Response levels, national

The CWA also addresses oil and hazardous substances. It expressly prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances in harmful quantities to the waters of the United States. The USEPA has classified 300 hazardous substances according to the levels of danger they present to health and the environment. These substances are listed by their Chemical Abstract Number (CAS ) and are provided by the USEPA. If a discharge of any of these hazardous substances or oil occurs that is above the reportable quantity (RQ) level, the National Response Center (NRC) must be notified. Severe penalties, including jail and fines of up to 10,000, can be issued for failing to notify the NRC. Also, the CWA places the responsibility of all costs of cleanup with the dischargers. 

Australia has established investigation levels for soils. Investigation levels are not cleanup or response levels (National Environment Protection Council, 1999, 4). If the levels are exceeded at a site, additional investigations or evaluations are required to ensure that the local ecology and human population are protected (National Environment Protection Council, 1999). An interim ecological investigation level of 20 mg kg-1 of arsenic has been established for Australian urban areas to protect plant life (National Environment Protection Council, 1999, 9). 

National standards are usually kept at the national institutes responsible for their development and maintenance and are used only for linking up secondary standards to them, which then are made available as transfer standards. In most countries this responsibility has been entrusted by law to the national metrology institutes (NMIs). In the field of chemical measurements for which traceability to the SI units and the development of national measurement standards have been the focal point of interest for only a few years, decentralized national responsibilities are now developing in such a way that high-level national chemistry institutes are entrusted in part with the task of maintaining national standards by agreements with NMIs. In this way the national reference level can be established on a broad basis, and this is underway now in many countries. 

Fig. 2 The traceability system for gas analysis in Germany is composed of three chains, one for the legally regulated area via verification authorities, one for the non-regulated area via DKD-accredited calibration laboratories and one for the air pollution monitoring networks. Here the national reference level consists of PTB, BAM and UBA (cf. text) which share the responsibility for the national measurement standards needed, according to agreements with PTB...

The National Academy of Science/National Research Council (NAS/NRC) gives a suggested no adverse response level (SNARL) for aldicarb in drinking water of 7 ppb (22). The USA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recommended a "Health advisory level of 10 ppb. The California Department of Health Services has adopted EPA s limit as an action level (24). 

Simazine has received considerable notoriety based upon the finding of levels equal to or less than 3.5 ppb in six out of 217 wells evaluated in a study in California [17]. These six wells are suspected of being point source contaminations [18]. Based upon the toxicity data and its use in algae and weed control in ponds, simazine has a potable water tolerance of 10 ppb. It has a Suggested No Adverse Response Level [SNARL] established by the National Academy of Sciences of 1,500 ppb. However, because of the... 

Moore and Alexander describe the organization and capabilities of the national response apparatus to a domestic or international terrorist use of a weapon of mass destrnction. This apparatus involves many federal agencies that snpport and complement local and state response systems which respond to snch incidents. The review also discusses the implications of low-level toxicity of chemical warfare agents for the crisis and consequence management phases of the federal response. Finally, the anthors provide a brief summary of how several federally funded research and development programs may enhance future response capabilities. 

FEMA is not the only culprit a breakdown occurred on all levels of government. According to the National Response Plan that establishes a comprehensive all-hazards approach to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents, local, state, and federal authorities are all designated specific responsibilities and duties. The mayor is responsible for coordinating local resources to address the full spectrum of actions to prevent, prepare for, and recover from major disasters, accidents or acts of terrorism. He/she requests state and, if necessary, federal assistance through the governor of the state when the jurisdiction s capabilities have been... 

The National Safety Council has served as the premier source of safety and health information in the United States since 1913. Along with national responsibilities, the Council carries out its mission on the community level through a network of more than 60 local chapters. 

The pharmacist is responsible for ensuring that the professionals or workers to whom practical work is delegated are indeed capable of performing those tasks. In some countries specialised educational programs are available on a national specified level. So, vocational education allows pharmaceutical assistants or technicians to work as trusted professionals in any pharmacy. They can have a high level of independence and of responsibility for carrying out the tasks that are given to them. The pharmacist always retains the overall responsibility. 

Research on an hCG vaccine has been conducted over the past 15 years. WHO has conducted a phase I clinical study in AustraUa, using a vaccine based on a synthetic C-terminal peptide (109—141) of P-hCG conjugated to Diptheria Toxoid (CTP-DT), that showed potentially effective contraceptive levels of antibodies were produced in vaccinated women without any adverse side effects. Phase II clinical studies are under consideration to determine if the immune response, raised to its prototype anti-hCG vaccine, is capable of preventing pregnancy in fertile women volunteers (115). While research on the C-terminal peptide from the P-subunit of hCG has been carried out under the auspices of WHO, research supported by the Population Council and the National Institutes of Health has involved two alternative vaccine candidates (109,116,118). 

Some sites are easy to elassify due to their inehision on the National Priorities List (NPL), state superfund, or other regulatory list. In other eases, debate ean and does arise to determine if a site should be treated as hazardous. Eor example, some sites eommonly referred to as brown fields have eontamination levels that are eonsidered low. Sometimes levels of eontamination are so low that exposure levels to workers do not reaeh aetion levels or permissible exposure levels (PEL). Some firms have ehosen to treat low-level eontaminated sites as if they fell under HAZWOPER requirements. This is a somewhat eonservative approaeh whieh provides a eomfort faetor for management and potentially responsible parties (PRP) or other entities. 

Additionally, as a response to rising energy prices and uncertainty of supply, several states adopted appliance efficiency standards. At the federal level, the National Appliance Energy Consei vation Act of 1987 established the first national standards for refrigerators and freezers, furnaces, air conditioners, and other appliances. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 added national standards for incandescent and fluorescent lights, small electric motors, office equipment, and plumbing products. 

The British Standards Institute (BSI) is the independent national body responsible for preparing British Standards and presents the British view on many issues, including boiler water treatment practice. It is held in much the same level of esteem in Europe and the Commonwealth as ASME is in the United States. 

Executive responsibility for drugs and devices at European Commission level is located within the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry. This is the equivalent of a civil service department at national level. As such, the focus is more on the development of policy and legal/administrative provisions. 

Executive responsibility for the administration of regulations at national level is divested in dedicated agencies. Although distinct from government departments, the Ministers of Health are the usual political masters of these national Competent Authorities. Eor example, the authority in Ireland is known as the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) and it covers both drugs and devices. Similar to the EMEA, the authorities are scientific and technical in orientation and are guided by various advisory panels. Their main tasks include ... 

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