The key to communicating with the public lies not in simply explaining the technical hazards but also in understanding and responding to the sources of people’s outrage. Public communication does not end with the distribution of right‐to‐know information. To the contrary – as more and more community members acquire information – the tendency is to want more input into the entire process of risk management. Industry must be ready not only to communicate but also to share decision‐making power with local communities. Such efforts will succeed only if community involvement becomes an integral part of the facility’s day‐to‐day routine and of the company’s culture. Building good relationships with the public takes time. However, it is these relationships that will bring trust and credibility to the company. This does not mean that there will never be conflict, but it does mean that the facility will not be starting from ground zero when attempting to explain complex, technical information about health, environmental, and safety risks to the public.
Environmental Information Access on the Internet
The Internet offers instant access to a wealth of resources for environmental (as well as chemical and other) information. The Internet makes available many materials that can be useful for environmental risk assessment and risk management. Not all sources are equally valuable, however. Section 5.6.2 gives some important caveats to those who use data from the following sources:
- Searchable databases of federal, state and local government regulations
- Technical information from universities and research organizations
- Data on chemical and environmental trends and specific events, as reported by hundreds of corporations and analyzed by trade associations, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations
- Enforcement and inspection guidance, and penalty alternatives offered by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
- Product listings and capability statements from providers of environmental and chemical engineering support services, and directories of such firms
- Links to material exchanges, as well as pollution prevention techniques and other resources for reducing the costs and liabilities associated with the handling, release, and disposal of hazardous materials
- Online news services
- Publications, meeting announcements, and other opportunities for professional exchange
Following are some of the best environmental resources available on the Web, as well as lesser known but incredibly valuable sites for data to support environmental and chemical decision‐making, models and resources available from regulatory agencies, assistance with outreach and public communication, and environmental publications (Bolstridge 2003).
Internet Sources
EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System
http://www.epa.gov/iriswebp/iris/index.html. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) is EPA’s database of dose–response data on human health effects from chemical exposure. The searchable database contains information on more than 500 substances and is intended for use in cancer risk assessments, decision‐making, and regulatory activities (USEPA 2005).
EPA Chemical Accident Histories and Investigations
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oswer/ceppoweb.nsf/content/preventingaccident.htm. This page permits accessing documents and reports on recent chemical accidents, investigations by the EPA Chemical Accident Investigation Team, and Incident Summaries by the National Response Center, as well as related advisories and notices. EPA’s Accidental Release Information Program database contains information on accidental releases of hazardous chemicals that have occurred in the United States at fixed facilities between 1986 and 2000. Facilities are asked by EPA Regional Offices to complete a questionnaire of 23 questions about the facility, the incident’s circumstances and causes, any control and prevention practices and technologies that were in place prior to the event, and changes made as a result of the release. The questionnaire focuses on accident prevention, including hazards assessment, training, emergency response, public notification procedures, mitigation techniques, and prevention equipment and controls. The entire database (in compressed format) can be downloaded and searched using any database program that can handle dbase format files. A copy of the questionnaire and a data dictionary to explain the database fields are also included in the compressed file.
International Toxicity Estimates for Risk database
http://www.tera.org/iter. Integrated Risk Information System database is a compilation of human health risk values for more than 500 chemicals that have been identified as environmental concerns by health organizations around the world. Values for actual risks (e.g. noncancer oral; cancer, oral; noncancer inhalation; cancer, inhalation) can be obtained for any listed chemical, as well as detailed information on the study or research that generated the risk value reported, including information on peer review and detailed bibliographic references.
AIRNow’s Links to Real‐Time Air Pollution Data
http://www.epa.gov/airnow. This site provides access to national air quality information, including air quality forecasts and real‐time air quality for over hundred US cities. Local air quality forecasts are available, as well as links to state and local websites that provide real‐time air quality monitoring and forecasting data. Each state/local Internet site provides different types of information, but much is focused on the urban areas’ ozone and air quality indices that are commonly reported in the news media.
Air and Waste Management Association’s State Agency Listing
http://www.awma.org/resources/gad/state.htm. The Air and Waste Management Association site provides links to state agencies involved in environmental regulations and compliance enforcement.
