Report of the closing session at the set ac conference, potsdam, germany, 24 june, 1992: chemical time bombs
✍ Scribed by G. P. Hekstra; W. M. Stigliani; G. R. B. Ter Meulen-Smidt
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1993
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 697 KB
- Volume
- 4
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1085-3278
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
THE CONCEPT OF CHEMICAL TIME BOMBS
After the opening address and welcome, the basic concept of chemical time bombs (CTBs) was discussed. The participants agreed that the concept of CTBs as time-delayed and non-linear responses of soils, sediments and groundwaters to stored pollutants under changing climatic and land-use conditions is scientifically sound and of great importance in policy-making with regard to use of natural resources, human health and nature conservation. In particular, the provision of safe drinking water, food and even human breastmilk for future generations is at risk.
However, current emphasis is not on the analysis of such potential effects per se, but rather on the sources and sinks of the pollutants and the non-linear processes of storage, demobilization and transformation in soils, sediments and groundwater by physical, chemical and biological means, and on the timedelayed mechanisms that can trigger the release of these stored pollutants.
It was agreed to limit the project on CTBs to Europe, as this area has the longest and most intensive history of chemical pollution and is in need of greater scientific, social and political co-operation. The concept itself can be applied world-wide.
SESSION REPORTS
Session reports were presented by: (1) Chr. Gunner (land-use related CTBs, Annex 1); (2) R. Wijland (sediment pollution in general, Annex 2); (3) D. Bunke (sediment, sludge and water related CTBs, Annex 3); and (4) G . P. Hekstra (soil pollution in general, Annex 4). Sessions 1 and 3 contained invited presentations on CTBs and sessions 2 and 4 included non-invited papers.
Four lines of further co-operation were recognized: (1) the catchment area approach (Danube; Baltic) (2) co-operation across catchment boundaries for similar problems (e.g. landfills; pollution from mining; atmospheric inputs; agricultural inputs); (3) soil and terrain geographical information mapping and data handling and vulnerability assessment of soils and sediments; and (4) development of a common analytical methodology.
A comprehensive proposal from the Danube CTB Steering Committee (Varallyay ; this issue) for a common research programme was submitted in 1991 to the European Community for financing, but as yet has not been financed (Oct. 1993). It was emphasized that analytical results, vulnerability maps and risk assessments should be presented in terms understandable by policy-makers and the general public (Batjes; this issue). A logical sequence is to proceed from mapping, evaluation and assessment to early warning and proposals for remedial action. All countries are encouraged to catalogue and assess hot-spots and critical regions. Countries should also systematically record ongoing research projects relevant to CTBs, as has been done for the (former) Czechoslovakia (Petrovic; this issue).
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Five lines of thought were voiced about co-operative projects; representative papers in this issue are indicated by the first author's name in parentheses.