Consumption
of toxic chemicals
TX-3
Dispersion
of Toxic Substances
Pressure
1 Indicator
definition and unit of measurement
The
total amounts of consumed toxic chemicals, by economic activity on a yearly
basis (unit: tonnes/year). Toxic chemicals are those classified according to
Directive 67/548/EEC (OJ N°L196, 16.8.67).
2 Placement
in the framework
5EAP:
Chapter
4: Selected target sectors, section 4.4 The agriculture sector, table 4:
Agriculture and forestry.
Chapter
5: The themes and targets of the programme, section 5.4: Management of water
resources, table 11: Water quantity and water quality.
Chapter
6: Management of risks and accidents, section 6.1: Industry-related risks.
Agenda
21:
Chapter
19: Environmentally-sound management of toxic chemicals, including prevention
of illegal international traffic in toxic and dangerous products (section F).
International
conventions and agreements:
A
protocol on atmospheric transboundary transport of persistent organic
pollutants is presently being negotiated under the UNECE LRTAP (Geneva, 1979).
Ranking:
Core
ranking:
3
(43%)
Policy
Relevance:
4
(3.2)
Analytical
Soundness:
16
(2.6)
Responsiveness:
14
(2.6)
Most
appropriate related state indicator:
Accumulated
amounts of toxic chemicals in parts of society.
3 Significance
Purpose:
By
representing the total consumption of toxic chemicals by different economic
sectors in the society as indicators, better knowledge of used amounts can be
achieved. This knowledge helps activities aiming at reducing consumption and
thereby decreasing emissions.
Relevance:
Toxic
chemicals are consumed by different economic activities, and subsequent
emissions will take place during their whole life cycle, from production, use
and waste treatment.
Linkages
to other pressure indicators:
Pesticides
are examples of toxic chemicals. Other toxic chemicals are often also
persistent and organic. This indicator is therefore to be related to TX-1:
Consumption of pesticides by agriculture, as well as to TX-2: Emissions of
persistent organic pollutants by economic activity.
Targets:
Comprehensive
risk reduction programmes before the year 2000 for a list of 50 priority
chemicals (5EAP p. 61).
4 Methodological
description and underlying definitions
Underlying
definitions and concepts:
”Toxic”
is not a precise term. For instance, toxicity may cause acute effects,
reproductional effects or genotoxic effects, all operating at different time
scales. All toxic substances, however, need to be monitored from the time when
they enter the economy, until the moment when they are safely disposed of. It
thus makes sense to measure the total amount of substances that must be kept
under control.
Measurement
methods:
Information
will be generated by sales statistics. A large part of the emissions from
products containing toxic chemicals will take place not only during production,
but also during use and waste treatment. Emitted amounts are estimated by the
use of emission factors, describing emission rates of substances from different
matrices and uses.
Limitations
of the indicator:
What
is important is to reduce emissions. Consumed amounts are not truly
proportional to emitted amounts. Toxic chemicals are incorporated in products
and used as raw materials for the production of other chemicals. Storage of
chemicals also influence the relation between emissions and consumption on a
yearly basis.
Alternative
definitions:
The
total amounts of emitted toxic chemicals due to consumption (see 4. Limitations
of the indicator) by economic activity on a yearly basis (unit: tonnes/year).
