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Assessment and Modeling - Air Toxics Risk Assessment Reference Library 

Risk Assessment and Modeling - 

 Air Toxics Risk Assessment Reference Library 

EPA is developing an air toxics risk assessment (ATRA) 

reference library for conducting air toxics analyses at the 

facility and community-scale. This library provides information 

on the fundamental principles of risk-based assessment for air 

toxics and how to apply those principles in different settings 

as well as strategies for reducing risk at the local level. A 

more detailed description of each volume of the ATRA library 

is provided below. 

Volume 1: Technical Resource Manual

Volume 1 discusses the overall air toxics risk assessment process and the basic technical 

tools needed to perform these analyses. The manual, which covers both human health and 

ecological analysis, also provides a basic overview of risk management and communication. 

Other tools (such as the public health assessment process) are described to give assessors, 

risk managers, and other stakeholders a more holistic understanding of the many issues that 

may come into play during air toxics risk assessment and reduction projects. 

Volume 2: Facility-Specific Assessment

Volume 2 builds on the technical tools described in Volume 1 by providing detailed 

procedures for source-specific or facility-specific risk assessments. Information is also 

provided on tiered approaches to source- or facility-specific risk analysis. 

Volume 3: Community-Scale Assessment

Volume 3 builds on the information presented in Volume 1 to describe how to evaluate and 

reduce cumulative air toxics risks at the local level. The volume also discusses other 

multimedia risk factors that may affect communities, and strategies to reduce those risks. 

Community Air Screening How-To Manual 

The Community Air Screening How-To Manual provides a detailed step-by-by step guide to 

help community partnerships use one of the screening level approaches described in Volume 

3 to understand and improve local outdoor air quality. The Manual explains how to form a 

partnership, clarify goals, develop a detailed source inventory, use a risk-based screening 

process to identify priorities, and develop options for reducing risks from priority sources and 

concentrations. The Manual provides a framework for bringing together technical staff and 

local residents to share information, deliberate, and build consensus on priorities for 

Risk Assessment and 

Modeling 

General Information 

Air Toxics Risk Assessment 

Criteria Air Pollutant Risk 

Assessment 

Links to EPA Risk 

Assessment Policy, 

Guidelines, and Related 

Materials 

Technology Transfer Network 

FERA (Fate, Exposure, and Risk Analysis)

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Last updated on Friday, July 20, 2012

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improving local air quality. The Manual places special emphasis on sharing information and 

providing the background education needed to insure that all members of the partnership can 

participate fully in key partnership decisions. 

The ATRA library is an ongoing endeavor and may be revised periodically. EPA welcomes 

public input on the library at any time. Comments may be sent to Dr. Roy Smith 

(smith.roy@epa.gov) or Dr. Kenneth Mitchell (mitchell.ken@epa.gov). 

 

 

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