[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 61133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24420]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[ATSDR-245]


Availability of an Update to the ATSDR Policy Guideline for 
Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds in Residential Soil

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of an Update to the 
ATSDR Policy Guideline for Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds in 
Residential Soil at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxpro2.html and http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/dioxin/policy.

DATES: The policy update will be available on or about September 30, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: The document will be available on ATSDR's Web site at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxpro2.html as Appendix B of the Toxicological 
Profile for Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/dioxin/policy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Tom Sinks, Office of the Director, 
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop F-61, 1600 
Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (888) 422-8737.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This update replaces Appendix B in the 
Toxicological Profile for Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) 
(December, 1998). It also supersedes ATSDR's releases of the former 
policy as contained in the following publications: De Rosa CT et al. 
1997; J Clean Technol Environ Toxicol & Occup Med 6(2):117-163, and De 
Rosa CT et al. 1999; Toxicol Ind Health 15(6):552-576.
    The purpose of this update is to ensure that ATSDR health assessors 
evaluate dioxin levels that exceed the ATSDR established screening 
level of 0.05 ppb as described in the ATSDR Public Health Assessment 
Guidance Manual (PHAGM) (ATSDR 2005). When following the PHAGM, 
assessors should use the 0.05 ppb value as the comparison value. The 
comparison value is not, however, a threshold for toxicity and should 
not be used to predict adverse health effects (ATSDR 2005).
    This update does not signal a change in ATSDR's scientific 
assessment on dioxin toxicity or a change in the ATSDR Minimal Risk 
Level (MRL). Moreover, the update does not change the assessment of 
risk associated with dioxin soil levels up to 1 ppb--the level U.S. EPA 
has set as a preliminary remediation goal for residential soils (EPA 
1998).

    Dated: October 9, 2008.
Ken Rose,
Director, Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, National Center 
for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 
Registry.
[FR Doc. E8-24420 Filed 10-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P