[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51786-51787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22102]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Information Relevant to Toluene Exposure

AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health 
and Human Services (DHHS).

[[Page 51787]]


ACTION: Notice of request for comments and information relevant to 
occupational exposure to toluene.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NIOSH is reviewing the recommendations in its document 
``Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to 
Toluene'' [NIOSH 1973] (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/73-11023.html). A 
review of recent literature indicates that the NIOSH recommended 
exposure limit (REL) of 100 ppm as an 8-hr time-weighted average (TWA) 
does not sufficiently protect workers from the adverse effects of 
exposure to toluene. NIOSH is requesting (1) comments and information 
relevant to the evaluation of the health risks associated with 
occupational exposure to toluene, (2) reports or other data that 
demonstrate adverse health effects in workers exposed to toluene at or 
below the NIOSH REL, and (3) information pertinent to establishing a 
more protective REL for toluene.
    Comments concerning this notice must be received within 60 days 
after date of publication.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be transmitted either electronically to 
[email protected], by facsimile to 513/533-8230, or by regular mail 
or hand delivery to NIOSH Docket Office, M/S C-34, Robert A. Taft 
Laboratories, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226. E-mail 
attachments should be formatted as WordPerfect 7/8/9 or Microsoft Word.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henryka Nagy, M/S C-32, Robert A. Taft 
Laboratories, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, 513/533-
8369.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the document ``Criteria for a Recommended 
Standard: Occupational Exposure to Toluene'' [NIOSH 1973] (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/73-11023.html), NIOSH recommended that exposure to 
toluene be limited to 100 ppm as an 8-hr TWA. This exposure limit was 
expected to prevent acute and chronic effects on the central and 
peripheral nervous system from exposures to toluene. NIOSH has 
conducted a literature review of the health effects data on toluene 
exposure and finds evidence that adverse effects on the central and 
peripheral nervous systems and reproductive system, as well as 
irritation of the eye and respiratory tract may occur in workers 
exposed to concentrations at and below the current NIOSH REL of 100 ppm 
[Andersen et al. 1983; Larsen and Leira 1988; [Oslash]rb[aelig]k and 
Nise 1989; Foo et al. 1990; Ng et al. 1992; ATSDR 2000; NEG 2000].
    NIOSH seeks to obtain materials, including published and 
unpublished reports and research findings, to evaluate the possible 
health risks of occupational exposure to toluene at concentrations 
below 100 ppm. Examples of requested information include, but are not 
to be limited to, the following:
    1. Identification of industries or occupations in which exposures 
to toluene may occur.
    2. Trends in production, use, and import of toluene over the past 
10 years.
    3. Description of work tasks and scenarios with a potential for 
exposure to toluene.
    4. Current occupational exposure concentrations in various types of 
industries and jobs and, if available, data to document these 
concentrations.
    5. Case reports or other health data that demonstrate adverse 
health effects in workers exposed to toluene, or animal data (published 
or peer-reviewed data are preferred).
    6. Description of work practices and engineering controls used to 
reduce or prevent workplace exposure.
    7. Educational materials for worker safety or training on the safe 
handling of toluene.
    8. Data pertaining to the technical feasibility of establishing a 
more protective REL for toluene.
    NIOSH will use this information to determine the need for 
developing new recommendations for reducing occupational exposure to 
toluene.
    All information received in response to this notice will be 
available for public examination and copying at the NIOSH Docket 
Office, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.

References

Andersen I, Lundqvist GR, Molhave L, Pedersen OF, Proctor DF, 
V[aelig]th M, Wyon DP [1983]. Human response to controlled levels of 
toluene in six-hour exposures. Scand J Work Environ Health 9:405-418.
ATSDR [2000]. Toxicological profile for toluene (update). Atlanta, GA: 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Foo SC, Jeyaratnam J, Koh D [1990]. Chronic neurobehavioural effects of 
toluene. Br J Ind Med 47:480-484.
Larsen F, Leira HL [1988]. Organic brain syndrome and long-term 
exposure to toluene: a clinical, psychiatric study of vocationally 
active printing workers. J Occup Med 30(11):875-878.
NEG [2000]. Toluene. Stockholm, Sweden: The Nordic Expert Group for 
Criteria Documentation of Health Risks from Chemicals.
Ng TP, Swee CF, Yoong T [1992]. Risk of spontaneous abortion in workers 
exposed to toluene. Br J Ind Med 49:804-808.
NIOSH [1973]. Criteria for a recommended standard occupational exposure 
to toluene. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and 
Welfare, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHEW (NIOSH) Publication 
No. 73-11023.
[Oslash]rb[aelig]k P, Nise G [1989]. Neurasthenic complaints and 
psychometric function of toluene-exposed rotogravure printers. Am J Ind 
Med 16:67-77.

    The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been 
delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining 
to announcements of meetings and other committee management 
activities, for both CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and 
Disease Registry.

    Dated: July 23, 2003.
Alvin Hall,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-22102 Filed 8-26-03; 10:03 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P