UNIT-3 : LESSON TWO

SECURITY OF CRITICAL WASTE MATERIAL AND ACTION TO BE

TAKEN IN CASE OF MISHAP IN THE INSTALLATIONS

5.34 Objective

The objective of this unit is to familiarise the student with the purpose of ensuring safety,
storage and disposal of critical waste material as well as actions to be taken for prevention and
mitigation in case of a mishap. The unit will also provide students with information useful in the
recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace hazards and environmental factors existing
within and/or associated with industry, institutions, factories and corporates.

5.35 Introduction

Critical waste or hazardous waste that is improperly managed poses a serious threat to human
health and environment. Security of critical waste products is also an important part of preparation
for and response and recovery related to overall homeland security. Hazardous waste products can
generate accidents as as well sponsor acts of terrorism involving chemical, biological and
radiological agents if they fall into wrong hands.

Choosing the right waste management procedures and services isn’t just a matter of good corporate
citizenship; it’s also critical to business and environment. A company that generates industrial or
hazardous waste, or that owns property containing hazardous material is legally responsible for
the proper handling and disposal of this waste. Incorrect handling, storage or disposaal of critical
waste puts a company/business at risk of legal action and penalties, and can seriously disrupt
business operations.

The process of transforming matter can be natural or artificial and chemistry has enabled man to
satisfy his basic needs and constantly improve his living conditions. Chemical substances and
nuclear waste can however also be dangerous to man and his environment. Depending on the
quantities involved, their degree of toxicity, corrosive power, explosive force, inflammability or
even radioactivity, they can cause considerable damage. It is therefore important to know the risks
linked to such substances, to keep to the prescribed directives for handling them and to establish
prevention, protection and intervention measures in order to prevent these risks from developing.
The chemical substances used in the home and workshop are not generally dangerous, as long as
the instructions for their use and storage, which usually come with the original container, are
followed.
Large quantities of these dangerous substances are produced and used in industrial and commercial
enterprises. Their careless handling, transport and storage entail serious dangers for man and the
environment. It is important to guard against these risks by taking the necessary preventive,
precaution and protective measures. To these peace time risks are added the menace of chemical,
nuclear and biological weapons in times of war or crisis (terrorism), despite international laws
restricting or forbidding their use. Protective measures against these are generally designed and
taught by the military within the framework of civil protection.

5.36 What Is Critical Waste?

Simply defined, critical or hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous
or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment. Hazardous waste is
generated from many sources, ranging from industrial manufacturing process wastes to nuclear
plants, hospitals, oil industry, fertlizer plants, batteries and may come in many forms, including
liquids, solids gases, and sludges.

Almost everyone works with or around chemicals and chemical products every day. Chemical
safety is inherently linked to other safety issues including engineering controls, laboratory
procedures, personal protective equipment, electrical safety, fire safety, and hazardous waste
disposal. Many chemicals have properties that make them hazardous: they can represent physical
hazards (fire, explosion) and/or health hazards (toxicity, chemical burns, and dangerous fumes).
However, there are many ways to work with chemicals which can both reduce the probability of
an accident and minimize the consequences should an accident occur. Risk minimization depends
on safe practices, appropriate engineering controls for chemical containment, the proper use of
personal protective equipment, the use of the minimum quantity of material necessary, and/or

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substitution of less hazardous chemicals. Before beginning an operation, one should ask "What
would happen if . . .?" The answer to this question requires an understanding of the hazards
associated with the chemicals, equipment and procedures involved.

The hazardous properties of the material and its intended use will dictate the precautions to be
taken. It is important to distinguish the difference between hazard and risk. The two terms are
sometimes used as synonyms. In fact, the term ―hazard is a much more complex concept because
it includes conditions of use. The hazard presented by a chemical has two components: firstly its
inherent capacity to do harm by virtue of its toxicity, flammability, explosiveness, corrosiveness,
etc.; and secondly the ease with which the chemical can come into contact with a person or other
object of concern. The two components together determine ―risk‖ – the likelihood or probability
that a harmful consequence will occur. Thus, an extremely toxic chemical such as strychnine
cannot cause poisoning if it is in a sealed container and does not contact the handler. In contrast, a
chemical that is not highly toxic can be lethal if a large amount is ingested. It should be noted that
not all chemicals are considered hazardous. Examples of nonhazardous chemicals include pH
neutral buffers, sugars, starches, agar, and naturally occurring amino acids.

