Background – tyre fires • EU Landfill Directive bans disposal of tyres, whole or shredded to landfill – have to be recycled • 10 large tyre dumps across the UK contain 13m tyres • Total UK annual estimates vary – approximately 500,000t 2011 – Swansea 2010 – Wem (Shropshire) Mexborough (Yorkshire) 2009 – Baglan, Port Talbot • SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH RISK • ILLEGAL STOCKPILING INCREASING PROBLEM Fforestfach tyre fire • Tyre fire at warehouse on industrial estate (16611) • Source material est. 5,000 tonnes of tyre flock • Dark, dense smoke plume • Burned for over 3 weeks • Air quality monitoring established at outset (AQC) • Met conditions varied over time • Plausible that all within a 2km radius were exposed • Novel fire fighting techniques required • Major incident declared
Public Health Wales Fforestfach tyre fire: the public health response Professor David Russell, The WHO Collaborating Centre for Chemical Incidents Public Health Wales Background – tyre fires Health Protection Agency • EU Landfill Directive bans disposal of tyres, whole or shredded to landfill – have to be recycled • 10 large tyre dumps across the UK contain 13m tyres • Total UK annual estimates vary – approximately 500,000t - 2011 – Swansea - 2010 – Wem (Shropshire) & Mexborough (Yorkshire) - 2009 – Baglan, Port Talbot • SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH RISK • ILLEGAL STOCKPILING INCREASING PROBLEM Location • http://www.wales-calling.com/wales-buttons-maps/wales-town-map.gif Public Health Wales Public Health Wales Fforestfach tyre fire Health Protection Agency • Tyre fire at warehouse on industrial estate (16/6/11) • Source material est. 5,000 tonnes of tyre flock • Dark, dense smoke plume • Burned for over 3 weeks • Air quality monitoring established at outset (AQC) • Met conditions varied over time • Plausible that all within a 2km radius were exposed • Novel fire fighting techniques required • Major incident declared Questions; Hazard Identification • What chemicals could have been released? • What are the hazardous properties? Public Health Wales Questions: Hazard Characterisation • What properties of the chemical(s) have the potential to cause adverse health effects? • Do guidelines from international organisations exist for the chemical(s)? • What assumptions are made about exposure and dose? • Do these assumptions reflect the local population? Public Health Wales Sensitive Receptors Areas and specific buildings under plume that may have residents more sensitive to pollutants including • Schools / nurseries (children) • Care Homes (elderly / infirm) • Hospitals / health centres (ill/pregnant) Other Receptors • General Residential Communities • Commercial Properties Schools Sheltered Complexes Nursing Homes Receptors X Question: Exposure assessment • How could people come into contact with the chemicals? • How much exposure is likely to occur? • For how long is exposure likely to occur? Public Health Wales Use Met and chemical data to predict direction and distance travelled by plume incorporating • Wind direction / Speed • Ambient Temperature / Pressure • Chemical Properties • Buoyancy of plume • Rainfall Deposition Used to help site monitors and inform messages and decisions Pathways Health Protection Agency Public Health Wales Particulates • PM10 near source over 6000 μg/m 3 • Peaks above Trigger 1 and Trigger 2 • 24 hour means exceeding Trigger 1 • No 24 hour means above Trigger 2 •Plume shifting with changing wind direction reducing exposure time for each area affected Gases • Odours detected over very wide areas • No values above AEGL 2 Asbestos • Controls for safe removal and disposal of wastes Results and observations . Wales Public Health Wales Fforestfach tyre fire Health Protection Agency • Tyre fire at warehouse on industrial estate (16/6/11) • Source material est. 5,000 tonnes of tyre flock • Dark, dense. Health Wales Fforestfach tyre fire: the public health response Professor David Russell, The WHO Collaborating Centre for Chemical Incidents Public Health Wales Background – tyre fires Health. Agency • EU Landfill Directive bans disposal of tyres, whole or shredded to landfill – have to be recycled • 10 large tyre dumps across the UK contain 13m tyres • Total UK annual estimates vary – approximately