Questions and Answers: Soil vapour testing in proximity to 17 Sydenham Street
As with exposure to any chemical, a person’s health risk depends on a number of factors, including:
- • How much TCE an individual was exposed to (the dose);
- • How long the exposure lasted (the duration);
- • How the person was exposed (breathing, drinking, eating or skin contact);
- • Other factors associated with the individual (such as age, health, lifestyle choices, family traits, and other chemicals the person is exposed to).
Health risks can be categorized into acute effects and chronic / sub-chronic effects. Acute effects are those that occur after short-term exposure (e.g. minutes, a few days) to very high concentrations of TCE (e.g. concentrations in the hundreds of thousands of micrograms per cubic meters (μg/m3) or greater).
Symptoms of acute exposure can include drowsiness, decreased memory and perception, visual effects and anesthesia. If TCE is present in indoor air in the study area, it is expected that concentrations would be significantly lower than levels that give rise to acute effects.
Chronic effects are those that occur after long-term exposure, dependent on the levels of TCE (e.g. several years). Sub-chronic effects are those that occur after intermediate-term exposure, dependent on the levels (e.g. several months). These potential exposures combined with above factors may include cancer (from chronic exposure) and non-cancer effects (from sub-chronic or chronic exposure). The main concern with TCE exposure is the risk of cancer. Overall, studies in humans and animals are highly suggestive of an increased risk for cancer in people who are exposed to elevated levels of TCE over long periods of time (e.g. workers exposed to levels 20,000 μg/m3). Cancers that have been associated with TCE include kidney, liver and lymphoid tissue cancers.
The risks of cancer associated with chronic exposures to low levels of TCE are as follows: An air level of TCE at 0.5 μg/m3 corresponds to a one in one million risk of cancer over a lifetime (70-year exposure). An air level of TCE at 5 μg/m3 corresponds to a one in one hundred thousand risk of cancer over a lifetime (70-year exposure). An air level of TCE at 50 μg/m3 corresponds to a one in ten thousand risk of cancer over a lifetime (70-year exposure).
Chronic and sub-chronic effects, other than cancer, are less understood and research is ongoing. Potential effects include those to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, respiratory, developmental and reproductive systems. However, it is generally recognized that cancer is the most sensitive health outcome.
Recommended action levels are many times lower than the levels that have caused health effects in human and animal studies that have been used to set action levels or standards. The recommended action levels are based on the assumption that people are continuously exposed to TCE in air all day, every day for as long as a lifetime (70 years). This is rarely true for most people who, if exposed, are likely to be exposed for only part of the day and part of their lifetime. If time spent in the basement of the house is limited, this would further limit the risk of exposure. These action levels are for the general population, including infants, children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Where needed, remediation measures in homes are usually very successful at reducing the levels of TCE in indoor air.
Results from initial soil vapour testing showed that TCE could affect air quality in some houses in the study area. Based on direction from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MOECP), the City of Brantford together with Consultant Jacobs Engineering intends to conduct indoor air testing in homes adjacent to the brownfield property.
Yes, the City will be providing more information to impacted residents and the community at large regarding upcoming virtual and/or in person opportunities to ask questions of the project team. In the meantime, questions can be emailed to communications@brantford.ca or residents can call the City’s Customer Contact Centre at 519-759-4150.
If you have any questions about the proposed residential indoor air quality monitoring program, please call 51-759-4150 or email communications@brantford.ca and a member of the project team will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you have any questions of the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, please call 226-820-6536 or email jennifer.volpato@ontario.ca.
If you have any questions related to your personal health, please reach out to your general practitioner (GP) or personal health care provider. If required, your health care provider can contact the Brant County Health Unit for additional technical information regarding potential health impacts of TCE at 519-753-4937 ext. 470 or email: EnvironmentalHealth@bchu.org.
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City of Brantford
58 Dalhousie Street
Brantford, Ontario N3T 2J2
T. 519-759-4150
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