ECOLOGICAL STANDARDIZATION

The main goal of ecological standardization is to identify all potential contaminants of environment and find exposure standards for them.

Exposure standards provide us with limits of acceptable concentrations.

THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE (TLV) refers to maximal concentrations of substances to which it is believed that nearly all people may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse effect.

More detailed information about TLVs is introduced in further chapter on airborne contamination.

LIMITS OF ACCEPTABLE EMISSION: limit concentration of contaminants in the air for some period that shouldn’t exceed TLV within control area.

CONTROL AREA: territory surrounding enterprise that prevents harmful emissions from contaminating environment or at least reduces them.

Control areas are divided into 5 classes:

1 – 1000 m (chemical and refinery plants);

2 – 500 m (production of concrete, lime carbonate);

3 – 300 m (thermal power station, ferroconcrete plants);

4 – 100 m (electronic and machine building plants);

5 – 50 m (light and food industry plants).

Compliance of air quality with standards is checked by assessing concentration of harmful substances against their exposure standards.

Acceptable condition is C ≤ Cst.

In case of presence of several contaminants which action is reinforced by each other acceptable condition will be:

(1)