Critical waste (whether chemical or nuclear or biological) poses substantial or potential threats to
public health or the environment. In India, the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous and
critical waste is regulated under the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989
and the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016,
under the umbrella law of Environment Protection Act, 1986 ("EPA"). Critical wastes can
generally be divided into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.

 Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known or tested to exhibit one or
more of the following four hazardous traits:
 ignitability.
 reactivity.
 corrosivity.
 toxicity.

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  Listed hazardous wastes are materials specifically listed by regulatory authorities as
hazardous wastes which are from non-specific sources, specific sources, or discarded
chemical products.

5.37 Regulatory Regime for Critical Waste Management- Indian Context

Indian waste management rules are founded on the principles of "sustainable development",
"precaution" (measures should be taken to avoid environmental degradation and hazards) and
"polluter pays" (polluter must bear costs for damages and harm caused to environment by his own
acts). These principles form an integral part of Indian environmental law jurisprudence, as
observed by the Supreme Court of India in various decisions. These principles mandate companies
and industrial units to act in an environmentally accountable and responsible manner and for
restoring the balance, if the same has been disrupted by their business processes. Bearing the
essence in mind and the increased levels of waste generation as a by-product of development,
various sub-ordinate legislations for regulating the manner of disposal and dealing with generated
waste are made by MoEF under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 ("EPA").

Section 6 empowers MoEF to make rules on a wide array of issues such as standards for ensuring
environmental soundness, allowable limits for emission of environmental pollutants, manner of
dealing with hazardous substances, location of industries and their functioning, and measures for
prevention of environmental accidents and hazards. Specific forms of waste are the subject matter
of separate rules and trigger separate compliances, mostly in the nature of authorizations,
maintenance of records, and adequate disposal mechanisms. Some rules have specific
consequences for breach, while in case of some, the general penalty under EPA applies which
involves imprisonment of person-in-charge (director, manager, officer of a company with whose
consent or connivance the breach occurred) up to 5 years and/or fine up to INR 100,000. A brief
overview of the various rules is provided below:

5.37.1 Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998. The Bio-medical Waste
(Management and Handling) Rules ("BMW Rules") regulate the manner of disposal of bio-medical
wastes ("BM Waste") and provide a detailed framework for the processes and mechanisms to be
followed for their effective disposal. BM Waste means any waste generated in health care
processes like diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals, research

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activities concerning production or testing of 'biological. Schedule I further provides categories of
BM Waste such as human anatomical, animal, microbiological and biotechnology, discarded
medicines, cytotoxic drugs, incineration ash, chemical related waste. The BMW Rules are
applicable to a wide array of institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries,
veterinary institutions, animal houses, pathological laboratories, and blood banks. Rule 8(1)
requires every occupier of an establishment generating, or dealing in BM Wastes in any other
manner, and of a treatment facility to make an application for authorization from SPCB. The
authorization granted is for 3 years after which it must be renewed. As per the BMW Rules, every
occupier must take all necessary steps to ensure that BM Waste is (i) handled in a manner not
causing any adverse effect to human health and environment, (ii) segregated in containers at point
of generation, (iii) handled and disposed off in accordance with prescribed standards. Further, as
per Rule 5(2), all covered institutions are mandated to either set up treatment facilities like
incinerator, autoclave, microwave system, or to ensure that all BM Waste is treated at a common
waste treatment facility. An annual return has to be sent in prescribed format by January 31 to
SPCB providing details of categories and quantities of BM Waste handled. There is no specific
penalty provided and hence, non-compliance will invoke general penalty under EPA i.e.
imprisonment of occupier up to 5 years and/or fine up to INR 100,000.

5.37.2 The Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001-The Batteries (Management
and Handling) Rules ("Batteries Rules") was notified to effect a regulatory mechanism for dealing
in and disposal of used lead acid batteries and their components. The Batteries Rules apply to every
manufacturer, importer, reconditioner, assembler, dealer, recycler, auctioneer, bulk consumer (like
departments, organisations purchasing more than 100 batteries) and consumer. The scope of duties
of each type of entity is provided in detail to ensure collection, recycling, transportation and sale
of batteries. For instance, Rule 10 mandates that all consumers deposit used batteries with dealer,
manufacturer, importer, assembler, recycler, re-conditioner or designated collection centres.
Further, bulk consumers are required to file half-yearly returns with SPCB. Rule 6 requires that
for importing batteries from other countries for recycling in India, prior customs clearance must
be obtained. Additionally, import of batteries will be allowed only upon producing valid
registration with Reserve Bank of India and MoEF and providing an undertaking in prescribed
format along with a copy of the latest half-yearly return. Noncompliance with the BMW Rules

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also attracts punishment under the EPA whereby the person-in-charge may be imprisoned for up
to 5 years and/or fined up to INR 100,000).

