Risk mitigation environmental hazard

The fact that lower risks occur in areas with high river flow indicates that the dilution factor once pharmaceuticals enter river waters can efficiently mitigate possible environmental hazards, while in areas where effluent wastewaters represent a big percentage of the receiving river water flow hazards to aquatic organisms may increase. 

The calculation of hazard quotients (HQs) was a useful tool to estimate the hazards that the occurrence of PhACs may pose to aquatic organisms. It was estimated that the overall relative order of susceptibility was algae>daphnia>fish. Results indicated that the reduction of pharmaceuticals concentration after wastewater treatment, as well as the dilution factor once they are discharged into the receiving river waters, efficiently mitigates possible environmental hazards. Nevertheless, risks are expected to be higher in areas with low river flow. 

Depending on the biological agent, an assessment of residual hazards may be necessary to evaluate risks and mitigation measures to protect the population from further exposure to environmental hazards. Assessment and mitigation may include environmental sampling of air, water, and soil, as well as screening of insects and animals. 

Hazard management Earthquake waste generally includes numerous environmental and public health hazards, including rotten food, asbestos, fecal-contaminated material, treated timber, and household and industrial hazardous materials. These hazards need to be assessed and risks mitigated as soon as possible... 

Phase II - studies that might be conducted to investigate environmental hazards and thus eventually lead to risk mitigation measures that could, in the most extreme circumstances, lead to the product being refused a licence, marketing authorisation, approval etc. 

CERCLA was passed in 1980 to provide a federally supervised system for the mitigation of chronic environmental damage, particularly the cleanup of sites contaminated with hazardous waste. In 1986, CERCLA was amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). Each Superfund site has been assessed, characterized, and prioritized based on risk. Potential sites are first screened using a preliminary assessment (PA) sites deemed a significant threat are then evaluated using a hazard ranking system (HRS) to measure the risk of the site relative to that of other potential sites. The most hazardous sites are then placed on the NPL in the order of their potential risk. 

HA is the systematic examination of a system, item, or product within its life cycle, to identify hazardous conditions including those associated with human, product, and environmental interfaces, and to assess their consequences to the functional and safety characteristics of the system or product. In order to design-in safety, hazards must be designed-out (eliminated) or mitigated (reduced in risk), which can only be accomplished through HA. Hazard identification is a critical system safety function and is one of the basic required elements of an SSP. 

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