Role of Engineering Toward a Better Environment: Global Environmental changes: challenges and...

Role of Engineering Toward a Better Environment:Global Environmental changes: challenges and opportunities

20-22 Dec 2008, Alexandria, Egypt

H.A.M. de KruijfPUM, Netherlands Senior Experts

UNITAR, United Nations Institute for Training and research

1RETBE, Alexandria, Egypt, December 2008

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTACKNOWLEDGEMENTThis presentation is primarily based on the brochure:

MANAGING CHEMICALS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE TO PROTECT HEALTH (April 2008), and the accompanying presentation of IFCS, The Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety

author and contributors:Katherine Shea

Lilian Corra

Jenny Pronczuk

Marie-Noel Brune

Photographs, unless otherwise indicated: by the author


Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safetyintroductory remarksintroductory remarks The threat of accelerating climate change may

significantly alter global and local development, and thus may also change use, distribution and degradation of chemicals in ways that could affect human health and environment.

Little has been published up to now addressing issues of climate change and chemical safety, in short the possible risks associated with climate change and chemicals.


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety introductory remarks introductory remarksIn the following presentations we explore How climate change may alter human and

environmental exposure to chemicals Identify who may be particularly at risk of adverse

effects Suggest actions that can be taken now to reduce

adverse impacts on human health and environment (by chemicals); or better: questions that should be raised to identify those actions!


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety introductory remarksintroductory remarksClimate change is more than a warming trend: Increasing temperatures Increasing temperatures will lead to changes in many

aspects of weather, such as winds patterns, amount and type precipitation, type and frequency of severe weather events

Global sea level could riseGlobal sea level could rise, causing damage to coastal regions through flooding and erosion

Climate of Climate of various regions could change too quickly for many plants and animal species to adjust.

Harsh weather Harsh weather conditions , e.g. heat waves and droughts, could also happen more often and more severely


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety introductory remarksintroductory remarksClimate change could affect human health, environmental

health and well-being e.g.: Many larger cities could experience a significant rise in

the number of hot dayshot days Air pollution Air pollution problems would increase, placing

children, the elderly and people suffering from respiratory problems at greatest risks of health effects

Molds and pollens Molds and pollens may increase causing respiratory problems

The effects on human exposure will vary widely according to the properties of specific chemicals and chemical combinations


air

water

sediment

naturalsoil

agricult.soil

industr.soil

emission Advection/dispersive diffusion degradation

Model to calculate distribution of chemicals towards an equilibrium;Where does CC intervene, have an impact? (adapted from: EUSES)

precipitation

Erosion, run-offdroughts

floods

Temperature changes


Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safetyClimate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing how chemicals move and transform in the environment

Some examples of how these interactions may affect human exposures due to:

Extreme precipitation, storms and floods threaten water Extreme precipitation, storms and floods threaten water qualityquality

Drought threatens water qualityDrought threatens water quality

Increased temperaturesIncreased temperatures


RETBE, Alexandria, Egypt, December 2008 9

Climate change and Chemical safetyClimate change and Chemical safetyClimate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing how chemicals move and transform in the environment

Extreme precipitation, storms and floods threaten water qualityExtreme precipitation, storms and floods threaten water quality: By increasing urban and agricultural run-off of petrochemicals, industrial

chemicals, chemical waste, pesticides and fertilizers into surface waters or enhanced through-put of supersaturated soil into groundwater; flooding of warehouses and old stockpiles of chemicals such as paints, solvents, pesticides will lead to potentially dangerous exposure situations

Examples:

Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafetyClimate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing how chemicals move and transform in the environment

Drought threatens water quality Drought threatens water quality by concentration of non-volatile chemicals and toxic metals in drinking water resources.

When rain comes, parched and cracked soil may permit rapid transit of chemicals into

deep groundwater stores.


