• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.33-56
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• 2007

Use of chemicals has greatly increased along with development of human civilization. Concerns about potential effects of chemicals on human health and environment have also grown accordingly. Due to the enormous number of chemicals being used, however, it is neither practical nor feasible to regulate all the chemicals. Therefore, it is necessary to identify chemicals that deserve more immediate attention, based on the effects on receptors to be protected. This study was initiated by the need for developing management policies for Shihwa-Banwol Techno Valley and its vicinities of korea, where complaints and concerns on environmental contamination have been raised for long time. This study to identifies major chemicals that deserve most immediate attention in environmental health management in this area. For this purpose, the study employed CHEMS-1(Chemical Hazard Evaluation for Management Strategies), and used chemical data from Toxics Release Inventory(TRI) and environmental contamination data from the environmental pollution monitoring network. Top priority pollutants identified in Shihwa-Banwol Techno Valley area were metals and volatile organic compounds, such as dichloromethane, trichloroethylene, diazinon, tetrachloroethylene, chromium compounds, tin compounds, chloroacetic acid, ethyl acetate, and zinc compounds, in an order of decreasing importance. An evaluation of physicochemical properties of the priority chemicals and the environmental pollution monitoring network database in Shihwa-Banwol Techno Valley suggested that the media that are of potential concern would be the atmosphere and aquatic environment.