doses or concentrations resulted in an adverse effect.
Quantitative structure activity relationship (OSAR) or structure activity relationship (SAR). A mathematical relationship between a property (activity) of a chemical and a number of descriptors of the chemical. These descriptors are chemical or physical characteristics obtained experimentally or predicted from the structure of the chemical.
Relative source contribution (RSC). The factor (percentage) used in calculating an HNV or HNC to account for all sources of exposure to a contaminant. The RSC reflects the percent of total exposure which can be attributed to surface water through water intake and fish consumption.
Risk associated dose (RAD). A dose of a known or presumed carcinogenic substance in (mg/kg/day) which, over a lifetime of exposure, is estimated to be associated with a plausible upper bound incremental cancer risk equal to one in 100,000.
Slope factor. Also known as q Threshold effect. An effect of a substance for which there is a
theoretical or empirically established dose or concentration below which the
effect does not occur.
Uncertainty factor (UF). One of several numeric factors used in
operationally deriving criteria from experimental data to account for the
quality or quantity of the available data.
C. Level of Protection. The criteria developed shall provide a level
of protection likely to be without appreciable risk of carcinogenic and/or
noncarcinogenic effects. Criteria are a function of the level of designated risk
or no adverse effect estimation, selection of data and exposure assumptions.
Ambient criteria for single carcinogens shall not be set at a level representing
a lifetime upper-bound incremental risk greater than one in 100,000 of
developing cancer using the hazard assessment techniques and exposure
assumptions described herein. Criteria affording protection from noncarcinogenic
effects shall be established at levels that, taking into account uncertainties,
are considered likely to be without an appreciable risk of adverse human health
effects (i.e., acute, subchronic and chronic toxicity including reproductive and
developmental effects) during a lifetime of exposure, using the risk assessment
techniques and exposure assumptions described herein.
D. Two-tiered Classification. Chemical concentration levels in surface
water protective of human health shall be derived based on either a Tier I or
Tier II classification. The two Tiers are primarily distinguished by the amount
of toxicity data available for deriving the concentration levels and the
quantity and quality of data on bioaccumulation.
The best available toxicity data on the adverse health effects of a chemical
and the best data on bioaccumulation factors shall be used when developing human
health Tier I criteria or Tier II values. The best available toxicity data shall
include data from well-conducted epidemiologic and/or animal studies which
provide, in the case of carcinogens, an adequate weight of evidence of potential
human carcinogenicity and, in the case of noncarcinogens, a dose-response
relationship involving critical effects biologically relevant to humans. Such
information should be obtained from the EPA Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS) database, the scientific literature, and other informational databases,
studies and/or reports containing adverse health effects data of adequate
quality for use in this procedure. Strong consideration shall be given to the
most currently available guidance provided by IRIS in deriving criteria or
values, supplemented with any recent data not incorporated into IRIS. When
deviations from IRIS are anticipated or considered necessary, it is strongly
recommended that such actions be communicated to the EPA Reference Dose (RfD)
and/or the Cancer Risk Assessment Verification Endeavor (CRAVE) workgroup
immediately. The best available bioaccumulation data shall include data from
field studies and well-conducted laboratory studies.
A. Carcinogens. Tier I criteria and Tier II values shall be derived
using the methodologies described in section III.A of this appendix when there
is adequate evidence of potential human carcinogenic effects for a chemical. It
is strongly recommended that the EPA classification system for chemical
carcinogens, which is described in the 1986 EPA Guidelines for Carcinogenic Risk
Assessment (U.S. EPA, 1986), or future modifications thereto, be used in
determining whether adequate evidence of potential carcinogenic effects exists.
Carcinogens are classified, depending on the weight of evidence, as either human
carcinogens, probable human carcinogens, or possible human carcinogens. The
human evidence is considered inadequate and therefore the chemical cannot be
classified as a human carcinogen, if one of two conditions exists: (a) there are
few pertinent data, or (b) the available studies, while showing evidence of
association, do not exclude chance, bias, or confounding and therefore a casual
interpretation is not credible. The animal evidence is considered inadequate,
and therefore the chemical cannot be classified as a probable or possible human
carcinogen, when, because of major qualitative or quantitative limitations, the
evidence cannot be interpreted as showing either the presence or absence of a
carcinogenic effect.
Chemicals are described as "human carcinogens" when there is sufficient
evidence from epidemiological studies to support a causal association between
exposure to the chemicals and cancer. Chemicals described as "probable human
carcinogens" include chemicals for which the weight of evidence of human
carcinogenicity based on epidemiological studies is limited. Limited human
evidence is that which indicates that a causal interpretation is credible, but
that alternative explanations, such as chance, bias, or confounding, cannot
adequately be excluded. Probable human carcinogens are also agents for which
there is sufficient evidence from animal studies and for which there is
inadequate evidence or no data from epidemiologic studies. Sufficient animal
evidence is data which indicates that there is an increased incidence of
malignant tumors or combined malignant and benign tumors: (a) in multiple
species or strains; (b) in multiple experiments (e.g., with different routes of
administration or using different dose levels); or (c) to an unusual degree in a
single experiment with regard to high incidence, unusual site or type of tumor,
or early age at onset. Additional evidence may be provided by data on
dose-response effects, as well as information from short-term tests (such as
mutagenicity/genotoxicity tests which help determine whether the chemical
interacts directly with DNA) or on chemical structure, metabolism or mode of
action.