5.37.3 The E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011-The E-waste (Management and
Handling) Rules, 2011 ("E-waste Rules") aim at putting in place an environmentally sound e-waste
management system by regulating issues of disposal, import and recycling of e-wastes. The E-
waste Rules apply to every producer, consumer or bulk consumer (including factories under
Factories Act) involved in the manufacture, sale, purchase, and processing of electrical and
electronic equipment or components, along with all collection centres, dismantlers and recyclers
of e-waste. E-waste is defined under Rule 3(k) to mean waste electrical and electronic equipment,
in whole or part or as rejects in the manufacturing and repair process which are discarded. As per
Rule 4, the producer of electrical and electronic equipments must obtain authorization from SPCB,
and is responsible for collection of e-waste generated in the manufacturing processes or after end-
of-life as part of extended producer responsibility, setting-up collection centres, financing costs
involved for recycling, creating awareness, and maintaining records and filings. The E-waste Rules
also delineate the responsibilities of collection centres, consumers, bulk consumers, dismantlers
and recyclers. The rules also provide for the manner of storage, transportation, recycling of e-
wastes, procedure for obtaining registration, maintaining of records, etc. Non-compliance with the
provisions of E-waste Rules may result in cancellation or suspension of the authorization.

5.37.4 The Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011-The Plastic Waste
(Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 ("PWM Rules") set up a regulatory framework for
manufacture, usage and recycling of plastic bags to ensure management of plastic waste. Plastic
waste means any plastic product such as carry bags, pouches, etc. which has been discarded after
use or end-of-life. The rules are applicable to all manufacturers, stockists, distributors, retailers
and users of plastic products. Rule 9 mandates every manufacturer of plastic carry bags,
multilayered pouches or sachets and every recycler to seek registration with SPCB. Such
registration is valid for a period of 3 years. Further, in order to ensure that price is paid for usage
of plastic, Rule 10 states that no retailer can provide plastic carry bags free of cost. Further, the
PWM Rules detail aspects of plastic bags such as thickness, colour, classification into virgin or
recyclable or compostable plastics, and responsibilities of municipal authorities. There is no

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specific penalty provided for non-compliance and thus, penalty under EPA will apply as per which
the person-in-charge may be imprisoned for up to 5 years and/or fined up to INR 100,000.

5.37.5 The Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules,
2008-The Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008
("HWM Rules") were framed for regulating generation, storage, reuse, recycling, import,
transportation and treatment of hazardous wastes. India signed and ratified the Basel Convention,
1992 dealing with transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste. The restrictions on
cross-border transportation of hazardous waste for purposes of recycling as provided in the Basel
Convention are incorporated in the HWM Rules. Rule 2(l) defines hazardous waste as any waste
which by virtue of its physical or other characteristics (described as chemical, toxic, inflammable,
reactive, explosive, etc) causes or can cause danger to health or environment, either standalone or
in combination with other substances. A list of processes generating hazardous waste is identified
in Schedule I which inter-alia includes industries engaged in petro-chemicals, oil & gas, petroleum,
mines and minerals, zinc, copper, lead based production, textiles, steel, asbestos, electronic,
tannery, etc. Every occupier of a factory under Rule 5(1) is required to obtain authorization from
SPCB, and will be responsible for safe and environmentally sound handling of hazardous wastes
generated in the establishment. As such it is mandated that every occupier must (i) sell hazardous
waste only to a registered recycler, (ii) transport such waste in the manner prescribed, (iii) prevent
accidents, and (iv) increase awareness. Further, the occupier has to file annual returns and maintain
records regarding generation of hazardous waste in prescribed forms.

5.38 Recycling

To the extent possible, the EPA has tried to develop hazardous waste regulations that balance
the conservation of resources, while ensuring the protection of human health and environment.
Many hazardous wastes can be recycled safely and effectively, while other wastes will be treated
and disposed of in landfills or incinerators.

Recycling hazardous waste has a variety of benefits including reducing the consumption of raw
materials and the volume of waste materials that must be treated and disposed. However, improper
storage of those materials might cause spills, leaks, fires, and contamination of soil and drinking
water. To encourage hazardous waste recycling while protecting health and the environment, the

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government and industry have developed regulations to ensure recycling would be performed in a
safe manner.

