Tobacco Documents Online

D R A F T EPA Shower Study Mac/(m)/Advocate June 92 Folder EPA HITS THE SHOWERS The Environmental Protection Agency has begun an investigation into the potential environmental health risks of taking a shower. A session held recently as part of an EPA investigation into indoor air quality was titled "Guidance to Estimating Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) During Showers." VOCs, which are indeed present in ordinary household tap water, can emit certain gasses when heated. Water is heated for showers, the EPA reasons, and therefore showers may be a fertile ground for the risk-happy agency to practice its particular brand of wasteful government spending. The fact that tens of millions of people have been taking showers daily for decades without noticeable ill effect does not deter the EPA. If there is an environmental risk present in showers, no matter how small, the EPA will find it. Unfortunately, EPA risk assessments -- which all too often lead to EPA regulatory actions -- are based on poor and inadequate science. This was the conclusion of an independent panel formed to assess the work of the EPA's Office of Research and Development. The panel reported to a Congressional committee this year that EPA regulations "are frequently perceived as lacking in strong scientific foundation," and are often based on scientific work of "uneven quality." "EPA science" the panel told Congress, "is perceived by many people, both_ inside and outside the agency, to be adjusted to fit policy." [Emphasis added.] The panel's conclusions come as no surprise to EPA-watchers, who have seen the Agency embarrassed time and again for raising environmental alarms that later turned out to be false. Past EPA debacles include the Times Beach, Missouri dioxin and the alar, asbestos and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) scares of the '80s, all of which have since proved to be overblown. Hopefully, the panel's report will have some impact on EPA policies, and the American public will not have to suffer an EPA ban on taking showers. ###