Toxics in Your Neighborhood
2: Under the “toxics” category- click on the link, “See how your county stacks up”.
List the 6 categories and relative percentage ranking for San Diego County.
1.Total environmental releases: 70%-80%
2. Cancer Risk Score (air and water releases): 70%-80%
3. Noncancer risk score (air and water releases): 60%-70%
4. Air releases recognized carcinogens: 80%-90%
5. Air releases recognized developmental toxicants: 60%-70%
6. Air releases of recognized reproductive toxicants: 70%-80%
Did the results surprise you at all, why or why not?
Yes, since we are up in the 60's to 90 percents in these categories.
3: Click on the “other chemical release and waste management attributes” link. List the categories for which San Diego falls in the Dirtiest/Worst counties in the United States (80-100%). How do you account for these levels being so high?
Land releases, total off-site transfers, total production-related waste, air releases of recognized carcinogens, air releases of suspected carcinogens, air releases of suspected cardiovascular or blood toxicants, water releases of suspected cardiovascular or blood toxicants. air releases of suspected endocrine toxicants, air releases of suspected neurotoxicants. I think it is so high since were on the coast which accounts for all the toxicants in air and in water.
4: List the categories for which San Diego scores well in terms of environmental pollutants (less than 20%). Why do you think the levels of these pollutants are so much better here in San Diego? Explain.
Water releases of suspected carcinogens, Water releases of suspected developmental toxicants, Water releases of suspected gastrointestinal or liver toxicants, Air releases of suspected musculoskeletal toxicants, Water releases of suspected neurotoxicants, Water releases of suspected reproductive toxicants, Water releases of suspected skin or sense organ toxicants. Sinc ewe are near the ocean, we regulate the waters better.
5: Click the back button on your browser to get back to the pollution report card for your zip code. Click on the link “the top polluters” in your county. List the top 10 polluters in San Diego County. What do you know about these companies? What do they manufacture?
1. U.S. MARINE CORPS MCB CAMP PENDLETON
2. NATIONAL STEEL & SHIPBUILDING CO. (NASSCO)
3. WATKINS MFG.
4. SOUTHWEST MARINE INC.
5. SONY ELECTRONICS INC. SONY TECH. CENTER SAN DIE
6. U.S. NAVY NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND
7. DUKE ENERGY SOUTH BAY POWER PLANT
8. SIGNET ARMORLITE INC.
9. CALDERA SPAS INC.
10. ARCO SAN DIEGO TERMINAL
6: Go back to the report card page and click on the “top chemicals released” link, and list the top 5 chemicals released in San Diego.
1.Nitrate Compounds
2.Lead Compounds
3.N-Butyl Alcohol
4.1,2,4- Trimethylbenzene
5.Copper
7: Go back to the report card page and locate the air pollution section. Click on the “How many days a year is your air unhealthy”? link. How many days did San Diego have good air quality? __160__Moderate? ___183_ Unhealthy? ___4__
List the three major pollutants you think are responsible for reduced air quality in San Diego.
CO2, Nitrogen, Methane
8: Go back to the report card page and find the water quality section. Click on the “See how your county’s water quality stacks up” link. What are the two categories and percentages listed?
Percentage of Surface Waters with Impaired or Threatened Uses (state + EPA data): 80%-90%
Number of Impaired Waterbodies (as reported by the state): 70%-80%
9: Scroll down the page and locate the top two pollutants and percentages for (rivers, lakes and creeks) category, the (lakes, reservoirs, and ponds) category and (estuaries, bays and coasts) category. List some ideas as to the source of the potential water pollutants here in San Diego.
Rivers, Lakes and Creeks:
Pathogens 64%
Sediments 36%
Lakes, Reservoirs and Ponds:
Nutrients 100%
Salinity 50%
Estuaries, bays, coasts:
Pathogens 86%
Nutrients 21%
Pathogens: Inadequately treated sewage
Sediments: Eroding land
Salinity: Agricultural runoff
10: Go to the URL: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/. This site is the San Diego County Office of Environmental Health.
Describe the role of this office:
Enhances San Diegan's quality of life by protecting public health and safeguarding environmental quality. To educate the public to increase environmental awareness, enforcing local, state and federal environmental laws.
