Impact pathway analysis: A tool for improving environmental decision processes

This paper proposes that, for installations with major health risks, it may be practical and desirable to demand that an environmental impact study demonstrate not only that the emissions respect all applicable regulations (as is current practice), but that it actually evaluate the impacts, using the impact pathway methodology (i.e., analyze the dispersion of pollutants and apply dose-response functions to quantify impacts on health, vegetation, etc.). As a case study we apply the impact pathway analysis to the emissions data for an incinerator of toxic chemical waste, and we obtain several interesting results that could resolve some of the issues raised during the authorization process. We argue that the uncertainties, even though large, do not negate the value of the information. The results of such an impact analysis could also be used to communicate the risks posed by a proposed installation, if a generally accepted set of reference risks is developed.