Y2K Hazardous Waste & Infrastructure Failure

Dear Members of the WSN List,

My name is Stephen Apatow, President & Executive Director of
Humanitarian Resource Institute.  Recently we have been directing much
attention to potential humanitarian concerns relating to Y2K
infrastructure failure.  

The following notes relate to the subject matter covered in our recent
media releases.  I would be interested in hearing your opinion
regarding potential hazardous materials accidents and references to
contingency plans that could be enacted in regions that could be
impacted by such incidents.

Thank you for this opportunity to dialogue

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JUNE 16TH Y2K TEST IN VAN NUEYS CALIFORNIA SPILLS FOUR MILLION GALLONS
OF RAW SEWAGE 

At the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, a computer mistakenly
closed a gate, blocking a major sewage line and causing the sewage to
back up and overflow 500 feet onto the streets and into Lake Balboa
Park.  The spill occurred when City officials were testing a Y2K
contingency plan. 

As was illustrated in this test, the challenge of systems malfunctions
occurring simultaneously across the globe must be taken seriously. 

SCENARIO EXEMPLIFIES THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS THREAT IN COUNTRIES WITH MEDIUM TO HIGH RISK OF
INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURES 


U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD: GOVERNORS URGED TO
PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE Y2K RELATED HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PROBLEMS 

On July 22, 1999, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation
Board distributed a letter urging action on Y2K chemical safety issues
to all 50 state governors and chief executives of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S.
Virgin Islands.   Accompanying the letter was a copy of the CSB's
report to the Senate Special
Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem. 

The Year 2000 (Y2K) Problem was described as an unprecedented problem
having the potential for causing disruption of normal operations and
maintenance at the nation's chemical and petroleum handling facilities.
The potential for Y2K-related catastrophic events were divided into
three categories: failures in software or embedded microchips within
the process plants, external Y2K-related problems (e.g., power outages
and other utility failures), and multiple Y2K-related incidents that
may strain emergency response organizations. 

According to the CSB report, one of the major concerns regarding
Y2K-related catastrophic events was associated with Small, Medium-Sized
Businesses. According to the report, SMEs are defined as facilities
that have less than 50 employees, facilities that have between 51-200
employees or are not part of a multinational national corporation, or
public sector facilities, e.g., municipal water and wastewater
facilities.  SMEs managing high hazard chemicals can pose large risks
to works and the surrounding community. While some exceptional SMEs are
highly resourced, more generally, SMEs lack awareness regarding the Y2K
impact, resources, and the technical know-how for fixing the problems.
Given the time constraints, there is very little chance of changing
that reality. 

[According to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000
Problem, a survey on Y2K preparedness trends among U.S. small
businesses indicates that on January 1, 2000, more than one million
employers will be unprepared for Y2K-related failures. The survey,
third in a series commissioned by Wells Fargo and the National
Federation of Independent Business
(NFIB), showed that despite increasing numbers of businesses working to
prepare for the millennium date change, at least 1.4 million small
business owners plan to take "no action at all."   The survey indicated
that approximately 18 percent of the nation's 14.5 million small
businesses will be directly exposed to the Y2K problem and unprepared
when January 1, 2000 arrives.] 

The hazardous materials problem in the United States provides a
reference point for the size and scope of chemical and safety issues
that can potentially impact the international community where
approximately half of 161 countries are reported to be at medium to
high risk of having Y2K-related failures in their telecommunications,
energy, and/or transportation sectors (July 22, 1999 testimony by
Jacquelyn L. Williams-Bridgers, U.S. Department of State before the
U.S. Senate Special Committee on The Year 2000 Technology Problem). 

A copy of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
Letter to Governors, CSB Y2K Report,  links to the International
Chemical  Safety Advisory,  OECD's Work on Chemical Accidents can be
accessed on the Humanitarian Resource Institute Global Y2K
Infrastructure Risks Web Site: 
http://www.humanitarian.net/y2keconomic.html 

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