Production
of chlorinated compounds
TX-8
Dispersion
of Toxic Substances
Pressure
1 Indicator
definition and unit of measurement
Chlorinated
compounds is a diverse group of organic and inorganic chemical substances. This
indicator aims at representing the total amount of all types, on a yearly basis
(unit: tonnes/year).
2 Placement
in the framework
5EAP:
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 of 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:
8
(19%)
Policy
Relevance:
16
(2.7)
Analytical
Soundness:
13
(2.7)
Responsiveness:
13
(2.6)
Most
appropriate related state indicator:
Accumulated
amounts of chlorinated compounds in defined parts of society.
3 Significance
Purpose:
The
general purpose of this indicator is to represent the total amount of
chlorinated compounds produced per year. Better knowledge of produced amounts
helps activities aiming at reducing production and in that way decreases use
and emitted amounts.
Relevance:
Several
of the organic chlorinated compounds are known to be toxic and persistent. Some
of the inorganic chlorinated compounds are reactive and may form organic
chlorinated compounds when released in the environment. Emissions of
chlorinated compounds will take place during production and use as well as from
waste. Increasing emissions, or emissions kept on the level of today, is
clearly not sustainable.
Linkages
to other pressure indicators:
Many
of the organic chlorinated compounds consumed by economic activity are toxic
and persistent and will later be identified as pollutants. There are obvious
links to TX-35: Emissions of persistent organic pollutants by economic activity
and to TX-3: Toxic chemicals consumption by economic activity (D67/548/EC).
Targets:
None.
4 Methodological
description and underlying definitions
Underlying
definitions and concepts:
The
produced compounds have a wide variety of applications - e.g
.
pesticides, pulp and paper chemicals. The production and use will result in
emissions of chlorinated compounds.
Measurement
methods:
This
indicator will be the result of surveys on production statistics.
Limitations
of the indicator:
Chlorinated
compounds are an heterogeneous and very large group of chemicals. Their
inherent characteristics, such as persistence, reactivity and toxic potential,
differ. Some of the inorganic chlorinated compounds should not be defined as
harmful. The relation between produced and emitted amounts is not very clear.
Some chlorinated compounds are part of the group of persistent organic
pollutants.
Alternative
definitions:
Production
of an identified group of chlorinated compounds or a single chlorinated
compound on a yearly basis, e.g. production of vinylchlorid per year.
