Total Human Exposure Concepts – The Only Surprise Here is That People Are Surprised

Via Bob Whitson, we get introduced to a new post over at Rachel’s Environment and Health News about the concepts of total human exposure and microenvironments. It’s a nice summary of the literature. However, I guess what surprises me about the article is why, 20 years after the introduction of personal exposure research, there should be any surprise that the chemical sources closest to us (personal care products, fire retardants and plasticizers released from plastic products, dust tracked into the house, dry cleaning brought into the house) provide the largest contributions to our personal exposure.

Ever since reading about the TEAM (Total Exposure Assessment Methodology) study conducted by EPA in the mid-1980s, I’ve wondered about the effectiveness of the current regulatory strategy embodied by NESHAPs, RCRA, CERCLA, etc. in reducing exposures to pollutants associated with chronic health risks. Maybe the focus really should be on removing indoor sources, such as house dust (EPA’s work on World Trade Center restoration has produced some research on the effectiveness of cleaning methods in reducing chemical exposure), driving higher-mileage vehicles to reduce benzene exposures during refueling, modifying high-fat diets to reduce persistent organic pollutant exposures (as well as creating other health benefits), and purchasing products made with “greener”, lower toxicity materials.

Now that would be an innovative approach to reducing risks. I’m not holding my breath though, that it’s going to turn into any type of program. The existing regulatory programs are pretty entrenched, and are set up to make “progress” (reducing emissions, cleaning up contaminated sites, etc.) regardless of whether or not that progress has anything to do with actually reducing risks.