Chemical substances have many different properties and many different uses. Some are used to make plastics flexible, some put out fires quickly and efficiently, some are products of common chemical reactions that occur naturally in the environment (such as a volcanic eruption) - still others form part of our day-to-day activities, such as driving a car.
In the same way that chemical substances have different uses, they can also be harmful in different ways. For instance, some may harm plants, while some may cause very serious illnesses in people such as cancer. Still others may be carried long distances through the air and affect people far away.
The risk posed by a chemical substance is determined by its hazardous properties and how or where exposure takes place. A scientific evaluation, or "risk assessment," is required to determine details on those hazardous qualities, and the specific ways people or the environment can be exposed.
No comments:
Post a Comment