Description: To support emergency response decisions and ensure the safety of responders and the public after an unanticipated chemical release, EPA researchers developed Provisional Advisory Levels (PALs). PALs are tiered risk values developed for oral and inhalation exposures to high priority chemicals, including toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents. They are not “safe” levels of exposure – PALs represent exposure scenarios wherein effects of varying severity should be expected to occur; similar to Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs). PALs are derived using peer reviewed risk assessment methods; they specifically address short term oral and inhalation exposures associated with emergency situations. Three tiers (PAL1, PAL2, and PAL3), distinguished by the severity of expected health outcomes, are developed for 24-hour, 30-day, and 90-day durations of exposure. These risk values can be requested from EPA ORD’s Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. The PALs Technical Brief and Standing Operating Procedure are available for download. This set of chemicals represents the list for which ORAL PALs values are available.
Number of Chemicals: 46