11: Type or click on the URL: http://www.sdcountry.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/hhw.html. Read the information on “What is Hazardous Waste?” and list 8 common household items that are classified as hazardous waste. How many of these do you have in your house? Indicate which are in your home. (*)
Aerosol Cans
*Automotive Fluids
*Batteries
*Computer, Monitors, Televisions
*Fertilizers
*Fluorescent Lights
*Household Cleaners
Mercury Items
12: Click on the hazardous materials pollution prevention link: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/pollution_prevent.html. In your opinion, what three pieces of prevention advice are the best/most relevant? Why?
Preventing spills and accidental releases- Spills and accidental releases are big and could harm a whole ecosystem or a whole population.
Choosing less toxic alternatives- We are keeping a constant rate of toxic pollution if our alternatives are toxic. Having non-toxic alternatives leads to less toxic pollution.
Choosing products that are reusable- Non-reusable products could be sent to landfills which then can pollute the waters
13: Click on the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Facilities link and list 3 certified disposal sites in San Diego.
California Center for Sustainable Energy
San Diego County Water Authority
California Integrated Waste Management Board
14: Go to http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/chd_hhw_sharps.html. What are sharps? How and where should sharps be disposed of? What are some dangers sharps present?
Sharps are needles, syringes and lancets. Sharps could be disposed of by using a mail-back service for proper disposal. Dangers of sharps are injuries, germs and diseases.
15: Go to http://www.earth911.org/master.asp. Look around the page and do a little research on electronics and battery hazardous waste. What are some of the problems with these types of waste? What are the recycling/disposal options?
Acid leakage would occur for disposing batteries. Recycling options are to mandate recycling for the batteries. Another way is to educate people about the harms of battery disposal.
Conclusion: Write a conclusion about your reaction to this information. Were you surprised? What bothers you most? What are some potential solutions?
After getting all this information about all these toxic pollutants, Its surprising that one of the greenest cities have high amounts of toxic pollutants. I was surprised since San Diego doesn't seem like a very dirty city and our air seems clean. Most of our air toxicants are one of the worst in the US. Some potential solutions are to use alternatives that aren't toxic such as using white vinegar/borax instead of bleach and windex.
2: Under the “toxics” category- click on the link, “See how your county stacks up”.
List the 6 categories and relative percentage ranking for San Diego County.
1.Total environmental releases: 70%-80%
2. Cancer Risk Score (air and water releases): 70%-80%
3. Noncancer risk score (air and water releases): 60%-70%
4. Air releases recognized carcinogens: 80%-90%
5. Air releases recognized developmental toxicants: 60%-70%
6. Air releases of recognized reproductive toxicants: 70%-80%
Did the results surprise you at all, why or why not?
Yes, since we are up in the 60's to 90 percents in these categories.
3: Click on the “other chemical release and waste management attributes” link. List the categories for which San Diego falls in the Dirtiest/Worst counties in the United States (80-100%). How do you account for these levels being so high?
Land releases, total off-site transfers, total production-related waste, air releases of recognized carcinogens, air releases of suspected carcinogens, air releases of suspected cardiovascular or blood toxicants, water releases of suspected cardiovascular or blood toxicants. air releases of suspected endocrine toxicants, air releases of suspected neurotoxicants. I think it is so high since were on the coast which accounts for all the toxicants in air and in water.
4: List the categories for which San Diego scores well in terms of environmental pollutants (less than 20%). Why do you think the levels of these pollutants are so much better here in San Diego? Explain.
Water releases of suspected carcinogens, Water releases of suspected developmental toxicants, Water releases of suspected gastrointestinal or liver toxicants, Air releases of suspected musculoskeletal toxicants, Water releases of suspected neurotoxicants, Water releases of suspected reproductive toxicants, Water releases of suspected skin or sense organ toxicants. Sinc ewe are near the ocean, we regulate the waters better.
5: Click the back button on your browser to get back to the pollution report card for your zip code. Click on the link “the top polluters” in your county. List the top 10 polluters in San Diego County. What do you know about these companies? What do they manufacture?
