CSC EHS Newsletter: September 2022

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Environmental Newsletter

September 2022

Every day, Clark Seif Clark professionals are deployed across the nation helping both large and small customers resolve health & safety, industrial hygiene, environmental and indoor air quality issues.

At a moment's notice, Clark Seif Clark can send their experts anywhere they are needed. No matter if it's in response to a hurricane, wildfire, flood, tornado or other natural disaster, Clark Seif Clark is ready to help and can respond in no time at all.

USGS and CDC Study Estimates 2.1 Million Americans Using Private Wells with Elevated Levels of Arsenic

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study several years back that estimated 2.1 million people in the U.S. may be getting their drinking water from private domestic wells considered to have high concentrations of arsenic, presumed to be from natural sources.

USGS also reported that much of the West, including Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, are states where it’s believed the most people may have high-levels of arsenic in their private domestic well water. The agency goes on to share that while public water supplies are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), maintenance, testing and treatment of private water supplies are the sole responsibility of the homeowner.

“Approximately 44 million people in the U.S. get their drinking water from private wells according to the USGS,” said Derrick A. Denis, Vice President of Indoor Environmental Quality for Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “Regrettably, many homeowners are unaware of the various simple tests available to determine if their well water is free of elevated concentrations of arsenic or other common contaminants.”

In addition to arsenic, water quality parameters and potential well contaminants are numerous and diverse (e.g. E. coli, Legionella, lead, copper, mercury, uranium, nitrates and nitrites, etc.). Since there are no specific testing requirements for private wells, the environmental professionals at CSC are available to help clients refine the list of analytes to meet their specific needs and concerns. These consulting, testing and monitoring services from CSC are available to identify and assess a wide range of biological, chemical, radiological and physical contaminants.

CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about arsenic and testing drinking water from private wells that can be seen below:

To learn more about this or other environmental, health and safety services, please:

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Mitigating Occupational Exposure Risks to Xylene and Other Industrial Chemicals

Xylene is described by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a colorless, flammable liquid with a sweet odor. There are three forms of xylene in which the methyl groups vary on the benzene ring: meta-xylene, ortho-xylene and para-xylene (m-, o- and p-xylene). These different forms are referred to as isomers.

Chemical companies produce xylene from petroleum and it is one of the top 30 chemicals produced in the United States in terms of volume according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is used as a solvent and in the printing, rubber and leather industries. It is also used as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and in paints and varnishes. Xylene can even be found in small amounts in airplane fuel and gasoline.

NIOSH lists some examples of workers at risk of being exposed to xylene, they include:

Painters and furniture refinishers who use paint thinners, solvents, lacquers and paint removers
Biomedical laboratory workers who use it as a solvent to fix tissue specimens and rinse stains
Workers involved in the distillation and purification of xylene
Workers employed in industries who use xylene as a raw material
Gas station and automobile garage workers through exposure to petroleum products

“Exposure to xylene can irritate the eyes, nose, skin and throat,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “It can also cause headaches, dizziness, confusion, loss of muscle coordination, and in high doses, death reports NIOSH. To help protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and NIOSH has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL).”

The industrial hygiene and environmental professionals at CSC are dedicated to helping companies and institutions safeguard their workers and maintain regulatory compliance through testing, monitoring, consulting and training services. Their professionals identify and mitigate exposure risks associated with xylene and many other hazards in the workplace. CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about xylene and potential occupational exposure risks that can be seen below:

Xylene and Potential Occupational Exposure Risks

To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark: CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both the public and private sectors address environmental issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering making them the preferred environmental consultants to healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.