ALTERNATIVE GUIDELINE LIMITS FOR CHEMICALS WITHOUT ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE PLANNING GUIDELINES

Emergency Response Planning Guideline (ERPG) values are the only well- documented exposure limits developed to date specifically for use in e valuating the health consequences of exposure of the general public to accidental releases of extremely hazardous chemicals. Because ERPG va lues have so far been developed for relatively few chemicals, there is a need for alternative guidelines to be used for other chemicals. The objective of this work was to provide consistent methodology for the selection of reasonable interim values for these chemicals until such time as official ERPGs are developed. Most of the commonly available p ublished and documented concentration-limit parameters were considered . ERPG values should be used as the primary guidelines for chemical em ergency planning. Alternatives are recommended for use when ERPGs are not available. The parameters are to be used in the order presented, b ased on availability for the chemical of interest. Though these concen tration limits were developed for different purposes, and were intende d specifically for occupational use, no other options were available. Nonoccupational populations include the young, the aged, and other hyp ersensitive individuals. For each chemical, the adoption of alternativ es to ERPGs should be carefully evaluated.