Kohei Urano

Lab. of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Yokohama National University
(156 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240 Japan)

Abstract

Recently, various exertions for air pollution control and chemical management are being taken by international organizations and many developed countries. This is due to the fact that long-term influences of various chemicals are causing serious problems to human health, eco-systems and the global environment. The Environment Agency, the Ministry of Industrial Trade and Industry and several local governments in Japan are repleting various policies for these problems. In this report, these recent exertions are first introduced. Next, contributions of waste treatments such as the reclamation and incineration of waste solvents on the air pollution control are made clear, with future problems discussed. In particular, it is shown that waste treatment industries need to be promoted for developing air pollution control and chemical management. Further, influences of treatment and disposal of wastes on global and regional air pollution are discussed. Most importantly, it is pointed out that emission of global warming gases and genetoxic substances should be investigated and controled more strictly.

Key words: air pollution, chemical management, global warming gases, dioxins, genetoxic substances