Health impacts of the use of secondary and recycled aggregates in building materials

16/06/2009

Health impacts of the use of secondary and recycled aggregates in building materials Broos K, De Brouwere K, Quaghebeur M, Nielsen P, Bleux N, Buekers J, Torfs R

Background » Primary aggregates in Flanders: » Grinddecreet (1993): cease all gravel exploitation by 01/01/2006: ecological reasons » Updated (2001 and 2005): delete deadline from the decree and allow exploitation „under certain conditions‟ associated with „quota‟ (decrease in time)

» Sustainable use of primary and secondary raw materials » top priority of the Flemish government

16/06/2009 Vertrouwelijk – © 2009, VITO NV – Alle rechten voorbehouden

2

Potential substitutes for natural gravel Recycled aggregates: produced from processing material previously using in construction

Secondary aggregates: secondary materials arising from industrial processes

Example: concrete rubble, mixed concrete and mansonry rubble, bituminous rubble

Example: stony thermal residues such as metallurgical slags, bottom ashes from waste incinerators (MSWI)

Steel slags

Mixed concrete and mansonry rubble

Secondary raw materials 16/06/2009 Vertrouwelijk – © 2009, VITO NV – Alle rechten voorbehouden

3

Legislation » VLAREA (Flemish waste legislation) » legal framework for the valorisation of several waste streams whilst protecting the environment (soil/groundwater). » limits defined for leaching of metals

» Specific legislation for public health + guidelines for occupational health and safety (ARAB) do exist, HOWEVER…

Impacts of use of secondary raw materials (= recylced and secondary aggregates) on human health are rarely (or not) assessed.


4

Goals of this study Development of a decision-support methodology for the use of secondary and recycled aggregates in building materials 1. Overview of current and potential use of gravel substitutes and prioritising of applications necessary for further riskanalysis 2. Development of risk-analysis methodology to assess the risk during: » » »

Production stage Construction stage User stage

3. Several case studies to define the exposure and risks in order to validate and improve the risk-analysis methodology


5

PART 1: Overview and prioritising Aggregates

Ready-mix concrete

Pb-slags

CP for RI X

CP for BB

Asphalt

Unbound

N(x)

N

N

Cu-slags

N

X

X

N

N

FeMo-slags

N

X

X

N

N

LD-slags

N

X

X

N

X

Stainless steel-slags

N

X

X

X

N

MSWI-bottom ash

N

X

X

N

X

E-bottom ash

N

X

X

N

N

X

N

X

Concrete rubble

X

Mixed concrete and mansonry rubble

N

X

X

N

X

Bituminous rubble

N

N

N

X

X


6

PART 2: Exposure pathways and risks Direct inhalation Fine dust (TSP, PM4)

Metals in fine dust

Oral ingestion and skin contact cannot be excluded but are considered less dominant


7

PART 2: Exposure & risk assessment “Personal monitoring”

“Place/Process monitoring”

Individual

Process specific Practical Allows extrapollation

Source of fine dust? Personal behaviour Access to companies/factories

Detailed exposure scenarios needed

ADV

DISADV


8

PART 2: How to measure exposure? Asphalt production

3 „life stages‟ are considered:

Construction stage User stage

Production stage On-site measurments

Lab controlled measurements


9

PART 2: Dust measurements 8000

TSP PM4

4000

2000


9/ ap r

8/ ap r

7/ ap r

6/ ap r

5/ ap r

4/ ap r

3/ ap r

0

2/ ap r

µg/m³

6000

10

PART 2: Risk-analysis methodology Identification of processes in the lifecycle with potential exposure

Process 1

Process 2

(e.g. drilling)

(e.g. polishing)

…

Process X

For each process: 1. Determine emissions – immissions 2. Determine duration of exposure

Integration of the exposure over time across the various processes

3. Describe work conditions and protective material 4. Identification of the measurements needed

Measurement campaign


11

PART 2: How to evaluate the risk? Process 1

∑ “Total Exposure”

Process 2 Process 3 Process 4

Risk-evaluation Exposure limits for the general public OR

Exposure limits for workers OR

population limits

occupational limits

(yearly averages)

(8-hour average)

Carcinogenic metals are expressed as „a chance to develop cancer‟ (life time) 16/06/2009 Vertrouwelijk – © 2009, VITO NV – Alle rechten voorbehouden

12

PART 2: Different exposure limits (Ni) Source

Country/Regio

OEL (mg/m3)

Units

ICMM

The Netherlands/ Decos

0.05

8u TWA

UK HSE

0.5

8u TWA

USA ACGIH

1.5

8u TWA

ARAB

Belgium

1

8u TWA

RAR

EU

1

8u TWA

OSHA

USA

1

10u TWA

Source

Country/Regio

PEL (mg/kg)

Units

Remarks

EC

EU

2.084*10-3

yearly

Recalculated from daily

Source

Country/Regio

Cancer risk

Units

Remarks

3.8*10-4

Per µg/m³ (Life long)

Inhalation/lungcancer

IARC WHO

Remarks

NIPERA, 1996; onder discussie in SCOEL


13

PART 3: Test cases measurements - extrapolations - literature

Exclusively measurement (personal monitoring)

No cases

Place/process measurements of dust amounts and metals Literature/exposure scenarios

Production stage: concrete rubble in CP for RI

Measurement of metals in dust

Measurements of metals in products/sec raw materials

Literature data on amounts of dust

Literature data on dust

Literature/ exposure scenarios

Literature/ exposure scenarios

Construction stage: steel slags in CP for RI

User stage: non ferro slags in CP for BB


Exclusively Literature data

14

Data interpretation

Occupational Limit

Population exposure: User stage Sec raw mat Popluation exposure: User stage Prim aggregates

Population Limit

- Exposure scenario - Personal exposure data - Literature data on dust

Occupational exposue Construction Sec raw mat Occupational exposure Construction Prim aggregates

Exposure scenario

Occupational exposure Production Sec raw mat Occupational exposure Production Prim aggregates

Background

“mg/m3” OR “mg/kg bw/y” OR “chance to develop cancer” 16/06/2009 Vertrouwelijk – © 2009, VITO NV – Alle rechten voorbehouden

15

Acknowledgements » Grindcomité

» WTCB and OCW

» All companies helping out with the case studies (anonymous)


16

Health impacts of the use of secondary and recycled aggregates in building materials

Recommend Documents