| Author/Editor | Kornhauser, Aleksandra; Vrtačnik, Margareta; DaSilva, Edgar | |
| Title | Information support for toxic waste management | |
| Type | članek | |
| Source | Nat Resour | |
| Vol. and No. | Letnik 33, št. 3-4 | |
| Publication year | 1997 | |
| Volume | str. 2-17 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Abstract | Toxic waste and its management constitute a major contemporary challenge to science and society. Every day over one million tonnes of hazardous waste are generated worldwide - 90% of it in the industrialized countries. Many countries, particularly those in transition, are burdened by tens of millions of tonnes of accumulated hazardous wastes. Most of these countries do not have the necessary means for replacement of polluting technologies, and even less for waste processing by modern technologies. Capital intensive solutions are rarely accessible. The only realistic hope for toxic waste management is to mobilize the main resource available, i.e. a well-educated population, for creating awareness, setting up pollution prevention and waste management capacities, and introducing knowledge-intensive approaches in solving toxic waste problems. In this effort, universities have an important rote to play. Such a programme on toxic waste management has been undertaken by the International Centre for Chemical Studies in Ljubljana (Slovenia), in co-operation with UNESCO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The programme has included the development and application of computerized information support for toxic waste prevention and management. International databases are processed regularly for the needs of specific projects in this field. Specialized databases have been created, and are regularly updated, for toxic substances and toxic waste generating processes, as well as for waste management and prevention technologies (in particular, incineration of toxic waste in cement kilns and microencapsulation of toxic products such as pesticides, for pollution prevention). Attention has also been given to policy instruments and incentives for toxic waste management. | |
| Descriptors | HAZARDOUS WASTE WASTE MANAGEMENT DATABASES, BIBLIOGRAPHIC INCINERATION ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION REGISTRIES WATER POLLUTION FRESH WATER |