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Air Toxics Emission Inventory Background Health Effects Information

The following link allows viewing of the full report, summarize the estimated top 10 most emitted hazardous air pollutants, and summarize pertinent health data and efforts to capture village emissions:

Estimated Top Ten Emitted Hazardous Air Pollutants by Tons of Pollutant Emitted Per Year:

  1. Toluene (PDF)
  2. Xylenes (PDF)
  3. Benzene (PDF)
  4. Formaldehyde (PDF)
  5. Perchloroethylene/Tetrachloroethylene (PDF)
  6. Hydrochloric Acid (PDF)
  7. Hexane (PDF)
  8. Methyl Ethyl Ketone (PDF)
  9. Methanol (PDF)
  10. Ethyl Benzene (PDF)

Top Toxic Hazardous Air Pollutants:

  • Class A Carcinogens - The EPA considers Class A carcinogens as pollutants with adequate human data indicating the chemical causes cancer in people. Class B1 carcinogens have some human data and sufficient animal data to indicate its potential to cause cancer. Class B2 carcinogens have limited to no human data, but sufficient animal data to indicate its potential to cause cancer.
  • Non-Cancer Effects - This ranking is based on EPA's Reference Concentration (RfC). A RfC is an estimate of a continuous inhalation exposure concentration that is likely to be without risk of negative effects during a lifetime (includes sensitive subgroups).
  • Minimum Risk Levels (MRLs) - This ranking is based on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's ranking of non-cancer effects. An MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without risk of adverse noncancer health effects over a given time of exposure. This ranking is analogous to the EPA's reference concentration.

Alaskan Villages

  • The emission inventory did not estimate emissions from Alaskan villages. We did not have the data or resources to summarize potential air toxics emissions in Alaskan villages. We produced an Alaska Inventory Tool to use local knowledge and EPA tested science to estimate emissions in Alaska villages.

Ongoing Activities:

  • DEC plans to maintain the summary information in the 1999 Air Toxics Emission Inventory. This includes keeping the website and inventory tool updated and available. DEC is also seeking funds to assist in determining the contribution of diesel exhaust to respiratory problems in Bush Alaska.

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