Abstract

This paper discusses the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) risk assessment of 1,3-butadiene. The assessment focuses on estimation of increased cancer risk to populations living near industrial sources of 1,3-butadiene emissions rather than occupationally exposed populations. Incremental cancer risk estimates based on extrapolation from laboratory animal data are presented. Pharmacokinetic data published since the EPA's 1985 assessment are incorporated, which somewhat alters the earlier assessment of cancer risk. Characterization of emission sources, estimates of ambient air concentrations, and population exposure are also discussed. The estimate presented in this paper of excess cancer cases resulting from point source exposure to 1,3-butadiene is decreased to approximately 40% of the estimate published in 1985 from 6.4 in 10 to 2.5 chances in 10 for a lifetime exposure to 1 ppm. The current estimate is no more than eight additional cancer incidences in the general population. Increased risk to the most exposed individuals is not anticipated to be greater than 1 in 10. This reduction in the risk estimate is due to a change in the estimate of 1,3-butadiene potency (i.e., incremental unit risk estimate) based on incorporation of new pharmacokinetic data.