Acid Rain, Atmospheric Deposition and Precipitation Chemistry
http://btdqs.usgs.gov/acidrain. The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Atmospheric Deposition Program and National Trends Network collects data from 220 sites throughout the United States to determine if regulatory actions to reduce air pollution are improving the quality of precipitation. There is a five‐ to six‐month time lag between data collection and availability of results, as would be expected when laboratory analysis is required. Online data access requires completing a form and providing the requestor’s name and address and the intended use of the data. Data are collected for daily precipitation, field and laboratory pH, and weekly, monthly, and annual average concentrations and dry deposition data for sulfate (SO4), nitrate (NO3), ammonia (NH4), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), and nitrogen (N) from NO3 and NH4.
Predict Mixed Chemicals’ Reactions
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/chemaids/react.html. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Chemical Reactivity worksheet is a free software package that contains reactivity data on 4000 chemicals and determines reactivity effects of accidental mixing of chemicals. Based on the classification of the chemical into one or more reactive groups, the software predicts the kind of reactivity likely to occur when members of the groups are mixed together. It does not limit the number of chemicals that can be selected to be mixed, but it becomes less effective for more than 10 chemicals.
Model an Oil Spill
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/software/gnome/gnome.html. NOAA provides software that allows a scenario for an oil spill to be specified. The General NOAA Oil Modeling Environment model produces a predicted trajectory of the spill, using data on tides and currents.
Hazards Analysis for Toxic Substances, Version 3
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oswer/ceppoweb/content/ds‐epds.htm#hats. Hazards analysis for toxic substances is a menu‐driven screen‐show presentation for emergency planners and responders. It introduces EPA’s Emergency Planning and Community Right‐to‐Know Act program and the use of EPA’s approach to analyzing the hazards of toxic substances to the community surrounding manufacturing plants where such materials are manufactured or used.
EPA Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling
http://www.epa.gov/ceampubl/index.htm. This site provides access to tabulated listings of exposure‐assessment software packages to address modeling of organic chemicals and metals in groundwater, surface water, food chains, and multimedia systems. The models are available for downloading along with descriptions of the packages’ capabilities.
Regulatory Air Models
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/scram. EPA’s Support Center for Regulatory Air Models provides access to the source code, data sets, and user’s guides for various air models, including regulatory models (ISCST3, UAM, BLP, CTDMP), receptor models (CMB7, CMB8), screening models (CAL3QHC, CTSCREEN, LONGZ, SHORTZ, VALLEY), other air models (DEGADIS, PLUVUE2, TOXST, MESOPUFF, RPM‐IV, FDMI), related programs (CALMPRO, RAMMET, WRPLOT, MPRM, MIXHTS), and non‐EPA models (SLAB, ADAM, AFTOX, SCREEN).
EPA’s Risk Management Consequence Analysis (RMP*Comp)
http://www.epa.gov/ceppo/tools/rmp‐comp/rmp‐comp.html. EPA provides Version 1.07 of this free software to perform the risk management consequence analysis that is required under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Primer on Health Risk Communication
http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/primer.html. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry provides a framework of principles and approaches for communication of health risk information to diverse audiences. It is intended for spokespersons who must respond to public concerns about exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. The document contains a “do’s and don’ts” list that describes approaches to use and pitfalls to avoid when communicating risk information.
Disaster Communication from Indiana Law University
http://www.law.indiana.edu/webinit/disaster/index.html. This site summarizes national laws and international conventions that affect global information and communication regarding natural and manmade disasters, including improving relief efforts and reducing overall impacts. The site provides access to documents that address the role of the news media in disaster reduction and links to other organizations involved in disaster communication.
EPA’s National Service Center for Environmental Publications
http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/ordering.htm. This site taps into a central repository for all EPA documents that can either be downloaded or obtained by mail for free. Over 5500 titles are available in paper and/or electronic format.
The National Academies’ Reports Online
http://nap.edu/info/browse.htm. The National Academies Press publishes the reports issued by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, the National Research Council, and the Institute of Medicine. Many texts on a variety of environmental, health, natural resources, and engineering topics can be reviewed or ordered online.
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