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Important Facts for Chloroform in Outdoor Air

Definition

Mean of modeled annual average chloroform concentration for census tracts in a county, using 2017 NATA data

Numerator

Modeled mean chloroform concentration in micrograms per cubic meter

Denominator

N/A

Why Is This Important?

Most of the chloroform in the environment is man-made; it is used to make coolants, as a fumigant for grain, and as a dry cleaning spot remover. Other sources of chloroform emissions include: pharmaceutical manufacturing, cooling towers, the bleaching of pulp at pulp and paper mills with chlorine, bleach used for domestic cleaning and laundry, combustion of gasoline, and air stripping towers. Low-level exposure to chloroform could result in dizziness, tiredness and headache. Exposure to higher concentrations is suspected to cause liver and kidney tumors. Chloroform is classified as a possible human carcinogen.

How Are We Doing?

All New Jersey counties exceed the health benchmark of 0.043 micrograms of chloroform per cubic meter of air. The highest ambient air concentration can be found in Bergen, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem, and Somerset Counties.

What Is Being Done?

In 1979, NJDEP adopted a regulation that specifically addressed air toxics emissions. This rule (Control and Prohibition of Air Pollution by Toxic Substances) listed 11 Toxic Volatile Organic Substances (TVOS) and required that sources emitting those TVOS to the air should register with the Department and demonstrate that they were using state-of-the-art controls to limit their emissions. Industrial facilities that emit this chemical must obtain permits from the NJDEP Air Program and are also subject to state and federal air pollution control technology requirements.
The information provided above is from the Department of Health's NJSHAD web site (https://nj.gov/health/shad). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 4:22:46 from Department of Health, New Jersey State Health Assessment Data Web site: https://nj.gov/health/shad ".

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