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ENVIRONMENTAL COMPANY OF SAO PAULO STATE – CETESB
REGIONAL CENTRE OF STOCKHOLM CONVENTION ON POPs FORLATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION
V INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM ON ENVIRONMENTAL SOUND MANAGEMENT ON CHEMICALS AND WASTES, ESPECIALLY ON
PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPs) AND MERCURY (Hg)
Social-environmental risk management in chemical emergencies and risk communication
Biol. Iris Regina F. Poffo (PhD.)
2016
Sao Paulo – SP – Brazil
( ) The quality of information and the promptitude to convey them are essential for the proper inception of the response, else, it may impair initial actions and to increase the consequences of the event;
( ) Most of the players involved in emergency operations do not notice the impacting and the all-encompassing events that words and images which are being used may offer the receiving parties;
( ) Hardships in communicating, physical exhaustion, mental and emotional stress may generate communications noises and affect the satisfactory performance of the response actions.
The importance of information and of the risk communication during emergencies situations
True or false?
Environmentally sound management of hazardous or other wastes: “taking all practicable steps to ensure that hazardous and other wastes are managed in a manner which will protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects which may result from such wastes” (Basel Convention - Art. 2º definition)
F. Barretto/Global Garbage
RISK COMMUNICATION HOW CAN WE MAKE THE BASEL CONVENTION APPLICABLE?
http://www.comcausa.org.br/fotosate2006/index_arquivos/image044.pnghttp://www.comcausa.org.br/fotosate2006/index_arquivos/image044.png
The Social and Environmental Risk - concepts
Social RiskRisk caused to the community due to exposure to one or more hazards or dangerous situations in specific time period (Lima and Silva. Brazilian Dictionary of Environmental Science. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. 1999).
Environmental RiskThe probability of harmful effects to human health or ecological systems resulting from exposure to an environmental stressor such as chemicals, land change, diseases, invasive species and climate change (http://www.epa.gov/risk).
The Social and Environmental Risk - concepts
Voluntarily chosen risk*:
Professionals
Imposed involuntarily risk*: community living near of an industry
* SHRADER-FRECHETTE, K. International Conference on Radiation and Society; Comprehending Radiation Risk. Paris (France). 24-28 Oct 1994. Editor IAEA, Proceedings Series. p. 167-182. 1994.
Social-environmental risk management and communication
“Small sizes” incidents:
- a broken thermometer,
- a broken fluorescent tube or light sources,
- a mercury spill in houses, laboratories or schools,
- an intoxication with pesticides (bottles),- an accidental exposure to Hg-containing wastes, mercury
compounds or POPs,- And ????
Social-environmental risk management and communication
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
Technological hazards- Industrial operations- Mining- Transport of hazardoussubstances- Irregular POPs and mercury waste storage and disposal
Natural hazard events- Cyclones
- Earthquake
- Floods
- Landslides
“NA-TECHEvents”
“Big sizes”
- People living and working in the vicinity of facilities handling mercury, mercury wastes and POPs.
- People living and working in the vicinity of artisanal, small or big scale gold mining activities (and some roads?).
- Fishermen, agriculture, artisanal miners,etc.
Vulnerable Communities People exposed to emissions and releases from all those activities where hazardous materials are being handled such as road, railroad and maritime transports, illegal dumping, mining, industries and so on.
Social-environmental risk management and communication
Before or Facing an Environmental Emergency Situation
we can work together to make people aware that something is being done for their safety and
that they can do something good when prepared for it.
THE AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING FORMINIMIZE OR AVOID:
- The contamination of the natural resources,
- Keep vulnerable communities and curious peopleaway from contaminated sities and brownfields,
- Try to keep animals away from these sities.
Social-environmental risk management and communication
http://www.bvsde.paho.org/tutorial6/i/index.html
Basic aspects of communicationBackground and some general considerationsRisk perception, Body languageThe planning of risk communicationCommunity participation and inter-institutional linkagingPreparing messages, The mediaCommunication in crises and emergencies
RISK COMMUNICATION - SELF- INSTRUCTION COURSE
What we should know:
• About the contaminant sources: risk assessment studies, types of chemical products manipulated and their properties, the emergency plan.
• About the environment and the vicinity: water resources, risk of natural hazard events, fishery activity, agriculture, farms.
• About the possible environmental impacts: to the public health, to the water supply, to the soil, to the atmosphere, to the transport system.
• About the stakeholders involved: who can be good partners, who have the voice in the communities.
Social-environmental risk management and communication
Emergency Situations => multi-stakeholder are involved
Different kind of “languages” + Different kind of priorities == Communication noises
So we need a multi-stakeholder approach before the incident=> a partnership with:- The Local government authorities,- The Fireman,- The Civil Defense,- The Environmental Agency, The Health Sector,- The Local industry or other potential polluter,- The University, and - The Local population.
