Containing Toxicity with Policy

1
Containing Toxicity with Policy

• Natural Disaster

2
Chemical Plant Locations

• Are there site regulations for chemical
  manufacturing and distribution plants?
• Interested in the what to do about Katrinas
  toxic soup? Could it have been prevented?
• Is your home in a hazard zone? Do you know what
  to do?

3
Still Unclear

• Do chemical facilities need to be in a location
  less prone to natural disaster?
• There are so many of them
• Laws and standards focus on employees health
  safety, pre-treatment, release into environment,
  accident clean-up, registration of chemicals,
  application, licensing of users, etc.
• EPA inspects sites for misuse and neglect
• It seems to be up to the local zoning board and
  state agencies but not the Federal Government
  until cleanup (see Superfund Sites)

4
Nuclear Waste and Energy Plants

• Highly regulated
• Many federal agencies involved
• Agreement necessary between agencies
• Not everything is known about the effects to our
  environment and the environmental effects to the
  site
• Government tries to prepare for the worst when it
  suits them

5
Site Location Regulations?

• Elements considered for waste. . .
• Time travel to groundwater
• Weather
• Fault and earthquake hazard
• Site intrusion for theft of natural elements
• Site intrusion for chemicals or nuclear product
• Transportation
• Site ownership?

6
People Involved

• Chemical
• Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation
  Board
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• American Chemistry Council (formerly CMA)
• Governor, State Agencies, Tribal Council, Unions,
  Citizens

7
People Involved

• Nuclear
• Department of Energy
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Environmental Protection Agency
• National Academy of Sciences
• Oversite Office
• Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
• NRC, State, and Project Scientists
• Governor, City Officials, Tribal Council, Citizens

8
Benefits

• Nuclear
• Fossil fuel replacement
• CO2 in the atmosphere reduced
• Global climate changes slowed
• If not Milankovich cycles
• Chemical
• Better living Food and products

9
Science-Policy ConnectionsPrior to Facility Set
Up

• Can humans handle the unpredictable nature of our
  climate and other unexpected events concerning
  hazards with preventative policy?
• Can communities determine what products and
  energy source is right for them? Veto industry
  establishment.
• Capitalism vs. Environment