"Possible human carcinogens" are chemicals with limited evidence of
carcinogenicity in animals in the absence of human data. Limited animal evidence
is defined as data which suggests a carcinogenic effect but are limited because:
(a) The studies involve a single species, strain, or experiment and do not meet
criteria for sufficient evidence (see preceding paragraph); or (b) the
experiments are restricted by inadequate dosage levels, inadequate duration of
exposure to the agent, inadequate period of follow-up, poor survival, too few
animals, or inadequate reporting; or (c) the studies indicate an increase in the
incidence of benign tumors only. More specifically, this group can include a
wide variety of evidence, e.g., (a) a malignant tumor response in a single
well-conducted experiment that does not meet conditions for sufficient evidence,
(b) tumor response of marginal statistical significance in studies having
inadequate design or reporting, (c) benign but not malignant tumors with an
agent showing no response in a variety of short-term tests for mutagenicity, and
(d) response of marginal statistical significance in a tissue known to have a
high or variable background rate.
1. Tier I: Weight of evidence of potential human carcinogenic effects
sufficient to derive a Tier I HCC shall generally include human carcinogens,
probable human carcinogens and can include, on a case-by-case basis, possible
human carcinogens if studies have been well-conducted albeit based on limited
evidence, when compared to studies used in classifying human and probable human
carcinogens. The decision to use data on a possible human carcinogen for
deriving Tier I criteria shall be a case-by-case determination. In determining
whether to derive a Tier I HCC, additional evidence that shall be considered
includes but is not limited to available information on mode of action, such as
mutagenicity/genotoxicity (determinations of whether the chemical interacts
directly with DNA), structure activity, and metabolism.
2. Tier II: Weight of evidence of possible human carcinogenic effects
sufficient to derive a Tier II human cancer value shall include those possible
human carcinogens for which there are at a minimum, data sufficient for
quantitative risk assessment, but for which data are inadequate for Tier I
criterion development due to a tumor response of marginal statistical
significance or inability to derive a strong dose-response relationship. In
determining whether to derive Tier II human cancer values, additional evidence
that shall be considered includes but is not limited to available information on
mode of action such as mutagenicity/genotoxicity (determinations of whether the
chemical interacts directly with DNA), structure activity and metabolism. As
with the use of data on possible human carcinogens in developing Tier I
criteria, the decision to use data on possible human carcinogens to derive Tier
II values shall be made on a case-by-case basis.
B. Noncarcinogens. All available toxicity data shall be evaluated
considering the full range of possible health effects of a chemical, i.e.,
acute/subacute, chronic/subchronic and reproductive/developmental effects, in
order to best describe the dose-response relationship of the chemical, and to
calculate human noncancer criteria and values which will protect against the
most sensitive endpoint(s) of toxicity. Although it is desirable to have an
extensive database which considers a wide range of possible adverse effects,
this type of data exists for a very limited number of chemicals. For many
others, there is a range in quality and quantity of data available. To assure
minimum reliability of criteria and values, it is necessary to establish a
minimum database with which to develop Tier I criteria or Tier II values. The
following represent the minimum data sets necessary for this procedure.
1. Tier I: The minimum data set sufficient to derive a Tier I human
HNC shall include at least one well-conducted epidemiologic study or animal
study. A well-conducted epidemiologic study for a Tier I HNC must quantify
exposure level(s) and demonstrate positive association between exposure to a
chemical and adverse effect(s) in humans. A well-conducted study in animals must
demonstrate a dose response relationship involving one or more critical
effect(s) biologically relevant to humans. (For example, study results from an
animal whose pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics match those of a human would be
considered most biologically relevant.) Ideally, the duration of a study should
span multiple generations of exposed test species or at least a major portion of
the lifespan of one generation. This type of data is currently very limited. By
the use of uncertainty adjustments, shorter term studies (such as 90-day
subchronic studies) with evaluation of more limited effect(s) may be used to
extrapolate to longer exposures or to account for a variety of adverse effects.
For Tier I criteria developed pursuant to this procedure, such a limited study
must be conducted for at least 90 days in rodents or 10 percent of the lifespan
of other appropriate test species and demonstrate a no observable adverse effect
level (NOAEL). Chronic studies of one year or longer in rodents or 50 percent of
the lifespan or greater in other appropriate test species that demonstrate a
lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL) may be sufficient for use in Tier
I criterion derivation if the effects observed at the LOAEL were relatively mild
and reversible as compared to effects at higher doses. This does not preclude
the use of a LOAEL from a study (of chronic duration) with only one or two doses
if the effects observed appear minimal when compared to effect levels observed
at higher doses in other studies.
