Will the Ricketts Laboratory be safe for neighboring communities?

Concerns in this area are understandable and every precaution will be taken to confine experimental materials to designated research areas. Quantities of these materials will be measured in milligrams and the facility will be designed so all air leaving the laboratory will be filtered and all items carried or worn will be sterilized. Plus, instead of using the full microbe, much research will use small, non-infectious pieces, such as surface proteins or genes that might be useful in developing vaccines or therapeutics.

Redundancy in the design of equipment for biocontainment will make the impact of systems failure or damage to individual components miniscule. Plus personnel will be trained to be aware of even such small possibilities of release so they can be prevented. The laboratory is being designed to resist fire and storms but, in the unlikely case of damage to the Ricketts laboratory, the cause of that damage would likely destroy or dispersed pathogens to the point where they would not be a danger. Note that the scientists who will be doing and supporting the research will have offices far closer to the research areas than any residential neighbor.

A detailed study of biocontainment equipment, operating procedures, and worker training will be a key part of the environmental assessment being conducted.
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What if there is a release of a biological agent from the laboratory?

The exterior and interior construction of the building, rigid operating requirements, worker training, equipment monitoring systems, and security are all designed to prevent any releases. Multiple levels of complementary and redundant physical barriers and operational rules will be provided so each possible fault will have built-in backups. Even in the unlikely case of a release, the amount of material would be limited because the RBL would store and handle only very small quantities of infectious materials.

Light, oxygen and other environmental elements are destructive to many infectious agents, and such agents are likely to have short survival times outside of the controlled laboratory. Any of the small amounts of viable agents that escaped would likely be dispersed and diluted to levels that would not cause infection.

These factors, plus many others, will be examined in accordance with stringent DOE and NIH requirements in the pre-construction environmental assessment to evaluate risks to people within Argonne's site and to local residents, all of whose homes are at least a mile from the proposed RBL.

The effects of any suspected release, no matter how small, will be managed by a comprehensive emergency management plan that will be integrated with Argonne's existing plans and practices.

In general, emergency response plans for releases of biological agents include assuring the availability of appropriate antibiotics and decontamination chemicals, the availability of specially trained personnel, timely notification and instructions for nearby employees, off-site residents, and local units of government, and prevention of the spread of infection by potentially contaminated personnel and items.

The plan established specifically for Argonne will be similar to those long in-place for a hospital or other clinical facility, with methods of decontamination and treatments for possible exposure on hand for workers and the public for each organism studied in the facility. In addition, employees will be trained to recognize and report any suspected problem and to react swiftly to ensure the safety and security of the facility and its neighbors.
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Have any studies been done on the plume and the area under the plume?

The probability of the release of an infectious agent from the Ricketts Lab is low. However, as part of the Environmental Assessment process, an analysis was conducted of what might happen in the unlikely event that an agent was unintentionally released. This analysis was based on a maximum credible event scenario. The analysis looks at what would happen in a realistic, worst-case situation.

The analysis of the maximum credible event looked at an accidental spill inside one of the BSL-3 labs that resulted in an instantaneous release to the atmosphere of Coxiella burnetii from the building exhaust stack. C. burnetii was chosen as the microorganism to represent all types of BSL-1, BSL-2, and BSL-3 laboratory microorganisms. It was chosen for modeling on the basis of its physical and biological characteristics; its use in this exercise does not indicate plans to use it in the proposed facility.

What happens to bioagents when research on them at the laboratory is complete?

When research on bioagents is complete, they will be destroyed. The RBL design provides that everything leaving the laboratory (air, water, tools, and clothing) would be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized to prevent any infectious materials release. This preventative design includes provisions for necessary disinfection and cleaning facilities. All areas in which hazardous microbes are present would be rigorously and routinely cleaned to protect workers, as well as to avoid cross-contamination that could affect research results.
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What impact will the laboratory have on home values?

The possibility of an effect on property values was evaluated by Argonne’s Environmental Assessment Division and determined to be unlikely. In general, facilities that might be viewed as potentially hazardous by the public can sometimes affect property values in one of two ways: reduced values if the facility is thought to pose a health risk, or increased values due to workers’ desire for proximity to the workplace.

The impact of BSL-3 labs on surrounding property values has not been studied in depth. Therefore, to predict the effect of the Ricketts Lab on surrounding property, value trends for residential property adjacent to BSL-4 laboratories in the U.S. were evaluated. These trends suggest that construction and operation of BSL-4 laboratories in residential areas does not result in lower property values. The construction of BSL-3 labs, such as the Ricketts Lab, is similarly expected to have no effect on property values.
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Have any studies been done since September 11, 2001 on the impact of biocontainment laboratories on home values?