Treatment Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) provide temporary storage and final treatment
or disposal for hazardous wastes. Since they manage large volumes of waste and conduct activities
that may present a higher degree of risk, TSDFs are stringently regulated. The TSDF requirements
establish generic facility management standards, specific provisions governing hazardous waste
management units and additional precautions designed to protect soil, ground water and air
resources.

Hazardous waste treatment is a flourishing industry in India and large quantities of such waste are
imported for recycling and treatment. With the objective of regulating illegal traffic of hazardous
wastes, it is provided under Rule 17 (The Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and
Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008) that prior permission of Central Government must be
obtained for importing such waste and further, the import must conform to the shipping details. In
the event that the permission is obtained through fraudulent means or the import results in dumping
of waste in breach of Basel Convention and the general principles of international environmental
law (such as sustainable development), inference of illegal traffic would be drawn. The rules
provide for detailed responsibilities for the concerned parties with respect to recycling, storing,
importing, exporting, transporting and labelling of hazardous waste. Non-compliance vests SPCB
with the power to cancel and suspend the authorization issued.

5.39 Actions To Be Taken In Case of Mishap

The Bhopal disaster, also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a gas leak incident in
India, considered the world's worst industrial disaster. It occurred on the night of 2–3 December
1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over
500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals. The highly
toxic substance made its way into and around the shanty towns located near the plant.

Estimates vary on the death toll. The official immediate death toll was 2,259. The government of
Madhya Pradesh confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release. A government
affidavit in 2006 stated that the leak caused 558,125 injuries, including 38,478 temporary partial

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injuries and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries. Others estimate that
8,000 died within two weeks, and another 8,000 or more have since died from gas-related diseases.

 Disaster and Mishap Management-National Level. Though response to any disaster has

to be mainly done by the State, even before the enactment of the Disaster Management Act, 2005,
the government had already created an apex body for coordination of Crisis Response at the
National level, headed by the Cabinet Secretary called the National Crisis Management Committee
( NCMC). The DM Act 2005, has also created a body called the National Executive Committee (
NEC) under the Home Secretary for coordination of response. By convention, the NCMC gets
involved in very serious crisis and disasters. The NEC has to statutorily get involved in all
disasters. The chairperson of the NCMC / NEC will function as Chief Coordinator for the
management of disasters at the National level. The chairperson may designate a Nodal Officer
(NO) for this purpose. Various Ministries/Departments of Government may also nominate NOs to
perform the task of ESFs which may be required in a particular incident. The constitution of the
NCMC / NEC has been designed with the purpose to cover all lead and support functions The
National Policy on DM 2009, has stated that emergencies requiring the close involvement of the
security forces and/or intelligence agencies such as terrorism (counter-insurgency), law and order
situations, serial bomb blasts, hijacking, air accidents, CBRN, mine disasters, port and harbour
emergencies, forest fires, oilfield fires and oil spills will continue to be handled by the extant
mechanism i.e. NCMC and the resources available with the DM Authorities at all levels with
regard to cross cutting themes like medical, rescue & relief etc. will be made available to the Nodal
ministries/agencies at times of such disasters / impending disasters.

Apart from the above, the management of other major natural and manmade disasters will also
require Lead and Supporting agencies. Different disasters require different types of expertise for
response. Thus, in case of rescue and relief in natural disaster, it will generally be the local Police
and the NDRF / SDRF, in case of Fire it will be the Fire department, in case of drought it will be
the Agriculture department, in case of Epidemics and other Biological disasters it will be the Health
department that will have to play the lead role and the remaining departments will have to play the
supporting role as per requirement and their core competencies. The Chief Coordinator at the

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national level and the ROs at the State and District level will ensure sensitisation of the concerned
departments in advance regarding their roles as lead and supporting agencies.

 An Emergency Response Plan. An emergency procedures plan should be prepared and

updated on a regular basis in all corporate organisations, installations, factories, establishments

and industries. This plan would cover less likely but more dangerous mishaps at the engineered
hazardous waste landfill facility. It should be prepared in consultation with the jurisdiction of
authority and local community emergency response authorities. Changes to the emergency
procedures may reflect amended jurisdiction of authority requirements, changes in personnel,
technology, equipment or response procedures. Emergency procedures deal with catastrophic
events and those that involve imminent risk to the environment and human health. Examples
include fires, explosions, accidental spills of contaminants in non-active areas, and the generation
of unanticipated contaminated runoff, leachate or vapours. In addition, the owner of an engineered
hazardous waste landfill facility should ensure that emergency procedures are developed,
documented and followed. The emergency procedures plan should include the following:

● an identification of the types of emergencies that might occur, together with on-
site and off-site consequences.

