Tobacco Documents Online

Another challenge is the measurement of volatile' organic air emissions from hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. RTI developed Method 25D (Code of Federal Regulations 40, Part 60), which replaced more complex, expensive procedures. RTI also developed Method 305 (CFR 40, Part 63), which measures individual hazardous components in wastes. RTI has validated this method for more than 50 compounds, and additional validations are ongoing. Also in 1997, RTI published a new method for measuring volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide in consumer products (NTIS document PB-97-143143 INF). In addition to methods development, RTI is a leader in qunlity assurance. RTI was instrumental in developing, and now using, the Data Quality Objectives zpproach. DQOs specify the type, atnount, and quality of data needed to make reliable environmental decisions. This approach prevents mistakes that might waste effort on oversampling or, conversely, provide inadequate data to support informed decisions. DecWon Tools for Environmental Management When making environmental management decisions, the quantity and variety of information to be considered is overwhelming. RTI decision tools are at work internationally on topics such as river management, preventing toxic air emissions, and choosing environmentally responsible coat- ings (RTI Hypotenuse magazine, May/June '97). RTI is also a leader in risk assessment and economic analysis for environmental manage- ment. RTI helps EPA,offces provide compre- hensive research and technical services in risk-based decision making. Ongoing economic analyses include assessing the benefits and costs of Agency programs instituted under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, TSCA, SDWA, and RCRA. RTI is examining the effects of replac- ing traditional source-specific and media-specific environmental permitting approaches with inno- vative, more flexible, facility-wide permits. RTI is evaluating the benefits of protecting drinking water, the use of innovative environmental management policies, and comprehensive ways to measure environmental quality achievements. In 1997, RTI and the Remedial Technologies Network released the Remediation Information Management System (lrttp: //irwrv. rernedial.corn). Subscribers use this comprehensive library of remediation technologies to explore their options for cleaning up contaminaced sites. such as brow•nfield projects. RTI also released, through the National Academy of Sciences, a decision tool for choosing pavement marking materials that meet engineering, environmental, and worker safety requirements. (NCHRP report 392, http: //unvw. nas. edu /trb/index. htrnl) The River Management Decision Support System, RIMD£SS, is one of a family of PC-based systems that integrate information on water users, waste dischargers, pollutant loading, water quality, hydrology, regulations, treatment costs, and models to analyze data and present results to decision makers. It is being used in three river basins overseas, and RTI is develop- ing applicadons in the U.S., including for North Carolina's embattled Neuse River. Another new tool, WATERB, uses air and water models to estimate organic compound air emissions from water treatment facilides. (See also: clean.rtf.org and cage.rti.org)