Production
The production and use of manufactured chemicals are increasing rapidly. A large part of these chemicals are ending up in water all along the chain from raw materials, processing, distribution, use and disposal. These chemicals are providing the global population with enormous benefits, while at the same time causing us increasing challenges. During the World Water Week, discussions dealt with the different ways that these chemicals find their way into water recipients. The emissions to water from industrial production via point sources has received a lot of attention in the past and in many cases this has lead to significant reductions in both water use and water contamination. It seems that the focus is shifting towards the diffuse pollution that arises from the use and the gradual erosion of these products. Several presentations dealt with the increasing array of contaminants in urban storm water. Traffic, buildings and land use activities contribute with significant amounts of sediments, heavy metals and inorganic as well as organic contaminants. Several examples were given of successful measures to reduce this type of pollution including: phasing out lead from gasoline, reducing copper emissions from brake pads, banning lead weights for wheel balancing,protecting coatings of metal roofs and increasing the public awareness regarding the use of cosmetic pesticides, recycling, and cleaning up after pets. Several of these substances and chemicals are finding their way in to our ecosystems through various pathways including our waste water treatment plants. The textiles, electronic equipment, personal care products, building materials and household chemicals we use contain compounds such as: nonylphenol, triclosan, brominated flame retardants, phthalates, polyfluorinated compounds, metals, organo-phosphates and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The keys to reducing the releases of these chemicals to nature lay in finding substitutes, but increasingly also in educating the end-users in proper handling and disposal of these products. The different roles of governments, private sector, science and civil society in the quest for reducing water pollution was a topic that ran through the workshops, seminars and side events. A description of governments as the regulators, private sector as the main doers and science and civil society as the providers of trust and constructive challenges, resonated well with a majority of the participants. The need to develop mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability was also noted as a key factor to facilitate social acceptance and compliance to regulation and to avoid capture of policy processes by narrow interests. The business community attending the week presented their efforts towards contributing to the solutions to the water challenges and in many cases opened up to constructive input from governments, science and civil society in assisting them in finding better metrics, educating consumers and reducing their water footprints.
