Tracking Toxic Substances at Industrial Facilities Engineering Mass Balance Versus Materials Accounting (1990) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
7. Collection of Mass Balance Information on a National Scale
7. Collection of Mass Balance Information on a National Scale
Pages 61-70
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 61... ...
Given the diversity of chemicals and manufacturing facilities to be considered, the committee relied on the limited empirical data available to it, the experience of the New jersey Industrial Survey, and its professional judgment, experience, and reasoning to support its analysis. Because MA data do not provide information on exposure concentrations the committee did not make any specific recommendations concerning risk communication.
|
From page 62... ...
A survey of the 50 states undertaken by the NGA at the committee's behest discovered seven states reporting uses for mass balance data and five others that are planning to use such data. To date, only New Jersey and Maryland have undertaken extensive collection activities; five other states have collected mass balance information for more restricted applications, such as regulatory compliance.
|
From page 63... ...
Validation of collected MA data is essential to their useful application to release estimates. Recognizing the complexity of the information requested and the substantial potential for inaccurate reporting, New Jersey in its Industrial Survey made a major commitment to provide expert assistance to respondents and to conduct routine field audits.
|
From page 64... ...
The following discussion illustrates the complex design decisions that facility managers must make when they attempt waste reduction, and it sheds light on the sort of perspective on economic and technologic factors that expert technical assistance and data analysis could provide. Suppose that the lock manufacturer's facility has been pressed by the community to reduce its emissions, and the facility is anxious to develop a positive image in the community.
|
From page 65... ...
or changes in transport methods would provide valuable information to the community for assessing the potential hazards associated with transport practices and for developing emergency response plans. The most relevant datum for evaluating toxic chemical management practices is the annual quantity of specific chemicals transported across facility boundaries.
|
From page 66... ...
provides a review of the relevant literature. NATIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS The collection of MA information on a national scale could result in the expenditure of substantial resources by facilities required to report data and by agencies charged with processing, storing, and distributing the in ~SS BALANCE INFORMATION formation.
|
From page 67... ...
A prudent next step would be to assess, through the proposed pilot study of a national MA information collection program, whether industry's concerns regarding sensitive or proprietary information can be accommodated in ways that allow collection of useful data on a national scale. Experience gained through the Comprehensive Assessment Information Rule (Federal Register, l98Sc)
|
From page 68... ...
. They also include monitoring data that are already being obrained by federal or state programs, emission inventories conducted under the Clean Air Act, water quality information obtained under the Clean Water Act, information on The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous waste manifests, population densities, and information from trade associations (e.g., production volumes and intermediate commercial uses)
|
From page 69... ...
Such checks would probably include visits to facilities and interviews of their personnel. In summary, mass balance information, and in particular MA supplemented by expert technical assistance, has potential utility for addressing the information needs 69 specified in SARA Section 313.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.