N.C. Community Health Study:
Exposure to TDI (Toluene Diisocyanate) and
Respiratory Health

TDI, or toluene diisocyanate, is a chemical used to make many household products, including foam for furniture cushions and some sealants. TDI is released into the environment during some manufacturing and painting activities. The chemical sometimes causes asthma and other health problems in workers who are exposed to it, but little is currently known about possible exposures outside the workplace.

Public health experts from the N.C. Division of Public Health and the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are working together on a 2007-2009 public health study about the chemical TDI. The study staff have collected information in five North Carolina communities that are near companies that use TDI and in five communities that are located farther away. By comparing the results from both types of communities, public health experts are looking for patterns of community exposure and community health, but not the health of specific individuals.

About 400 adult residents are participating in the study. About half live near TDI sources and half live in other areas. The study does not include children.

The study team tested air samples for TDI, asked volunteers for a sample of their blood, and asked them questions about their respiratory health. The volunteers were compensated for their time and will receive the results of their individual tests. Their individual results and personal identifiers will be kept strictly confidential.

The selected communities are in Catawba, Randolph, Guilford and Mecklenburg counties [see maps]. The study team held meetings in each community where volunteers were needed [see meeting schedule]. Representatives from companies that use TDI were also invited to these information sessions to answer community questions.

An advisory panel, consisting of representatives from the medical, public health, and scientific communities; industry; and the general public, was created to advise the study team on local communications issues related to the study and to ensure open dialogue among the stakeholders.

The study activities began in May 2007. The study staff completed the field work in the communities in January 2008. Compiling and analyzing all the collected data will take several months. The study staff will then write a report, which will be thoroughly reviewed by scientists outside of the two agencies. Once the review process is complete, the report will be released to the public. Meanwhile, the residents who participated will receive periodic reports on the progress of the study.

The researchers will also be educating the medical community on how to interpret individual and overall study results for their patients.

For more information

…about the study

• N.C. Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) Community Health Study (English brochure; pdf*)
• Estudio de Salud Comunitaria en Carolina del Norte sobre el Disocianato de Tolueno (TDI) (Spanish brochure; pdf*)
• Answers to frequently asked questions (pdf*)
• Companies and comparison communities selected for the study (pdf*)
• N.C. TDI study protocol (technical; pdf*)
• N.C. TDI Community Health Study Advisory Panel
• Maps of study areas
• Public availability sessions
• NC DHHS news releases

…about TDI

• TDI fact sheet – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

…about the agencies conducting the study

• N.C. Division of Public Health
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Other helpful sites:

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• N.C. Division of Air Quality

Questions? Contact the N.C. CARE-LINE information and Referral Service toll-free at 1-800-662-7030 (TTY for the hearing impaired is 1-877-452-2514).

*Some resources are in a pdf format to make reading and printing easier. You may need to download the free software Adobe Reader 9.0 (or higher) to access them.

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Page last updated on January 23, 2008