Slow rusting iron produced in the open-hearth furnace

Abstract

The paper discusses the scientific components of policy making in a specific case. Next to tourism, the results of several decades of economic development policies in the Croatian Adriatic coast are several major chemical industry plants: petroleum refineries, a coke oven plant, polymer synthesis and fabrication (VCM and PVC), alumina and aluminum electrowinning, chlorine-alkali electrolysis, and calcium carbide, ferromanganese and ferrosilicon electric kilns. These industries are located in the vicinity of three major towns: Rijeka, Šibenik and Split, although problems exist also at Pula, Zadar and Dubrovnik. Their locations are in sensitive karstic environments of the coastal region, and the extent of their impact is still a matter of study. Competition for land-use with the tourist industry, already present or planned in the vicinity, has created difficult management problems, specifically expressed in the maintenance of environmental quality criteria. Environmental impact assessment and monitoring programs have shown several ‘hot spots’, albeit of limited extension. The chemical industry pollution load is in addition to other loads, such as urban sewage and various non-point land-based outfall. Evidence already exists to warrant concern and calls for remedial action and/or a change in development policies. The chemical industries are highly energy intensive and require additional, unavailable regional and local electric power sources. Their siting is increasingly difficult environmentally, technologically and socially, and calls for complex environmental management strategies. In turn, the economic edge depends on the pricing of electric power supplied, the cost of pollution abatement technology, its maintenance, and the implementation of precautionary measures. The concept of ‘sustainability’ will require a careful choice between available development options, respecting the limits of the carrying capacity. Evidence is emerging that tourism and the chemical industry are increasingly incompatible, based on the new evidence of the extent of ecotoxicological impacts. The question is whether (i) to phase out polluting industries, incurring hereby heavy economic costs, or (ii) to conceive their development by separate zoning, based on ecotoxicological considerations.