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OCT 13 '93 13:23 FROM:BOB JUDD 916-444-3314 T-113 P.06/13 F-344 Tracy Tire Pile Fire The emission estimates fcr the fire were based on the following assumptions: (a) The lower end of the estimated number of tires, six million, was assumed so as not to overestimate amissions, and (b) the average tire weighs about 25 pounds. Thus, about 75.000 tons of tires were consumed in the fire. The primary reference is a recent USEPA report (USEPA, 1997) that addresses emissions from tire combustion. The USEPA report describes a laboratory test that carefully measured the toxic emissions from burning tires under conditions designed to simulate an uncontrolled, open fire of scrap tires. Emissions were reported in terms of pounds of each toxic compound per ton of tires burned. For purposes of comparison with other sources, the study discussed herein focused on 17 highly toxic or carcinogenic contaminants, for which health risk assessment mandates are specified in California's Air Toxics "Mot Spots" Program authorized in 1987 under AB 2588. These contaminants, and their estimated emissions from the tire fire, are listed in Tablel. Other potentially significant emissions not quantified in the EPA report may include dioxins and furans, both highly potent carcinogens. The contaminant emitted in the largest quantities by far was benzene, a known human carcinogen linked to an increased incidence of leukemia and toxic reproductive effects. Benzene is also found in gasoline, and is one of the reasons for vapor control requirements on service station pumps. The contaminants in the list account for over 000 thousand pounds of the estimated tire fire emissions, with the carcinogenic contaminants alone making up 425 thousand pounds of the total. When all organic and metal compounds measured in the test are considered, 4.8 million pounds of emissions are estimated to have been released by the Tracy tire pile fire. This amount does not include various products of combustion, known as criteria pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (C`,)), and particulates (PM10), which were not analyzed in the test burn. 3