Examples:

From internet

Increased temperaturesIncreased temperatures • will cause volatile chemicals to disperse more quickly in

the air and some chemicals will degrade more quickly potentially creating local hot spots of exposure.

• Evaporation will be enhanced leaving non-volatile chemicals to concentrate in water bodies.

• Global movement of persistent chemicals will be modified with changes in global water and air currents, and thus population exposures will also change.

Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafetyClimate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing how chemicals move and transform in the environment


Examples:

Least volatile

Moderately volatile

Most volatile

Effect of the effect of volatility on transportation distance of POP’sCC will seriously and unpredictably change these patterns


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety

Global movement of persistent chemicals will be modified with changes in global water and air currents, and thus population exposures will also change.

Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safetyClimate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing where and how chemicals are used

Chemicals can be critical tools in the global response to climate change, but

when the world warms, chemical use patterns will likely change in several sectors and affect human exposure levels as well as environmental exposure levels.


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafetyClimate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing where and how chemicals are used

Agricultural chemicalsAgricultural chemicals:CC may require changes in crop choice and lead to a perceived or actualneed to use more, different or new chemicals to combatpests


Example:

Agricultural chemicals:

Pesticides may lose effectiveness

or be more rapidly broken down in

warmer temperatures which could

lead to more frequent use and more

human and environmental exposure




Control of infectious diseaseControl of infectious disease

Increases in vector-borne diseases anticipated with climate change could stimulate more widespread use of a variety of pesticides to control insect, rodent and other disease vectors

Pharmaceutical use to treat these diseases is also likely to increase and further threaten water quality by stressing waste water treatment and downstream drinking water resources.



Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safety

Bluetongue is a virus disease (reo viruses) among cows, sheep, goats, etc transmitted by Culicoidesspecies. Since a few years, due to warming of theclimate the disease does now occur above the 50th latitude. This means new regimes for vaccination, eradication , and use of chemicals

The virus: computer model of bluetongue virus

The vector: Culicoides sp. sucking blood

Example of increase in vector-borne disease and geographical movement: the case of bluetongue

From NRC Handelsblad, 01-12-2008

Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety Climate change may alter human chemical exposure… by changing where and how chemicals are used

Alternative energy sources Alternative energy sources developed and disseminated to stabilize the climate have the potential to cause large changes in chemical use patterns; for example, the change to bio-fuels and use of waste as fuels could results in new sources of chemical contamination on a largescale. (And there is the question of water versus energy!)


Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safetyClimate change may make some chemicals more dangerous

Ecosystem services: : some plant and animal species are more vulnerable to heat-related harm if they have prior exposure to various chemicals or are more vulnerable to chemical

exposure when stressed by the

changing climate.


Climate Change may give a push to invasive plants:

Due to CC more invasive plants may be seen in more temperate zones (and there are already examples)

These invasive plants appear to be more resistant to local plagues thus may more quickly turn out to be a plague themselves! And thus may well become a very serious threat to local biodiversity and water resources. This may lead to additional

use of pesticides causing risks for man and

environment.


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafetyClimate change may make some chemicals more dangerous

Ecosystem services;

It is possible that the adverse impact of CC on

the ecosystems that provide us with food,

fiber and useful chemicals could

be greater in a warmer global

environment!




Increased toxicityIncreased toxicity

Increased ambient temperatures may have direct impact on toxicity levels in exposed humans Evidence from medicine (chemicals and fever), drugs

and temperature) Impact on developmental toxicity


Well described increased toxicity of chemicals in higher ambient temperatures under experimental conditions



It is not clear that this relationship will dominate in the complex world of multiple stressors, but it does support the arguments to minimize all chemical exposures as we seek to meet the challenges of a warming world.


