Please paraphrase briefly Do not use any paraphrase tools. What are the hazards
ID: 294074 • Letter: P
Question
Please paraphrase briefly Do not use any paraphrase tools.
What are the hazards at brownfield sites?
Generally, brownfield sites cannot have a level of contamination that would place them on either the National Priority List (NPL) or a State priority list. Sites where levels of contamination do not warrant inclusion on either type of priority list are not likely to cause immediate or serious health effects to individuals living or working around them, although they may pose hazards for employees conducting work on the site. As a result, brownfield sites are generally not highly contaminated, however the types and levels of contaminants present can vary considerably among them. When contaminants are present, they may be located in surface soil, buildings or containers (drums, underground tanks), subsurface soil, and groundwater aquifers. The types of contaminants present will depend on the industry or commercial facility that previously operated on the site. According to the 1999 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Case Studies Summary Report, environmental contaminants found at studied sites included petroleum hydrocarbons, lead, construction debris (lead paint or asbestos containing materials), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), treated wood (creosote, cadmium/chromium/arsenic), industrial chemicals, and diesel fuel (Brownfields Title VI Case Studies Summary Report. June 1999, EPA Document Number: EPA 500-R-99-003).
In addition to chemical exposure, the potential hazards may resemble those found on a construction site and could include heat stress; falls from elevated work surfaces; slips, falls, or cave-ins in excavations or trenches; mechanical and impact hazards associated with heavy equipment and hand-held tools; electrical hazards; and noise exposure.
Employee risk is caused by exposure to site hazards and depends on the concentration, frequency, and duration of exposure.
Explanation / Answer
Hazards Brownfield sites:
The environmental contaminants found in Brown field sites are:
The site is prone to hazards are very much dependent upon these contaminants found. These can be explained one by one.
Health effects from exposure to PH depend on many factors. These include the types of chemical compounds in the PH, how long the exposure lasts, and the amount of the chemicals contacted.
The compounds in different PH fractions affect the body in different ways. Some of the PH compounds, particularly the smaller compounds such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (which are present in gasoline), can affect the human central nervous system. If exposures are high enough, death can occur. Breathing toluene at concentrations greater than 100 parts per million (100 ppm) for more than several hours can cause fatigue, headache, nausea, and drowsiness. One PH compound (n-hexane) can affect the central nervous system in a different way, causing a nerve disorder called “peripheral neuropathy” characterized by numbness in the feet and legs and, in severe cases, paralysis. This has occurred in workers exposed to 500-2,500 ppm of n-hexane in the air.
Some petroleum products such as gasoline and kerosene causes irritation of the throat and stomach, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia from breathing liquid into the lungs. The compounds in some PH fractions can also affect the blood, immune system, liver, spleen, kidneys, developing fetus, and lungs. Certain PH compounds can be irritating to the skin and eyes. Other PH compounds, such as some mineral oils, are not very toxic and are used in foods.
One PH compound (benzene) has been shown to cause cancer (leukemia) in people. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that benzene is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1 classification).
Lead is a soft metal that has known many applications over the years. It has been used widely in metal products, cables and pipelines, but also in paints and pesticides. Lead is one out of four metals that have the most damaging effects on human health. It can enter the human body through uptake of food (65%), water (20%) and air (15%).
Lead can enter (drinking) water through corrosion of pipes. This is more likely to happen when the water is slightly acidic. That is why public water treatment systems are now required to carry out pH-adjustments in water that will serve drinking purposes. Lead can cause several unwanted effects, such as:
Asbestos is a silicon-based mineral that is found in various locations around the world. Some common types of asbestos are chrystotile, amosite and crocidolite.
Asbestos was used in all sorts of construction materials. Because it has flame-retardant qualities, it was often found around the heating systems of buildings, such as casings for hot water pipes, roofing shingles, insulation, vinyl floors, and ceiling tiles. It was also used in brake pads and clutch discs in cars.
Asbestos has been linked to a number of serious medical conditions. These all affect the lungs and respiratory system. That is because asbestos is made of tiny fibres that, when released into the air can settle inside the lungs and irritate the tissues in the chest cavity. Because it is so hard to destroy asbestos fibers, the body cannot break them down or remove them once they are lodged in lung or body tissues. They remain in place where they can cause disease. There are three primary diseases associated with asbestos exposure:
Polychlorinated biphenyls, in short PCBs, are a group of man-made chemicals.PCBs are mixtures of various isomers based on biphenyl. There are 209 individual possible PCB variants (also known as congeners). Approximately 100 of these congeners are present in various technical mixtures of PCBs that were produced commercially in large quantities until the late 1970s. Australia banned the importation of PCBs in 1975.
Humans can absorb PCBs by eating or drinking contaminated food, and, to a lesser extent by breathing contaminated air or through the skin.
It is difficult to determine to what extent PCB exposure affects human health, because the people working on the site are exposed to different amounts and mixtures of PCBs, and because they may also be exposed to other toxic substance at the same time. Many studies suggest that there is a link between exposure to PCBs and increased risk of cancers of the digestive system, the liver, and of the skin. Furthermore, high levels of PCBs in the blood may be linked to a cancer of the lymphatic system. PCB exposure may affect human reproduction and may be linked to reduced fertility in women and a lower mobile-sperm count in men. Exposure during pregnancy and breast feeding may be linked to slow infant growth and development. PCB exposure may also be linked to neurological health effects, (such as numbness and headaches), more frequent infections, and changes of the skin
In the various studies it is found that treated wood which are commonly used in industries can spread significant amount of contaminants in the natural habitat and cause serious consequences. A lot of hazardous chemicals found when wood products are treated but creosote, cadmium/chromium/arsenic is very much common.
Longer exposure to these chemical can irritate the lungs. These may cause:
The short term exposure may cause
The long term exposure may cause
The industrial chemical which is found on the site may cause the long term adverse effect on the human body when they are exposed. These chemicals must contaminate the surroundings and will expose to the workers. The adverse effect can be in the form of:
Diesel fuel contains pollutants that contribute to smog and irritation at the site.
Diesel fuel contains significant levels of small particles, known as fine particulate matter. Fine particles are so small that several thousand of them could fit in the lungs on the period of time. These fine particles pose a significant health risk because they can pass through the nose and throat and lodge themselves in the lungs. These fine particles can cause lung damage and can also aggravate conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. They can cause effect on eyes and visibility.
In the ladies they may responsible for premature death. These are carcinogen. Diesel fuel can also contribute to other acute and chronic health effects