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requirement for discussion of chemical risk. Such communication does not occur without effort; it is a skill that must be learned, developed, and practiced. The process must include scientists, media specialists, chemical manufacturers, government officials, and regulatory representatives, and it must be directed toward the general public. The goal must be to make the public a partner in decisions affecting the use of chemicals in the market, the workplace, and the environment.
An important point that Covello makes is that the public must understand that no chemical can be certified as completely safe, but that its risks can be evaluated. An educated public should ask, "How safe is it?" rather than "Is it safe?" Information about chemicals must be presented honestly and clearly.
Covello stresses that teachers and schools must also become involved. Issues such as chemical testing, hazard evaluation, and risk assessment should be taught in the schools. Curricula for these topics for all grade levels need to be developed.
Covello summarizes, "Given the
high degree of public concern about environmental issues and the high level of public distrust of those in industry and government, people responsible for assessing and managing chemical risks have no choice but to improve their risk communication skills."
Evaluation of environmental risk begins in the lab. Through a battery of analytical techniques and new developments, such as multispectral analysis, compounds found in the environment can be detected and identified. Only when compounds are identified can the i r benefits and risks can be assessed. After chemical risks are evaluated and discussed, decisions regarding use and exposure can be made. In some cases the benefits may outweigh the risks; in others they may not. But a decision made by an educated, informed public is the result of effective risk assessment and communication. Such decisions are possible only when scientists, manufacturers, regulatory officials, media representatives, and the general public deliberate together, using the best possible analytical information. Jane K. Baker
References (1) McGuire, J. M. Prog. Water Technol.
1975, 7, 23-31. (2) Hoyland, J. R.; Neher, M. B. Implemen
tation of a Computer-Based Information System for Mass Spectral Identification; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1974; EPA-660/2-74-048.
(3) Hertz, H. S.; Hites, R. Α.; Biemann, K. Anal. Chem. 1971, 43, 681-91.
(4) Lias, S. G. /. Res. Nat. Inst. Stand. Te-chol. 1989, 94, 25.
(5) McGuire, J. M. Presented at the 21st International Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Jekyll Island, GA, May 1991.
(6) Thruston, A. D., Jr.; Richardson, S. D.; Collette, T. W.; McGuire, J. M. /. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., in press.
(7) McGuire, J. M.; Collette, T. W.; Thruston, A. D., Jr.; Richardson, S. D.; Payne, W. D. Multispectral Identification and Confirmation of Organic Compounds in Wastewater Extracts; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1990; EPA/600/S4-90/ 002.
(8) Covello, V. T. Presented at the 21st International Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Jekyll Island, GA, May 1991.
Suggested reading Effective Risk Communication: The Role and
Responsibility of Government and Nongovernmental Organizations; Covello, V. T.; McCallum D.; Pavlova M, Eds.; Plenum Press: New York, 1989.
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