Social-environmental risk management and communication
A VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION PROCESS:interact to transmit what is most important
considering the risk situation
Inform => about the kind of the accident, risks of water contamination or intoxication, for example.
Alert => to stay alert to the authorities signs, do not drink this water, do not fish here, do not eat mussels or fish “X”,
Give orientation => what the authorities are doing to their security and welfare; what they can do/ what they can not do, where they should go or not,
Stimulate => collaboration, cooperation and participation.
WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW? •Hazards and risks involved: to the public health, to the natural resources, environment and animals,•How is the region: geographical and geological features, meteorological conditions or weather trends, a road giving access to a safety place or to a road,•Who is the audience or the key population : language, cultural level, behavior, religion, age, occupation, routine, tradition, tendency, peculiarity, •What is the scope of the Risk Communication Plan: which aspects are covered and which are not.
BEFORE THE EMERGENCYRisk Communication Program
Try to answer these questions before beginning the work:
• What is the purpose of this information?• To whom should this information be given: who will be on
target of the authorities?
• What information should be passed on? What do we want to inform and what should the community wants to know?
• What should be the ideal moment to give it?
• What could be approached and what could not?• How should this information be transmitted?• What type of risk or accident should be addressed? The most
probable (least dangerous) or least likely (most dangerous)?
PLANNING THE RISK INFORMATION WORK:
Preparing effective messages- Arrange the messages in groups: the most important ones are in the initial and final position of the text,- Cite third parties who are highly credible,- Develop key messages and support them with information that indicates important factors of risk perception and of outrage: confidence, benefits, control, free will, fear, reversibility, catastrophic potential, origin, familiarity, memorability,- Use visual aids, graphics, analogies, stories (for example, personal case histories);- Balance the negative messages with constructive, positive, or solution-oriented messages,- Avoid the use of unnecessary, indefensible, or unproductive words such as no, never, none, nothing, I do not know.
RISK COMMUNICATION - SELF- INSTRUCTION COURSE
Just providing information about the risk situation is enoughto avoid accidents and contaminations?
http://resource2.ultdb.net/res/org0011/CM/14-12/201412119OKD.pnghttp://www.lalizasimosigns.com/product-photos/12/3812.jpg
Why should we have to take a special care with kids?
Because children see things differently
The FAO Programme on the Preventionand Disposal of Obsolete Pesticides isworking with developing countries,donor agencies and industry to dealwith the environmental and publichealth implications of this aspect ofagriculture.
http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/obsolete-pesticides/prevention-and-disposal-of-obsolete-pesticides/en/
PREVENTION AND DISPOSAL OF OBSOLETE PESTICIDES
AND WHAT ABOUT TEENAGERS´
RISK PERCEPTION ?
Campaign for Fluorescent Lamps
http://www.energystar.gov/products/lighting_fans/light_bulbshttp://www.maine.gov/dep/homeowner/fluorescent.html
http://dcab.ugr.es/pages/unidad_calidad_ambiental/tubos_fluorescentes
• Hazard identification => to evaluate the risk scenarios and their effect to human life and to the environment,
• Identification and characterization of the surrounding community => water sources, inhabitants ages, physical handicaps or other kind of movement limitations, social meeting points, schools, hospital,
• Information conveyance => appropriate approximation techniques (winning over of credibility), escape routes, means of communications used by them (radio, television, internet),
Planning the risk communication process with the community (studies on risk perception are an essential tool)
• Joint organization => prepare a work group to participate in the elaboration of an Awareness and Preparedness Plan for Emergencies al local level => Carry out simulated tests.
• Prepare the community to act in emergency situations: TRAININGS AND DRILLS
Photos: CETESB
Planning the risk communication process with the community (studies on risk perception are an essential tool)
Cabrillo Pier, San Pedro, CA.(Photo Courtesy of John Cubit)
Foto: Vicente Aquino CETESB
Foto: internet
A RISK COMUNICATION EXAMPLE A CONTAMINATED SITE BY PCBs - Long Beach - USAhttp://pvsfish.org/blog/2010/11/beware-of-the-white-croaker/
Beware of the
White Croaker
What can you do if a Mercury Thermometer Breaks?
If you have questions about the potential health effects after being exposed to a broken thermometer, OR
if there are young children or pregnant women or pets in the house at the time of the thermometer breakage,
=> call your Local Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
http://www2.epa.gov/mercury/what-do-if-mercury-thermometer-breaks#clean
A RISK CONTAMINATION EXAMPLE DONE BY US EPAin their website
- allow children to help you clean up the spill,
- use a vacuum cleanerto clean up mercury,
- use a broom to clean up mercury: it will spread them,
- pour mercury down a drain,
- walk around if your shoes might be contaminated with mercury.
