From the comments (Thank you Zoe):
Journal of Occupational Medicine:
Health Effects of Low-Level Exposure to Formaldehyde
Main, David M. M.D., M.P.H.; Hogan, Theodore J. Ph.D.
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AbstractTwenty-one subjects exposed to formaldehyde (at levels between 0.12 and 1.6 parts per million [ppm]) in two mobile trailers and the remaining 18 unexposed workers of the same workforce were examined by questionnaire and spirometry. Symptoms of eye and throat irritation and increased headache and fatigue were significantly more common among the exposed group than the comparison group. Irritation of the nose, chest tightness, and shortness of breath were also more common among the exposed. Spirometry revealed no decrease in ventilatory function among the exposed workers. The significant increase in frequency of individuals with symptoms indicated an adverse health effect from exposure to formaldehyde at levels between 0.12 and 1.6 ppm. This may have implications regarding the adequacy of the US permissible exposure limit value and suggests the need for further examination of the health effects of formaldehyde in the nonoccupatlonal environment.
(C)1983 The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Remember this:
in Fort Worth and Arlington, District 2.
This is the headline assigned to the study by Ed Ireland, Director, BSEEC, Titan Engineering and the BSEEC toxicologist, Dr. Janet Kester.
Barnett Shale levels of formaldehyde detected by Titan Engineering Air Quality Study: (Titan’s measurements are in ppb where the EPA information is presented in ppm so .12ppm = 120 ppb)
- 69 ppb
- 81 ppb
- 100 ppb
- 114 ppb
- 127 ppb
Formaldehyde in the Gas Patch is nothing new. Williams Transco Comer Compressor Station emits 185 tons of formaldehyde as reported by the Flower Mound blog. There are many other offenders listed.
I communicate with people all across the nation who live in the Gas Patch. The stories are all the same. People with no history of nose bleeds suddenly start having nose bleeds. Other people have eye, nose and throat irritation. There is no need for people to suffer ill effects when these emissions can be prevented by following the recommendations in DRILL RIGHT TEXAS: Best oil & gas development practices for Texas
Formaldehyde in the Barnett Shale
BSEEC and Titan Engineering hid formaldehyde findings in Barnett Shale air study
It seems I need another label: formaldehyde
UPDATE: (Label this LOL) From CHK on Twitter:
ShaleNews @CHKbarnett FWLNA meeting mostly rabble-rousers & malcontents; BSEEC did good job in tough situation; about 100 or so were
Responses to this differ vehemently. Very funny tweets.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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Dang your units of measure sure change alot makes things hard to keep up with so the study was of ppl exposed to 120 ppb to 1600 ppb every day in a closed up trailer house. This study concerns me outlaw trailer houses today.
I can choose to live in a trailer house or not. I have no choice when industry decides to place heavy industry next to my home and turn my community into a toxic industrial zone that pumps toxic compounds into the ambient air day and night.
"individuals with symptoms indicated an adverse health effect from exposure to formaldehyde at levels between 0.12 and 1.6 ppm"
Levels detected by Titan: 127 ppb
The people reading this blog seem to be fairly intelligent. I suspect most know the difference between MILLIONS and BILLIONS. I understand it's a stretch for you though.
Oh, sorry. Let me help out.
EPA said people have adverse health effects at .12ppm which is the same as 120ppb (simple multiplication). Since Titan measured 127ppb in the ambient air then we have a definite health concern.
The real question is where is the formaldehyde coming from? The high numbers are upwind of the compressor station according to the wind readings on the map.
should be easy enough to find out. At the FWLN meeting Ireland said it must be the power plant. What are the emissions from the power plant?
Is there a mobile home park nearby where they leave the doors and windows open all the time?
You can access the emissions inventory for the power plant. Formaldehyde is not being emitted. HARC attributes upwind concentrations to countercurrents. Gee I wonder why this did not occur to TITAN. Isn't it wonderful that every other industry has to abide by emission standards and is even held accountable to such an extent that inventories have to be filed. It helps so much when sussing out lies. I wonder why TITAN never checked the emissions inventory for the power plant or then again perhaps they did. Perhaps this is why they made the ridiculous statement in their report about the formaldehyde coming from the "unidentifiable source" which "could not be identified".
What? The power plant reported no formaldehyde emission in their toxic release inventory?!?! NO!!!
Well, that means one of two things:
1) The power plant is lying and breaking the law by not reporting their formaldehyde releases
or
2) It's the natural gas facility.
Please remember from organizations like OSHA, which have similar numbers for health concerns; these numbers are indicative of an 8 HOUR WORKDAY on 150 pound MALE. These are generally not numbers associated with 24 hour exposure, 7days per week, 365 days per year. We're talking nose cancer, throat cancer, sinus cancer, saw some research that suggests a correlation between brain cancer and pancreatic cancer as well.
I agree with Zoe above (10:14), OSHA type specs. are for healthy male adults in the workplace and do not include the situations of residents including the sick, elderly, children and others that cannot escape in case of an "event"!