IARC MONOGRAPHS ON THE EVALUATION OF CARCINOGENIC ...

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(a) Air
IARC MONOGRAPHS VOLUME 82
Styrene has been detected in the atmosphere in many locations. Its presence in air is
due principally to emissions from industrial processes involving styrene and its polymers
and copolymers. Other sources of styrene in the environment include vehicle exhaust,
cigarette smoke and other forms of combustion and incineration of styrene polymers
(WHO, 1983).
Styrene emissions reported to the European Union by member countries (Bouscaren
et al., 1987) are shown in Table 6. Air emissions in the USA, reported to the US Environmental
Protection Agency by approximately 1500 industrial facilities, increased from
15 600 tonnes in 1988 to 24 800 tonnes in 1999 (Environmental Protection Agency,
2001a). Based on Environmental Protection Agency (1999) national emission estimates,
the total styrene emissions for 1990 can be allocated as follows: on-road vehicles, 17 900
tonnes (32.9% of total emissions); reinforced plastic composites production and boat
manufacturing, 21 700 tonnes (39.8%); and all other sources, 14 900 tonnes (33.9%).
Ambient air levels of styrene sampled in the vicinity (< 500 m) of seven reinforced
plastic processors in three states in the USA ranged from 0.29 to 2934 μg/m 3 , and those
in communities near the processors (500–1000 m) from 1.67 to 23.8 μg/m 3 (McKay
et al., 1982). Styrene levels of 1.1–6.6 μg/m 3 were measured in air samples from the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Allegheny Mountain Tunnel in 1979. The mean concentration in
the tunnel intake air was below 0.1 μg/m 3 (Hampton et al., 1983). Air concentrations of
styrene in the vicinity of five rural hazardous waste sites in New Jersey, USA, ranged up
to 66 μg/m 3 (LaRegina et al., 1986).
Table 6. Estimated emissions of styrene in member countries
of the European Union (thousand tonnes per year)
Country
Source
Road traffic (gasoline) Chemical industry
Belgium 0.5 0.75
Denmark 0.28 NR
France 2.9 3.4
Germany 2.9 3.4
Greece 0.5 NR
Ireland 0.19 NR
Italy 3.0 3.5
Luxembourg 0.02 0.03 (other sources)
Netherlands 0.7 1.45
Portugal 0.5 0.3
Spain 2.0 1.2
United Kingdom 3.0 3.7
Total 16.0 18.0
From Bouscaren et al. (1987); NR, not reported