Readings in Risk. Theodore S. Glickman and Michael Gough, Eds. Resowes for the Future, 1616 P St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036. 1990. 276 pages. $24.95, paper.
Reviewed by Robin K . White and Curtis C. Travis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6109. Readings in Risk is a collection of previously published papers that deals with risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The editors’ purpose in assembling such a volume is to compile the seminal essays on risk issues that appeared during the years the techniques of risk assessment were being developed. The book is designed as a tool for students and faculty, f a legislators and executive policy makers, for corporate risk managers, for environmental managers, and for the public. It presents some of the most important discussions in the risk literature in a convenient, objective, simple, and stimulating manner. Papers included are from required reading lists for risk-related courses in U.S.colleges and universities. These papers are relatively “self-contained” (i.e., requiring little external context), presuppose little familiarity with the subject on the pan of the reader, and do not require a sophisticated technical background. Papers were peer reviewed before being selected for this book. The authors of these papers are well-known scientists and researchers in toxicology, biostatistics, chemistry, economics, psychology, and risk assessment, whose collective expertise and experience provide a thorough overview of the field. Papers in Readings in Risk are divided into six major sections: basic concepts, risk comparisons, regulatory issues, health risk assessment, technological risk assessment, and risk communication. In addition to papers that concentrate on theoretical aspects of these topics, each section also contains papers that focus on “real-world” applications. Moreover, to place ideas in proper context, the most controversial papers are accompanied by technical comments that appeared in the press when the articles were originally published. Also, each paper is followed hy a set of questions and problems to prompt further study; this feature alone makes the book an excellent classroom tool. Finally, the editors close with an annotated list of
books and articles for suggested additional reading. Readings in Risk is an excellent compendium of important papers that address critical questions in risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. Its organization, selection of papers, and concise hut provocative introductory essays make it an understandable and desirable resource for a nontechnical audience. Although the editors indicate that the volume is meant to be more than just a textbook, it is primarily as a classroom tool that Readings in Risk has its greatest value. Students and teachers alike will appreciate the wellorganized collection and the thoughtprovoking questions and problems. (Such a classroom tool for risk analysis education is badly needed and long overdue.) Finally, for professionals involved in risk assessment; in legislative, regulatory, or policy development; or in environmental protection, Readings in Risk will provide a basic understanding of risk concepts on which to base their professional decisions. Innovative Hazardous Waste Treatment Series. Hany M. Freeman, Ed. Technomic Publishing Co., Inc., Lancaster, PA 17604. 1990. Volume 1, 256 pages, $49.00; Volume 2, 256 pages, $49.00; Volume 3, in press.
Hazardous waste treatment processes are categorized as thermal, physicalchemical, or biological. Volume 1 is devoted to thermal processes. These processes are designed to destroy hazardous wastes through combustion or pyrolysis by exposing the materials to high temperatures in controlled environments. This volume includes 20 repom on different thermal processes including catalytic combustion, fluidized-bed combustion, and water oxidation of metal and paint sludges and organic solvents. Volume 2 is devoted to physicalchemical pmcesses. Treatment, according to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), is defined as “any method, technique, or process, including neutralization, designed to change the physical, chemical, biological character composition of any hazardouswaste so as to neuaalize it, or render it nonhazardous or less hazardous. . ..” This volume contains 24 reports on such technologies, including alternating current coagulation, catalytic hydrodechlorination, UVcatalyzed hydrogen peroxide chemical oxidation, and solidifcation-stahilization techniques for managing a variety of industrial contaminants such as heavy metals, lead, nitrates, cyanides, and arsenic. Volume 3 will highlight innovative biological remediation processes such as those used on oil spills.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS. ..
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HazardwSWIItrp~es his rem deals with the cleaning up T. uon technologies, including analyt’ pump and treat technology, biomtorati reduction processes.
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CommanHv Rkht-To-Know Serb his repon provides an understanding al emission8 and the risk they la approach to modeling human pose to public health, including a m health. the perils of state air toxics programs, and communicatingright-to-kmw infnrmation 011 chemical 0.Sks.
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s reponpresents studies of the effects of r hem id^ on natural systems, includ mg toncants in ecosystems, -tic tuxicology, wildlife toxicology, and emoxi wlogy frmn an ecosystem integrity viewpoint, using the G m lakes as the e
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EWmn. %I. TBchnol.. Vol. 24, NO.11, 1990 1625