Some groups are more vulnerableSome groups are more vulnerableBecause of inherent characteristics…..Age and general health affect any

individual’s ability to withstand harm

from a variety of chemical exposures.

some groups at increased risks are:

Foetuses

Children

Elderly people

Medical illness



Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety Some groups are more vulnerableSome groups are more vulnerableBecause of inherent characteristics…..Foetuses: are susceptible to permanent harms from even brief exposures in utero as might happen after a water Contamination event such as a flood, or a high dose exposureFrom pesticide spraying

High risk children: In developing countries where water and food scarcity

cause wide spread malnutrition Where CC will cause increased vector-borne diseases

(e.g. malaria) Where agriculture will require high chemical inputs Where children working at jobs with potential high

exposures: agriculture, rag

picking, recycling (batteries,

waste etc)


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety Some groups are more vulnerable Some groups are more vulnerableBecause of inherent characteristics…..

Elderly people may have lost the physical ability to avoid exposure and/or the physiologic capacity to withstand exposures that

may have been in younger

years relatively non-toxic.


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety Some groups are more vulnerableSome groups are more vulnerableBecause of inherent characteristics…..

Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafetySome groups are more vulnerable ………………….because of circumstances

PovertyPoverty limits adaptive responses

to both climate change and chemical

exposures.

MalnutritionMalnutrition, particularly in the very

young, may compound and worsen

effects from any toxic chemical

exposure



Some groups are more vulnerable

…………because of circumstances

GeographyGeography is a major determinant of which health threats from climate change are most likely, and places entire populations at increased risk.


Example:

low lying coastal communities are more susceptible to floods and storms which may be

complicated by chemical contamination of drinking water, fields, food crops, and living spaces



Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safetySome groups are more vulnerable

………………..because of circumstances

OccupationsOccupations that involve the use of chemicals, such as agricultural work, may be increasingly risky because of increased chemical use,

change in chemicals used

and rapid development

of new chemicals


Some groups are more vulnerable

………………..because of circumstances

Public Health infrastructurePublic Health infrastructure, including the health care systems, as well s chemical safety laws, regulations, surveillance and enforcement, are critical to minimizing injury and illness related to CC and chemical exposures.

In those areas where these basic services are lacking, whole populations are at increased risk.



THE FUTURE:

Lots of questions but answers????



Role of Engineering Toward a Better Environment:Global Environmental changes: challenges and

opportunities20-22 Dec 2008, Alexandria, Egypt

H.A.M. de KruijfPUM, UNITAR


Climate change and Climate change and Chemical safetyChemical safetyStarting statements: We need all tools to respond to Climate Change; this

includes existing and new chemicals as well as non-chemical alternatives

Protecting human health and particularly the health of those who are most vulnerable, must be central part of all climate adaptive strategies including chemical use and management

As climate change accelerates and we feel the urgent need to both reduce emissions and respond to public health threats, it is critical that we do not loose sight of the need to strengthen and improve systems to ensure chemical safety.



When considering any climate-related problem, a number of questions relevant to the use of an additional chemicalhemical for any reasonfor any reason should be answered :

Will using a chemical solve this problem? What is known about the toxicity and exposure to the most

vulnerable humans? What is known about the potential harm to ecosystem

services? Are there non-chemical solutions for this problem? Are there multiple chemicals that could be used to solve the

problem?


QUESTIONS!!!! (1)


UNESCO-IHE module on Aquatic toxicology

DiscussionBetween the

Risk assessorAnd

Risk manager(Planning)

Ecological Risk Assessment

PROBLEM FORMULATION

Characterizationof

exposure

Characterization of

ecological effects

AN

AL

YS

IS

RISK CHARACTERIZATION

Discussion between the Risk assessor and

Risk Manager (Results)

Risk Management

Data A

cqu

isition

; verification

and

mo

nito

ring

A systematic approachis necessary to studythis sort of problems, such the ecological riskassessment systemSuter, 2007


Is there equivalent information on toxicity and exposure for each alternative?

Which is least toxic? What are relative toxicities and efficacies of the viable

solutions? What is unique about the location, geography,

topography, level of development, or population characteristics which will affect movement and breakdown of the chemical under consideration?