The studies suggesting that construction and operation of BSL-4 labs did not result in lower property for adjacent residential properties were published in 2003.
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Will construction of the Ricketts Laboratory interfere with traffic on roads surrounding Argonne?

The addition of 150 workers during construction and 50 employees during operation will have minimal impact on congestion on the roads to Argonne or at the gates of Argonne. Construction traffic may cause short delays on roadways within the Argonne site.
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What are the benefits to local communities of having the Ricketts Laboratory located nearby?

The Regional Biodefense Laboratories will be centers of research on infectious diseases, targeting both those that might occur naturally and those spread by bioterrorists. In addition to being part of the national biodefense initiative of the National Institutes of Health, it will be a local resource for training first responders and in case of a disease outbreak in the area. In case of an outbreak, it would be used to identify pathogens and as a source of information for the public.

The initiative, itself, is intended in part, to improve state and local health systems and their ability to cooperate with the federal government in response to a biodefense emergency. The University of Chicago's proposal specified educating key public officials and first-line responders, as well as pledging to halt ongoing research work to assist in the event of serious regional or national needs. The plans include direct relationships with state offices and laboratories of public health as well as hospitals in the upper Midwest.

Infectious disease experts in six states are associated with the proposed Ricketts Laboratory, and they would be responsible for maintaining readiness for and responding effectively to biodefense emergencies. These experts include physicians, university faculty, and state and county health officials in the region.
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Would workers at the laboratory be vaccinated?

Yes, where appropriate.
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Can laboratory workers carry infection to the public?

Laboratory workers will observe rigorous safety protocols to minimize the risk of infection. At the end of the day, or to go for a break, laboratory workers will exit the containment areas, leaving all clothing and equipment behind. Upon exiting containment, laboratory workers will remove their top layer of personal protective equipment which will be autoclaved to kill any infective material and then properly disposed. Inner clothing which is only worn in the containment areas is taken off, then sterilized and laundered. In order to now pass through to the non-containment side, the worker must take a shower and then passes through to non-containment areas where they will find their street clothes and can exit the facility.
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How long will it take to develop safety protocols for a biological laboratory such as this?

Strict national protocols already exist. The National Institutes of Health requires that Regional Biological Laboratories be built to the most stringent interpretation of BSL-3 guidelines, and the university's plans conform to that requirement.

Members of the Great Lakes Regional Center of Excellence have substantial experience operating biocontainment facilities and developing the necessary protocols. This will further ensure the safety of RBL employees and neighbors.

Operating and training protocols must be in place before the responsible national agencies can provide certification for operation of the laboratory.
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Will animals be used for testing?

Yes. Often, initial experiments on bioagents can be conducted in animal cells grown in culture. However, understanding how infectious agents reproduce in a living body and cause disease requires studies on whole animals. Therefore, the Ricketts Laboratory has provisions for using small rodents to test the effectiveness of new approaches for prevention, detection and treatment.

New legislation has changed the way scientists can turn new scientific discoveries into new products. The changes include the new FDA animal rule, a significant change in the way FDA approves products. This new rule greatly increases the need for animal research facilities.

The path to FDA approval for drugs against bioterror agents is unique. Controlled studies of clinical effectiveness in humans are impossible, since large groups of people are not typically exposed to these diseases. Instead of relying on human studies, the animal rule allows the FDA to approve drugs that are shown to be effective in two animal models, without clinical trials for effectiveness, under the following conditions:

• Human efficacy trials are not feasible or ethical
• Efficacy is shown in well understood animal models
• Efficacy is substantiated in multiple species
• Human clinical data on safety, toxicity, and immunogenicity is still required

The University of Chicago animal care and use program is accredited by AAALAC International (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care). Moreover, all animal experiments would be approved by the University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which applies the highest standards of humane animal care and use as established by the NIH.
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Will people at Argonne be reassigned to this laboratory or will there be new people hired from outside?

The Ricketts Laboratory will be a "user facility," which means it will have both a resident staff and visiting researchers from elsewhere in the region and the world. Resident staff will be employees or contractors of the University of Chicago, although some may come from Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne employees will be present in the Ricketts Laboratory primarily as scientific users of the facility.
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What kind of jobs will the new facility create? How will applications be taken?

