EPA releases results of manganese study of schools

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wrapped up its study of toxic air pollutants at three area schools in early November, and data released Friday indicates a particularly high level of manganese outside Warren Elementary School on Oct. 22.

However, an EPA scientist said the spike is not cause for alarm.

According to the EPA Web site dedicated to the studies taking place outside schools across the U.S., www.epa.gov/schoolair, 1,170 nanograms per cubic meter of manganese were present outside the school on Oct. 22 - one of 13 samples that were taken at the school between August and October.

The EPA's "safe" short-term exposure level is 500 nanograms per cubic meter. The long-term "safe" exposure level is 50 nanograms per cubic meter.

None of the other manganese samplings taken at the school were above 500 nanograms per cubic meter, and Jaime Wagner, an environmental scientist with the U.S. EPA in Chicago, said there's no need to be alarmed.

"It's not uncommon to see spikes here and there," she said. "It's not the same every day; that's why we monitor for more than one day."

Wagner said an analysis of the findings is currently under way, and this will determine the cause of the spike, as well as the source of the manganese.

"We're looking at meteorological data - wind speed and direction - to figure out a potential source that is causing high concentrations (of manganese)," she said. " The OEPA (Ohio) has been monitoring it for a long time, so we'll be taking their data into consideration, as well."

Wagner said the type of work a manganese-emitting facility is doing on the day a test is conducted can also have an impact on the results.

"One day a facility is doing more work; another day they're not doing as many batches," she said. "That's why we take more than one sample, so we can get a feel, in general, for what is happening."

The analysis is also expected to determine the health-related implications of high manganese levels.

"It's pretty much impossible to see what health impact you're going to be seeing without the analysis," Wagner said. "Just because you have one sample above (500 nanograms per cubic meter), that doesn't mean you'll have health effects."

According to the EPA's Washington County facility report for 2008, there are five facilities in the county that release manganese compounds and three facilities that release manganese.

Eramet Marietta tops the list with 3,659,572 pounds of manganese compounds released, although a majority of that material is caught by systems at the facility and never actually leaves the site.

Trace amounts of manganese are needed in the body, but too much exposure is thought to have effects on the human nervous system-especially in children. Some of the limited number of health studies done on the topic show dramatic mood and movement issues related to intense short-term exposure and prolonged exposure to low levels of the material.

Eramet spokeswoman Joy Frank-Collins said officials at the Ohio 7 plant have reviewed the Warren Elementary data, and they are continually making efforts to reduce manganese emissions at the plant.

"In general, Eramet Marietta is working very hard, and has been for quite some time, to address concerns related to the manganese we manufacture," she said.

Frank-Collins noted that in 2008, the facility rebuilt one of its three furnaces, which significantly reduced manganese emissions. A similar project is currently under way with another furnace at the facility.

She said plant officials are in the process of looking at the plant's Oct. 22 activities.

"We're looking at that date to see if anything happened abnormally that might've caused that spike," she said.

Dick Wittberg, executive director of the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, said he's concerned about the data.

"Eramet is a fine company run by good people trying to bring their emissions down, and I wish them the best of luck," he said. "Until we get science that backs up how much is too much, I will still be concerned."

Wagner said the analysis should be completed by spring. Results from the two other local schools included in the study, the Ohio Valley Educational Service Center and Neale Elementary School in Vienna, W.V.a, did not indicate any manganese levels above 500 nanograms per cubic meter.