Environmental issues and our chemical world ‐ the need for a multidimensional approach in environmental safety, health and management

Environmental issues are diverse and result from different factors and situations. These call for a multidimensional approach to combat environmental perturbation with respect to the presenting noxious factors, such as toxic chemical elements and wastes from diverse anthropogenic activities. The continued success of certain environmental programmes in the developed parts of the world and the continuing refinement of our environmental objectives in a contextually designed sustainable development, coupled with significant additional knowledge in environmental planning and management have all led to the decision for a global concerted effort to maintain and sustain our environment for the health and safety of present and future generations. However, these objectives are not strongly undergirded in non‐industrialized parts of the world, and are not wholly supported by the chemical industries and other interests because they lack the will and dedication to realise that economics and environmental management as well as health and safety are inextricably linked.