2. Tier II: When the minimum data for deriving Tier I criteria are not
available to meet the Tier I data requirements, a more limited database may be
considered for deriving Tier II values. As with Tier I criteria, all available
data shall be considered and ideally should address a range of adverse health
effects with exposure over a substantial portion of the lifespan (or multiple
generations) of the test species. When such data are lacking it may be necessary
to rely on less extensive data in order to establish a Tier II value. With the
use of appropriate uncertainty factors to account for a less extensive database,
the minimum data sufficient to derive a Tier II value shall include a NOAEL from
at least one well-conducted short-term repeated dose study. This study shall be
of at least 28 days duration, in animals demonstrating a dose-response, and
involving effects biologically relevant to humans. Data from studies of longer
duration (greater than 28 days) and LOAELs from such studies (greater than 28
days) may be more appropriate in some cases for derivation of Tier II values.
Use of a LOAEL should be based on consideration of the following information:
severity of effect, quality of the study and duration of the study.
C. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs).
1. Tier I for Carcinogens and Noncarcinogens: To be considered a Tier
I cancer or noncancer human health criterion, along with satisfying the minimum
toxicity data requirements of sections II.A.1 and II.B.1 of this appendix, a
chemical must have the following minimum bioaccumulation data. For all organic
chemicals either: (a) a field-measured BAF; (b) a BAF derived using the BSAF
methodology; or (c) a chemical with a BAF less than 125 regardless of how the
BAF was derived. For all inorganic chemicals, including organometals such as
mercury, either: (a) a field-measured BAF or (b) a laboratory-measured BCF.
2. Tier II for Carcinogens and Noncarcinogens: A chemical is
considered a Tier II cancer or noncancer human health value if it does not meet
either the minimum toxicity data requirements of sections II.A.1 and II.B.1 of
this appendix or the minimum bioaccumulation data requirements of section II.C.1
of this appendix.
The fundamental components of the procedure to calculate Tier I criteria or
Tier II values are the same. However, certain of the aspects of the procedure
designed to account for short-duration studies or other limitations in data are
more likely to be relevant in deriving Tier II values than Tier I criteria.
A. Carcinogens.
1. A non-threshold mechanism of carcinogenesis shall be assumed unless
biological data adequately demonstrate the existence of a threshold on a
chemical-specific basis.
2. All appropriate human epidemiologic data and animal cancer bioassay data
shall be considered. Data specific to an environmentally appropriate route of
exposure shall be used. Oral exposure should be used preferentially over dermal
and inhalation since, in most cases, the exposure routes of greatest concern are
fish consumption and drinking water/incidental ingestion. The risk associated
dose shall be set at a level corresponding to an incremental cancer risk of one
in 100,000. If acceptable human epidemiologic data are available for a chemical,
it shall be used to derive the risk associated dose. If acceptable human
epidemiologic data are not available, the risk associated dose shall be derived
from available animal bioassay data. Data from a species that is considered most
biologically relevant to humans (i.e., responds most like humans) is preferred
where all other considerations regarding quality of data are equal. In the
absence of data to distinguish the most relevant species, data from the most
sensitive species tested, i.e., the species showing a carcinogenic effect at the
lowest administered dose, shall generally be used.
3. When animal bioassay data are used and a non-threshold mechanism of
carcinogenicity is assumed, the data are fitted to a linearized multistage
computer model (e.g., Global '86 or equivalent model). Global '86 is the
linearized multistage model, derived by Howe, Crump and Van Landingham (1986),
which EPA uses to determine cancer potencies. The upper-bound 95 percent
confidence limit on risk (or, the lower 95 percent confidence limit on dose) at
the one in 100,000 risk level shall be used to calculate a risk associated dose
(RAD). Other models, including modifications or variations of the linear
multistage model which are more appropriate to the available data may be used
where scientifically justified.
4. If the duration of the study is significantly less than the natural
lifespan of the test animal, the slope may be adjusted on a case-by-case basis
to compensate for latent tumors which were not expressed (e.g., U.S. EPA, 1980)
In the absence of alternative approaches which compensate for study durations
significantly less than lifetime, the permitting authority may use the process
described in the 1980 National Guidelines (see 45 FR 79352).
5. A species scaling factor shall be used to account for differences between
test species and humans. It shall be assumed that milligrams per surface area
per day is an equivalent dose between species (U.S. EPA, 1986). All doses
presented in mg/kg bodyweight will be converted to an equivalent surface area
dose by raising the mg/kg dose to the 2/3 power. However, if adequate
pharmacokinetic and metabolism studies are available, these data may be factored
into the adjustment for species differences on a case-by-case basis.
6. Additional data selection and adjustment decisions must also be made in
the process of quantifying risk. Consideration must be given to tumor selection
for modeling, e.g., pooling estimates for multiple tumor types and identifying
and combining benign and malignant tumors. All doses shall be adjusted to give
an average daily dose over the study duration. Adjustments in the rate of tumor
response must be made for early mortality in test species. The goodness-of-fit
of the model to the data must also be assessed.
7. When a linear, non-threshold dose response relationship is assumed, the
RAD shall be calculated using the following equation: II. MINIMUM DATA REQUIREMENTS
III. PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TIER I CRITERIA OR TIER II
VALUES