● prevention, preparedness, response and recovery measures.

● descriptions of the ongoing training and type of expertise of each employee.

 Training Aspects. All staff should be thoroughly trained and routinely updated in

emergency response procedures . Staff should know their responsibilities in an emergency, where
to get the required emergency equipment and supplies, and how to use these materials effectively.
Training should include aspects like:

 Asbestos Awareness.
 Biological Safety Cabinet Use.
 Chemical Inventory Software.
 Eye Safety.

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  Fire and Life Safety.
 Food Sanitation.
 Forklift and Lift Truck Safety.
 Fume Hood Use.
 Hazard Communication.
 Hazardous Waste Disposal and Minimization.
 Injury and Illness Prevention.
 Laboratory Safety.
 Respiratory Protection.

The level of redundancy in staff training should be high enough that emergency responses are
effective even in difficult circumstances. A key component of an “events-related” plan is a good
communication strategy. Successful decision-making in an emergency situation often depends on
getting critical information. Effective staff management also needs good communication for tasks
such as deployment, evacuation and information gathering. The emergency response team should
be monitoring command communications to ensure that their actions are effective and that
necessary information is transmitted quickly. The National Disaster Management Authority has a
comprehensive action plan in the form of National Disaster Management Guidelines a copy of
which should be available with the response team.

 Preventive and Protective Measures. Major accidents involving chemical substances

and/or critical waste material (less radio-active fallout) have local effects, but in exceptional
circumstances they can affect whole regions because of weather conditions as in Bhopal and
Chernobyl. Scientific technical developments have made it possible to prevent such dangers and
therefore to protect people from them. The priority must be on prevention, but a positive result
can only be assured if there are strict guidelines for using and handling these products, as well as
professional knowledge, both of which are indispensable in this very complex field.

 Intervention and Rescue Measures. When an accident involving chemical substances

that could endanger life or the environment occurs in a chemical works or installation, those in
charge of it should immediately take the following planned measures:

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  Deal with the causes of the accident and implement the safety measures which
will minimise its consequences.
 Immediately inform the relevant local authorities of the accident.
 The local or regional authorities of the area in which the installation is located are
responsible for informing the public, sounding the alarm if need be, and deciding
upon the instructions to be followed by the population. The local or regional
governing body ensures the co-ordinated use of the civil and military means
required to deal with the disaster. In the case of radioactivity, the technical co-
ordination of the implementation of protective and rescue measures is assured by
specialists who should be present at all political levels and in all the intervening
squads, and work in collaboration with the personnel in charge of security at the
installation affected.

At the local community/public/worker level, the measures required will usually involve the
following:

 Instructing the public and workers to stay in their houses, close all windows and
doors, turn off the air conditioning and block all ventilation ducts, to listen to the
radio and follow official instructions.
 In exceptional circumstances, temporarily evacuating those directly at risk.
 Ensuring that nearby chemical products are well protected.
 Avoiding polluting drinking water (springs, groundwater).Turning off the water
supply should this be necessary.
 Recuperating the water used to deal with the problem and which could have become
harmful to the environment (tanks, water tankers, tankers).
 Making sure that, once the alarm is sounded, the public is informed, through news
bulletins, of the dangers of intoxication, explosion and corrosion and that they know
how to protect themselves.The special conditions governing intervention and
protection in a chemical accident mean that the toxicity of the emissions and the
area at risk from toxic fumes must be readily determined.This is urgent as the
reaction time (critical phase) is extremely short. There exist mathematical tables,

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 computer programmes and other tools which predict precisely how far the fumes
will spread and enable the appropriate measures to be taken.
 General Precautions and Actions in Case of Potential Danger. All people should know
and recognise the sound of the alarm siren, the instructions to be followed and the action
to be taken:
 Know and follow the instruction for the use and handling of dangerous substances
and critical waste products.
 Prepare and have at hand an emergency kit for the workers and staff in case
evacuation becomes necessary and also reserves of water and food to last
throughout the period, which could last several days.
 Plan and organise confinement in hermetically sealed premises. This, especially
for those living in the vicinity of a user or producer of dangerous chemical and
nuclear related mishaps. Government help and advise is necessary for such
enterprises.
 Recommendations for the Handling of Dangerous Waste Chemical Substances at Office,
Home or in the Factory:

• Only stock as much waste as is legally permissible.