What are critical human exposures likely to be?


QUESTIONS!!!! (2)

Can chemical use be minimized or eliminated over time through alternative management strategies?

Will use of this chemical create new or persistent problems for human health or ecosystem integrity?

Do we have adequate chemical safety and management systems in place?

Will the changing climate increase or decrease human exposure, or make this chemical more or less effective or toxic over time?



QUESTIONS!!!! (3)



We can not say :

or:

What could be your role in the prevention of such hazards? Develop, work on…..Measures to decrease or lower the rate of

climate change!Measures to adapt to the new and predicted

changes: water resources management, waste management, chemicals management (industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals) etc!

Measures to prevent negative health effects on humans, on the environment!

Measures that develop innovative new constructions where necessary !

Techniques for a better balance between use of limited water resources and energy production!





IIdentify theproblem

VIImplement and evaluate

IIDevelop risk reductiongoals

IIIIdentify andevaluate options

IVSelect risk reduction strategy

VDouble check

Involve interested and affectedparties

To develop strategies to solveor at least try to solve theseProblems, one could use a so-called Risk Reduction Strategy Modelas developed and applied by UNITAR

Although the relation between climate change and chemical safety has received little attention, developing ideas and working on these issues are part of an international agreement: Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

SAICM is a global policy framework to support efforts to achieve the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation goal that, by 2020, chemicals should be produced and used in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. (and that includes of course CC and chemical safety!)




The Dubai declaration on International Chemicals Management and the accompanying Over Arching Policy Strategy (Feb 2006) identify key elements of chemical safety which will be increasingly important within the context of global climate change.

The declaration stresses the need to protect vulnerable populations (including children and unborn children), promote green chemistry, and operate within a context of transparency, partnership, and accountability among all sectors of society.

In particular there is a call for public access to appropriate information and knowledge on chemicals throughout their life cycle, including the risks that they pose to human health and the environment.


Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety Risk reduction to minimize significant adverse effects on

human health and the environment is the first strategic objective; How? By pollution prevention, precaution, life cycle analysis, and promotion of environmentally sound and safer chemical and non-chemical alternatives are all enumerated as strategies. (using e.g. Life Cycle Analysis, LCA)

Additional areas of action include optimization of knowledge and information, governance, capacity building and technical cooperation.

As work progresses to improve chemical management from the local to the international level, the changes in chemical risk associated with accelerating global climate change must be placed permanently on the agenda.



Processing on site

Processing on site

Processingprocessing aid


Processingoff site

Processingoff site

Use of product,articles


Recovery Recovery Waste Waste

Processingproduct

Processingproduct

Industrialuse

Industrialuse



Processingin product

Processingin product



Private usePrivate use

Formulation Formulation

Isolation Isolation

Production Production intermediates SUBSTANCE 1

SUBSTANCE 2

RAW MATERIALS

Life cycle of a chemicalsubstance. Emissions tothe environment can occur at any point in this cycle. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess.9 (1) 292, 2004

non-isolated

isolated

LIFE CYCLE OF A CHEMICAL

Climate change and Chemical Climate change and Chemical safetysafety In the past many chemicals have been used without

sufficient knowledge and consideration of the cost to human health and ecosystem function.

Even now, capacities and capabilities of many countries to protect their citizens from the potential adverse effects of chemicals and soundly manage the use of chemicals, are inadequate; facing the new and expanded problems posed by climate change, these countries most certainly will be additionally challenged.


Information and training will be needed to ensure the sound management and use of newly developed chemicals, or existing chemicals in new locations and applications specifically under the new uncertain circumstances (CC).

Targeted research and application of a precautionary approach are essential to protect human health and ecosystem integrity from harm as we strive for a sustainable world; especially considering the challenges by the Climate Change




THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!References can be found in the

indicated brochure as well as on

the website of IFCS:

www.ifcs.ch


Source of life startshere: beginning of the NILE

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