Management of Toxic Materials in an International Setting

Blair T. Bower, Lies Dekker, Rob Koudstaal

• 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background and objectives 1.2 Management of the North Sea 1.3 Natural system of the North Sea 1.4 Use of North Sea for disposal of wastes 1.5 Legal and institutional context for management of the North Sea 2 FOCUS OF THE ABC STUDY 2.1 Why cadmium 2.2 The ABC study: Questions to be answered 2.3 Organization of the report 3 WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE DUTCH PORTION 3N OF THE NORTH SEA 3.1 Background and objectives of the WQMP-North Sea study 3.2 Characteristics of the analyses 3.3 Evaluation of ambient water quality 3.4 Conclusions in the WQMP-North Sea with respect to cadmium 4 ESTIMATING DISCHARGES UNDER 1980 CONDITIONS 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Methodologies for estimating discharges 4.3 Results of estimates 4.4 Dutch controlled cadmium sources 5. ESTIMATING EFFECTS OF DISCHARGES ON AMBIENT WATER QUALITY 5.1 Estimating effects on water quality 5.2 Estimating effects on cadmium concentrations in sediments 6 ANALYZING INSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS 6.1 Introduction 6.2 International mechanisms for water quality management 6.3 National mechanisms 6.4 Implementation of international regulations 6.5 Dutch actions and their effects on cadmium inputs 7 FORMULATING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 7.1 An operational and comprehensive procedure 7.2 Illustration of the procedure 7.3 Implementation incentives 7.4 Practical considerations 8 CONCLUDING COMMENTS 8.1 International regulations, their triggers and effects 8.2 Relating costs to benefits, internationally 8.3 Implementation and control on national levels 8.4 Specifying the objective 8.5 Analyzing the aquatic system 8.6 Nature of the analysis 8.7 Remaining and further questions.