What you should NEVER do After a Mercury Spill
What you can do after a Mercury Spill
- open all windows and doors to the outside; shut all doors to other parts of the house,
- Mercury can be cleaned up easily from: wood, linoleum, tile and any similarly smooth surfaces.
- If a spill occurs on carpet, curtain, upholstery or other absorbent surfaces - cut and remove the affected portion,- the contaminated items should be thrown away in accordance with the disposal means.
http://www2.epa.gov/mercury/what-do-if-mercury-thermometer-breaks
Industrial operations
EMERGENCY SITUATIONSTECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Transport of hazardoussubstances
The communitywithout official information
Our brain has two systems to analyze a risk situation*:- one is primitive, unconscious, and intuitive,- the other is conscious and rational.
“The two systems often agree, but occasionally they come to very different conclusions” so we can find ourselves worrying about what the statistics tell us is a trivial threat (like cancer caused by chemical pollution) or shrugging off serious risks like obesity and smoking.
⇒So, we have propensity to panic! And we have to be prepare for it! Are we?
*Risk: The Science of Fear by Dan Gardner (2008 - USA).
RISK PERCEPTION AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
The strategies of the APELL approach:
- identify and create awareness of risks in an industrialized community,
- initiate measures for risk reduction and mitigation,
- develop coordinated preparedness between the industry, the local authorities and the local population,
- prepare professionals involved in chemical emergency’s for communication.
CONSIDERING THE OVERVIEW OF THE APELL* PROCESS
*APELL: Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies al Local Level (http://www.unep.org/apell).
UNEP Programme: supportive of a multi-hazard approach and aligned with Disaster Risk Reduction policies (Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction),
Objectives: - create an open dialogue about hazards, risks, capabilities and emergency plans involving all the stakeholders and the community members increasing the awareness of the hazards,
- allow the community to reduce its vulnerability and to increase its resilience.
CONSIDERING THE OVERVIEW OF THE APELL PROCESS
APELL CARAGUATATUBA - SP - BRAZIL 2012/2015PETROBRAS GAS PLANT TREATMENT
1.Identify the emergency response participants and establish their roles, resources, and concerns.
2. Evaluate the hazards and risks that may result in emergency situations in the community.
3. Have participants review their own emergency response plans to ensure a co-ordinated response.
4. Identify the required response tasks not covered by existing plans.
5. Match these tasks to the resources of the identified participants.
The APELL process consists of ten steps:
6. Make the changes necessary to improve existing plans, integrate them into an overall community plan, and gain agreement.
7. Commit the integrated community plan to writing and obtain approval from local governments.
8. Educate participating groups about the integrated plan and ensure that all emergency responders are trained.
9. Establish procedures for periodic testing, review, and updating of the plan.
10. Educate the community about the integrated plan.
CONSIDERING THE OVERVIEW OF THE APELL PROCESS
COORDINATING GROUP AND THE ROLE OF THESPOKESPERSON (SPOKESMAN/SPOKESWOMAN)
Should be a person that:
• Has excellent communication skills,• Has some degree of experience related to emergency planning, incident prevention, emergency response and disaster preparedness, • Can translate the tecnhical language to the common words.
who will be the spokesperson ?
COMUNICATION IN CHEMICAL EMERGENCIES
HOW DO YOU FEEL LISTENING THIS MESSAGE?
Communication during emergencies:some main problems with the media
• Play of interests;
• Lack of ability in conveying facts and opinions pertaining to chemical emergencies (oil leaks) of those being interviewed and interviewers;
• Technicians: not always have precise answers when being interviewed => need a general diagnostic of the scenario before informing the press about the causes and consequences of the event;
• Media time: need immediate answers from the technicians involved to prepare the feature quickly and to disclose it without delays.
SOME HINTS WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE MEDIA(print , electronic and broadcast )
• Interviews: agree on a time and a right (safety) place,• Give priority to press conferences: standardize information,• Give priority to safety rules: ask for and safely accompany
the filming and photos session at the venue of the accident,• Provide information in writing (notes) with official photos .
Be careful: - Telephone interview: write down the name, the telephone´s
number of your interlocutor and from where she/he is speaking,
- Live interview: think about some possible questions they can do and do not answer questions or talk to the journalist about the situation when they are “not recording it”.
- What happened here?- What leaked? Is it dangerous?- How much was leaked?- Has the leak stopped ?- What is being done to control the situation?- What areas were affected?- Are there any dead or injured person? - Have animals died? - What is the value of the fine?- When will things get back to normal?
PRESS ATTENDING THE VENUE
COMMUNICATION WITH THE MEDIA(prepare yourself to the basic questions)
RISK PERCEPTION AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
Anyway when dealing with dangerous substances, we have to consider that irrational fear can grows like a snowball
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