Teollisuuden häiriöpäästöjen hallinnan kehittämishaasteet
By: Nina Wessberg.
Contributors: Valtion teknillinen tutkimuskeskus.
Series: VTT publications -- 650.; VTT julkaisuja -- 650.
Publisher: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Published: 2007
Place of publication: [Espoo, Finland]
Language: fin
Number of pages: 195
ISBN-13: 9789513870348
Subjects: Factory and trade waste -- Environmental aspects.; Factory and trade waste -- Accidents.
Other titles: Development challenges for accidental industrial emissions.
Description: Industrial processes typically are associated with unplanned accidental emissions to the environment. These undesired events can be detrimental to the positive development of environmental protection. There is no general knowledge about how often these accidental emissions occur, and moreover, how harmful they are to the environment. However, the prevention of accidental emissions is a common concern to all society - including industry. The aims of my study involved: (1) determining the significance of accidental emissions to the environment, (2) describing how Finnish environmental authorities attempt to prevent industrial accidental emissions, (3) comparing these practices to the theoretical prerequisites of risk management at industrial sites, and (4) identifying the development challenges of accidental emissions at industrial sites. I have applied action research, a case study, document analysis and interviews to achieve the objectives as stated above. The Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the Finnish Ministry of the Environment (YM), and the Safety Technology Authority (TUKES) initiated a development process for the ENVIronmental RIsk analysis (ENVIRI; in Finnish the project is called YMPÄRI), which constituted the environment of my action research. The aim of the process was to create a guideline for performing an environmental risk analysis. My case study was associated with the UPM Kaukas pulp mill's accidental emissions of the summer 2003. Accidental emission reports in the Regional Environment Centre of Pirkanmaa, together with various documents and interviews, augmented my action research and case study.  As a result I claim that accidental industrial emissions constitute a significant part of environmental load associated with industrial activities. Accidental emissions seem to especially disturb the function of biological water treatment systems, and cause societal consequences. Frame analysis was used to structure the development challenges associated with accidental emissions. Accordingly, there are three types of frames in the governance of environmental risk: norm frame, risk management frame, and major accident management frame. Environmental permits and emission limits are crucial in the norm frame, while in the risk management frame, the focus is on the management system of the socio-technical industrial process. The major accident management frame places much emphasis on the prevention of major accidents and the management of dangerous chemicals. The norm frame predominates in Finnish environmental governance. The major accident management frame is also recognised as an important part of risk management. These focuses are problematic from the point of view of the prevention of accidental emissions, because there can not be a permit for accidental emissions, and on the other hand also incidental emissions as well as non-dangerous emissions can cause harm to the environment. I claim that environmental authorities are not capable of governing the prevention of industrial accidental emissions in the existing governance culture of environmental risks. I suggest that the risk management frame should be adopted as the prevalent reference for matters related to the prevention of accidental industrial emissions. In so doing, the nature of the industrial process as a socio-technical entity could also be addressed, and the safety performance of process technology, personnel and organisation would be considered. Environmental management systems are good tools for managing socio-technical processes. Environmental authorities could jointly develop the safety potential of industrial sites together with the companies - not just as an inspector, but also as a partner.
Notes: Thesis (doctoral) --Tampereen yliopiston, 2007.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 178-195).

Also available on the World Wide Web.

Abstract also in English.