Report details air pollution from Apex hazmat fire

The North Carolina Division of Air Quality has released its final report on the results of air sampling done near the site of last month's fire at EQ Industrial Services' hazardous waste storage facility in Apex, N.C. The agency found that the concentration of some chemicals detected in eight discrete "grab samples" exceeded average urban air concentrations -- in some cases quite dramatically.

DAQ found methylene chloride, a recognized carcinogen, at concentrations ranging from 0.94 to 2.53 parts per billion, almost five to more than 13 times North Carolina's average urban concentration of 0.19 ppb. The other recognized carcinogens DAQ found at elevated levels were benzyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, ethylbenzene and trichloroethylene. It also found elevated levels of carbon disulfide, a recognized developmental and reproductive toxicant. The fire broke out around 10 p.m. on Oct. 5, and the grab samples were taken Oct. 6 and 7.

DAQ's report says "it should be stressed that no airborne contaminant sampled and analyzed exceeded 0.5% of its reference exposure level," which is the level deemed by regulatory agencies to cause immediate health effects. However, some environmental health advocates question how protective these RELs actually are, since they look at risk from exposure to only one chemical in isolation from other toxicants. In a situation like a hazmat storage facility fire, affected residents are exposed simultaneously to multiple hazards.

DAQ also took wipe samples from the exteriors of buildings near the site of the blaze, with the results of tests on those samples to be released in a separate report at a later date.

In addition, the state Division of Waste Management has received the final report analyzing samples of the ash and sludge left onsite by the fire. "Of these samples, all exceed the regulatory levels for either metals, volatile, semi-volatile or pesticidal compounds," according to yesterday's situation report from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. "All of the waste will be transported and disposed as fully regulated hazardous waste." The state is still awaiting onsite test results for dioxin.

Also this week, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services began submitting for laboratory analysis data from indoor sampling of homes and businesses near the EQ site.

In other news from Apex, investigators with the U.S. Chemical Safety Board have said the fire might have been contained if the Michigan-based company had employed firewalls and other fire suppression devices, the News & Observer reported. CSB chief investigator Robert Hall told the paper, "The design of this facility, when you look at it, was set up more to prevent liquids from spilling than fire from spreading."

Last week state regulators suspended the facility's storage permit -- but noted they weren't questioning the idea of storing hazardous waste in a densely populated community. As Division of Waste Management spokesperson Cathy Akroyd told the News & Observer, "It may sound that way. But really and truly, the purpose is to clarify that they are not to receive any new waste on their site."