1. U.S. MARINE CORPS MCB CAMP PENDLETON
2. NATIONAL STEEL & SHIPBUILDING CO. (NASSCO)
3. WATKINS MFG.
4. SOUTHWEST MARINE INC.
5. SONY ELECTRONICS INC. SONY TECH. CENTER SAN DIE
6. U.S. NAVY NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND
7. DUKE ENERGY SOUTH BAY POWER PLANT
8. SIGNET ARMORLITE INC.
9. CALDERA SPAS INC.
10. ARCO SAN DIEGO TERMINAL
6: Go back to the report card page and click on the “top chemicals released” link, and list the top 5 chemicals released in San Diego.
1.Nitrate Compounds
2.Lead Compounds
3.N-Butyl Alcohol
4.1,2,4- Trimethylbenzene
5.Copper
7: Go back to the report card page and locate the air pollution section. Click on the “How many days a year is your air unhealthy”? link. How many days did San Diego have good air quality? __160__Moderate? ___183_ Unhealthy? ___4__
List the three major pollutants you think are responsible for reduced air quality in San Diego.
CO2, Nitrogen, Methane
8: Go back to the report card page and find the water quality section. Click on the “See how your county’s water quality stacks up” link. What are the two categories and percentages listed?
Percentage of Surface Waters with Impaired or Threatened Uses (state + EPA data): 80%-90%
Number of Impaired Waterbodies (as reported by the state): 70%-80%
9: Scroll down the page and locate the top two pollutants and percentages for (rivers, lakes and creeks) category, the (lakes, reservoirs, and ponds) category and (estuaries, bays and coasts) category. List some ideas as to the source of the potential water pollutants here in San Diego.
Rivers, Lakes and Creeks:
Pathogens 64%
Sediments 36%
Lakes, Reservoirs and Ponds:
Nutrients 100%
Salinity 50%
Estuaries, bays, coasts:
Pathogens 86%
Nutrients 21%
Pathogens: Inadequately treated sewage
Sediments: Eroding land
Salinity: Agricultural runoff
10: Go to the URL: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/. This site is the San Diego County Office of Environmental Health.
Describe the role of this office:
Enhances San Diegan's quality of life by protecting public health and safeguarding environmental quality. To educate the public to increase environmental awareness, enforcing local, state and federal environmental laws.
11: Type or click on the URL: http://www.sdcountry.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/hhw.html. Read the information on “What is Hazardous Waste?” and list 8 common household items that are classified as hazardous waste. How many of these do you have in your house? Indicate which are in your home. (*)
Aerosol Cans
*Automotive Fluids
*Batteries
*Computer, Monitors, Televisions
*Fertilizers
*Fluorescent Lights
*Household Cleaners
Mercury Items
12: Click on the hazardous materials pollution prevention link: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/pollution_prevent.html. In your opinion, what three pieces of prevention advice are the best/most relevant? Why?
Preventing spills and accidental releases- Spills and accidental releases are big and could harm a whole ecosystem or a whole population.
Choosing less toxic alternatives- We are keeping a constant rate of toxic pollution if our alternatives are toxic. Having non-toxic alternatives leads to less toxic pollution.
Choosing products that are reusable- Non-reusable products could be sent to landfills which then can pollute the waters
13: Click on the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Facilities link and list 3 certified disposal sites in San Diego.
California Center for Sustainable Energy
San Diego County Water Authority
California Integrated Waste Management Board
14: Go to http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/chd_hhw_sharps.html. What are sharps? How and where should sharps be disposed of? What are some dangers sharps present?
Sharps are needles, syringes and lancets. Sharps could be disposed of by using a mail-back service for proper disposal. Dangers of sharps are injuries, germs and diseases.
15: Go to http://www.earth911.org/master.asp. Look around the page and do a little research on electronics and battery hazardous waste. What are some of the problems with these types of waste? What are the recycling/disposal options?
Acid leakage would occur for disposing batteries. Recycling options are to mandate recycling for the batteries. Another way is to educate people about the harms of battery disposal.
Conclusion: Write a conclusion about your reaction to this information. Were you surprised? What bothers you most? What are some potential solutions?
After getting all this information about all these toxic pollutants, Its surprising that one of the greenest cities have high amounts of toxic pollutants. I was surprised since San Diego doesn't seem like a very dirty city and our air seems clean. Most of our air toxicants are one of the worst in the US. Some potential solutions are to use alternatives that aren't toxic such as using white vinegar/borax instead of bleach and windex.