1996 Electronics Industry Environmental Roadmap - Civil and ...

Information and Knowledge Systems
40
line database of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and later are published on a
CD-ROM.
U.S. Dept. Commerce Current Industrial Reports (CIR): These reports, which are based
on the Annual Survey of Manufacturers and the Census of Manufacturers, represent a
more detailed examination of economic factors associated with production activities. The
sub-sample of companies that are included in these surveys provide data projected to the
industry (4-digit SIC) as a whole. Of particular importance is an annual report on
pollution costs and expenditures. These cost data are stratified into several categories,
including “Pollution Abatement Capital Expenditures” (PACE) and “Pollution
Abatement Operating Costs” (PAOC). These categories are further stratified according to
route (i.e., “air,” “water,” etc.).
World Bank, Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS): The IPPS was developed by
the World Bank to assist in estimating, quantitatively, sources of industrial pollution in
developing countries. The IPPS was developed by merging U.S. data derived from the
Longitudinal Research Database (LRD) of the U.S. Department of Commerce
(establishment level economic data) with several databases (including the TRI database)
maintained by the EPA associated with pollution emissions. The IPPS estimates
pollution intensity associated with specific 4-digit SIC codes (U.S.) and 4-digit ISIC
codes (internationally).
These are just a few of the federal resources available (or soon to be) on the Internet. Other
examples include Enviro$en$e and Envirofacts from EPA, the Council on Environmental Quality
of the Executive Office of the President, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
the Department of Energy, and the network of federal laboratories, among others.
Numerous private organizations are also placing potentially important data in the Web. Several
sites have been established that provide comprehensive indexes of WWW environmental data.
One of the best is the Environmental Links Index (found at
http://aazk.ind.net/environmental.html), which lists over two hundred sources of environmental
information, including various EPA databases (chemical substance fact sheets, national materials
exchange network, and a variety of other sources).
Another key source is GNET, the Global Network for Environmental Technology (currently
under construction). This site is still being developed and expanded, and when complete will
provide a central point for locating technologies available to support industrial environmental
objectives. GNET also includes a news net and discussion forum.
Many organizations, both public and private, also maintain Web sites. Most of the major
computer and electronics manufacturers have Web presences, as well as most consortia, trade
and professional associations, and research institutes. Few of the corporate Web sites, however,
provide details about environmental programs or use the Web as a means of disseminating
information about environmental stewardship. This is particularly true of the corporate sites,
with the exception of a few (e.g., NORTEL).