The Ricketts Lab will create employment opportunities in the region. Construction of the lab will directly create approximately 100 jobs and indirectly create an additional 130 jobs during the construction year. During operation, the lab will directly create 30 jobs and indirectly creat an additional 160 jobs.

Lab staff during operations will include administrative staff, scientists with doctorate degrees, veterinarians, research support personnel, and facilities personnel. Staff and visiting users will be restricted to specific types of work and areas within the building, and will require rigorous training to meet strictly enforced safety protocols.

How applications will be taken will be announced when it becomes time to hire. Since some employees will work for the University of Chicago and others for various contractors, we assume that the process will depend on the entity hiring.
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If this is a University of Chicago laboratory on an Argonne National Laboratory site, will the University or Argonne administer it and which would be reporting on its activities to neighboring communities?

The University of Chicago would solely administer the Ricketts Laboratory, working closely with Argonne. The director of Argonne National Laboratory would advise the Argonne and neighboring communities of developments. And NIAID will be a source of information about the most notable scientific accomplishments in the national and regional biocontainment centers.
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What notification policies will be in place to advise residents in case of an accidental or malicious release of pathogens into the air or water supply?

Argonne National Laboratory would promptly notify the DuPage County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security of any significant incident in accordance with its existing DOE-approved comprehensive emergency management plan. Argonne's emergency planning is very closely integrated with the emergency response plans for both DuPage County and the State of Illinois. The DuPage County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security has enhanced capabilities to quickly contact residents in the area surrounding Argonne. DuPage County also has a direct link to the DuPage County Forest Preserve Rangers to initiate protective actions in Water Fall Glen. Further, Argonne National Laboratory has the authority and capability to unilaterally direct the Forest Preserve to take specified protective actions if it is expeditious to do so. The plans provide for response teams and prompt communication with other local and regional governments and agencies. They also provide for an Emergency Press Center to provide information to the media and the public. The press center works closely with an Emergency Response Center manager to monitor and assess developments, and to prepare and distribute communications to employees, the public, and the news media. Employees would be notified of protective actions they are to take via onsite public address system announcements.
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Who would provide emergency services for the Ricketts Laboratory? How would it affect taxes and community services?

Argonne National Laboratory already has fire and hazardous material response capabilities and medical services on its site, and these groups would be the first responders to the Ricketts Laboratory. The University of Chicago Hospitals and other nearby hospitals have appropriate facilities and substantial experience in treating infectious diseases and could be used for treatment, as appropriate.

The Ricketts Laboratory would place little if any extra demand on area hospitals and services. Communities would benefit from training available through the laboratory for their community services organizations which might have to in respond to infectious disease emergencies.

Note that emergency response teams based at Argonne provide support for emergencies throughout the area and, in some cases, the nation.
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What happens if a fire or a tornado were to affect the Ricketts Laboratory, or if the facility is otherwise damaged?

The laboratory is designed to resist natural and man-made disasters. All biological agents will be protected from release by multiple structural barriers, filters and sterilization devices. The conceptual design of the facility, which was required for submission of the proposal, was for a strongly constructed, highly engineered building, which, along with strict operating procedures, minimizes the potential for emissions. Moreover, the final design will be subject to further rigorous evaluation by NIH and DOE and other agencies of all aspects of safe operation, including the building's resistance to damage caused by natural disasters or fire.

The detailed operations and emergency response plans under which Ricketts will operate will require that hazardous materials be secured during tornado warnings. All areas where biological agents might be stored or used will have highly sensitive smoke and fire detection systems for early warning, as well as fire suppression equipment. All of these systems would be electronically monitored by the Argonne Fire Department, whose members are specially trained for response to hazardous environments, and are available within minutes to respond to even the lowest level of suspected problem. In the event of an emergency, a team of experts will be assembled immediately to coordinate the response, including the necessary evaluation of hazards and notification of the public.
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Will work conducted in this laboratory be secret? Will the community be kept informed about the nature of the research being done?

The community will be apprised of research within the bounds of federally-mandated security requirements. No classified work is planned, but restrictions of information could be imposed in the event of a biodefense emergency.

Many of the research results of the laboratory would be published in scientific journals and/or shared within the scientific community so the results can be replicated and applied clinically. Summaries of work supported by the National Institutes of Health are publicly available at its website (www.nih.gov). Communication of research results is an ongoing goal for the Ricketts Laboratory.
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