• Read carefully the instructions and warnings on the disposal of the product before
using.
• Leave dangerous waste substances in properly marked packaging. Never transfer
them into a container used for storing foodstuffs.
• Wear protective glasses when working with base substances or acids.
• When working with easily flammable substances keep away from naked flames,
candles, incandescent heating wires, lit cigarettes, etc. that could ignite the vapours
from these substances.
• Do not pour the remains of chemical products down the sink or toilets after using
them but take them to a public waste collection centre.
• Keep chemical wastes and substances away from children.

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  Instructions For Personnel and Employees In Case of a Major Mishap. All workers and
employees should know the evacuation plan and measures to be taken, to include :
 Keep calm and do not panic.
 Listen to the radio and media and follow official instructions.
 Stay inside, if at home, or shelter in a building and close all doors and windows.
 Seal all exterior openings and turn off the ventilation, air conditioning and heating.
 Protect your mouth and nose, if in the open, with a wet cloth or a protective mask.
Shelter in the nearest building and remain inside until otherwise instructed by the
authorities.
 Follow the orders of the civil protection, fire service, police or other intervening
services like Army, NDMA/NDRF (teams).
 Eat only food stored inside a building, such as tinned food and preserves. Drink
only from bottles or cartons.

 Actions After the Mishap/Disaster:

 Follow the orders of the civil protection, fire service, police or other intervening
services like Army, NDMA/NDRF (teams).
 The evacuation of members of the public is unlikely in areas with buildings and
homes that can be hermetically sealed. The decision to evacuate or stay will be
taken by the relevant political authority (national or provincial government) who
will organise the evacuation using all the civilian and military means at their
disposal and in collaboration with the services responsible for the reception area.
Taking all necessary precautions, assist neighbours and persons in need such as
the wounded, children, handicapped and the elderly, in collaboration with the
intervention and rescue teams.
 The above objectives should be included in the necessary legislation on the
protection of the public and the environment which lays down the obligations
concerning the production, use, handling, transport and storage of dangerous
substances. Protection of ground water and the air is also of primary importance.

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  In view of the potential dangers, it is most important that managers of firms and
installations working with dangerous chemical products and waste material be
fully aware of their responsibility and make constant efforts to ensure optimal
security in this matter. This calls for close collaboration with official watchdogs
and safety bodies and with the local and regional political authorities and their
intervention services, especially the fire service and police as well as with the
information and alarm centres of civil protection services.

Experience with toxic leaks, among others, has shown that the following specific preventive and
protective measures should be taken:

 Knowing the chemicals and waste products which are potentially dangerous, their
production, use, storage, transport, handling and the threats they pose such as fire,
explosions, leaks and uncontrolled reactions.
 Requiring each firm to keep an inventory of these substances and to register them at the
local and regional level.
 Marking vehicles with the code number of the dangerous substance they are carrying and
controlling transporters and storage installations.
 Regulating the storage and destruction of household and industrial waste.
 Installing an integrated warning system, at the local and regional level, to warn the public
and army to protect themselves.
 Establishing plans for alerting and enlisting the teams intervening locally, and assessing
beforehand all potential risks from chemicals.
 Training special technical advisors who will be immediately available to assist the chief of
operations in case of an accident involving chemicals.
 Establishing instructions and rules of behaviour for the public, military personnel and the
intervening teams in times both of peace and war.
 Making available specialist protective equipment to the teams involved in the operation
and the people at threat who cannot find shelter in suitable buildings or in civil protection
shelters.

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  Creating, or ensuring collaboration with an existing institution which has access to a data
bank and which could provide advice to firms, authorities and the intervening teams on the
dangers, the protective measures to be taken and on how to deal with chemical substances
and their damaging effects.

5.40 Conclusion

Major accidents involving hazardous substances have local effects, but in exceptional
circumstances they can affect whole regions because of weather conditions. Scientific technical
developments have made it possible to prevent such dangers and therefore to protect people from
them. The priority must be on prevention, but a positive result can only be assured if there are
strict guidelines for using and handling these products, as well as professional knowledge, both
of which are indispensable in this very complex field.

Risk minimization depends on safe practices, appropriate engineering controls for chemical and
critical waste material containment, the proper use of personal protective equipment, the use of
the minimum quantity of material necessary, and/or substitution of less hazardous materials.

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