Another bogus study “Repackaged”

Ryan has filed complaints on these studies time and time again.

On Oct. 24, volunteers with the tobacco-free coalition tested air quality in four eating and drinking establishments in Beaver Dam and compared the levels of fine particle air pollution with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources standards for outdoor air quality.

Volunteers tested venues on a single occasion for 30 minutes each. In contrast, testing protocol for DNR and EPA studies call for samples 24 hours a day over a number of days.

At least this time they admit they are not applying the standards correctly. We have been all through the fact that the DNR/EPA are time averaged outdoor standards and never intended to be taken at the source. Now these are supposedly educated people doing this so it is safe to assume that they aren’t making a mistake as to what standards to apply. This is blatant activism with an attempt to give it scientific legitimacy. The Tavern League correctly pointed to the proper agency and standards.

Biel read a 1997 quote by OSHA associate secretary Greg Watchman, which said that “Field studies of environmental tobacco smoke indicate that under normal conditions, the components in tobacco smoke are diluted below existing permissible exposure levels (PEL) as referenced in the air contaminant standard. It would be very rare to find a workplace with so much smoking that any individual PEL would be exceeded.”

Biel also said that OSHA conducted studies in 1993 and 2003 which downplayed the affects of second-hand smoke in the workplace.

“I personally called OSHA two months ago and talked to the air quality department,” Biel said. “They said there is no new research that would make OSHA change its position from what it was in 1993 and then was reiterated in 2003.”