The power of information_The example of the u.s. toxics release inventory.pdf

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1、JournalofGovernmentInformation,Vol.26,No.3,pp.287–295,1999Copyright©1999ElsevierScienceLtdPrintedintheUSA.Allrightsreserved1352-0237/99$–seefrontmatterPIIS1352-0237(99)00030-1THEPOWEROFINFORMATION:THEEXAMPLEOFTHEU.S.TOXICSRELEASEINVENTORY*MARGARETM.JOB

2、E†GovernmentPublicationsLibrarianforInternationalDocuments,UniversityLibraries,UniversityofColoradoatBoulder,CampusBox184,Boulder,CO80309-0184,USA.Internet:margaret.jobe@colorado.eduAbstract—TheToxicsReleaseInventory(TRI)wasthefirstlegislativelymandate

3、dda-tabaseinthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesgovernment.Itprovidesaccesstoinformationonreleasesoftoxicchemicals.Followingabriefhistoryofthedatabase,thisarticlede-scribeshowaccesstopublicdataintheTRIhascontributedtosignificantreductionsinoverallpollutionandhe

4、lpedchangetheroleoftheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyfromastrictlycommand-and-controlregulatorybodytooneencouraginginformation-sharingandvoluntaryreductions.ThearticlealsodiscusseshowtheTRIhasservedasamodelforintegrationofmultiplesetsofdatatopromoteu

5、seandunderstandingofcom-plexinformation.Thearticlealsodescribeshowthedatabasehasservedasamodelforsimilardatabasesinternationally.©1999ElsevierScienceLtd.Allrightsreserved.Keywords—ToxicsReleaseInventory,Toxicchemicals,Pollution,Environmentalregulation,

6、Environmentalprotection,Informationpolicy,OnlinedatabasesINTRODUCTIONCitizenaccesstogovernmentinformationcanbeapowerfultoolforchange.WhentheU.S.CongresscreatedtheToxicsReleaseInventory,fewpeoplecouldhaveantici-patedthelocal,national,andinternationalcha

7、ngesthatsuchaccesswouldbring.OnDecember4,1984,anaccidentalreleaseofmethylisocyanategasfromaUnionCarbidechemicalplantinBhopal,India,killedmorethan2,500people.Eightmonthslater,over100peopleinInstitute,WestVirginia,werehospitalizedafterbeingexposedtotoxic

8、fumesfromanotherUnionCarbidefacility.ThesetwoincidentsalarmedboththepublicandCongress.Inresponsetopublicconcernaboutbothchemicalexposurefromlarge-scaleindustrialaccidentsandtheeffectsofroutinelower-levelexposuretohazardouschemicals,Cong