Controlling Environmental Risks from Chemicals: Principles and Practice

Commercial chemicals contribute to our social welfare, yet can pose serious problems for the environment. How do we recognise these problems? How do we manage them? How do we objectively balance environmental risks with social benefits? This book describes the principles and practices of ecological risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis, asking key but challenging questions such as ‘what are we trying to protect?' and ‘how do we undertake a cost-benefit analysis?'. It also shows how these principles are written into legislation. The emphasis is on the EU Directives and Regulations, with a chapter on the instruments and institutions involved; but this is balanced by a review of US and International policies and legislation. In conclusion, the discussion returns to the question of attempting to balance risks with benefits, particularly in the context of the development of sustainable and globally practicable chemical control policies. The text is supplemented by a glossary that defines the inevitably large number of abbreviations and acronyms used by environmental policy-makers and regulators. The book is intended for all those who have an interest in industrial chemicals, but who need an overview of pollution and pollution control issues. It will provide an excellent reference tool for undergraduates in Environmental Science, and Policy-Makers and Environmental Consultants in the areas of ecology, ecotoxicology and risk assessment.