Timeline of chemical risk
From Timelines
This is a timeline of chemical risk.
Contents
Sample questions
The following are some interesting questions that can be answered by reading this timeline:
Big picture
| Time period | Development summary | More details |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-18th century | Early exploration and unawareness | During this era, there is a limited understanding of chemical risks as ancient civilizations encounter hazards without systematic awareness. The use of chemicals in traditional practices and alchemical experiments characterize this period. |
| 18th – 19th century | Industrial Revolution and Uncontrolled Expansion | The Industrial Revolution brings rapid industrialization and the introduction of numerous new chemicals. However, the lack of safety measures leads to accidents and health issues. Industrial processes expand without comprehensive safety regulations during this time. |
| 20th century | Awareness, regulation, and environmental concerns | The 20th century marks a significant shift with increasing awareness of chemical risks. Environmental and health concerns gain prominence, triggered by events such as the use of chemical weapons in World Wars and the Bhopal Disaster. Regulatory frameworks are established, and the environmental movement emerges. |
| Late 20th century -present | Global Harmonization and technological advances | International efforts focus on harmonizing chemical regulations. Advances in toxicology, risk assessment, and chemical analysis play a crucial role. Global conventions (Stockholm, Rotterdam) are implemented, and significant regulations like REACH (2007) emerge, addressing contemporary challenges in chemical risk management. Ongoing research explores emerging technologies and their associated risks. |
Full timeline
| Year | Risk type | Event type | Agent | Details | Country/location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 (June 17) | Intentional | International legislation and agreements | The Geneva Protocol is created, with the purpose to prohibit the use of chemical and bacteriological methods of warfare. This protocol marks the first international endeavor to restrict the utilization of biological agents in warfare.[1]:p14[2] | ||
| 1930s | A German scientist created Tabun, the first nerve agent, while attempting to develop a more potent pesticide. The German army weaponized Tabun as a chemical weapon, and it was followed by the development of Sarin and Soman in the late 1930s to early 1940s. American scientists designated these agents as "G" agents, leading to Tabun being labeled GA, Sarin as GB, and Soman as GD. In the 1950s, more stable variants known as the V agents, including VX (Venom X) developed by the British in 1952, emerged. VX, characterized by increased stability, can persist in the environment for several weeks after release.[3]:120-121 | ||||
| 1962 | Non-intentional | Literature | Rachel Carson publishes Silent Spring, which focuses on the harmful impacts of pesticides, specifically DDT, on birds. The publication played a key role in the 1972 ban of DDT in the United States. Widely recognized for its influence, the book is credited with catalyzing the environmental movement and fostering a heightened concern for the enhanced regulation and management of pesticides and other chemicals.[4] | United States | |
| 1974 | Non-intentional | American chemist F. Sherwood Rowland and Mexican chemist Mario Molina publish a groundbreaking article in the scientific journal Nature, providing compelling evidence of the threats posed by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to the stratospheric ozone layer. Their research demonstrates the harmful impact of these chemicals on the Earth's protective ozone layer. This work would become pivotal in raising awareness about the environmental risks associated with CFCs, as it would contribute significantly to the understanding of their role in ozone depletion. The recognition of their pioneering contributions would come in 1995 when Rowland, Molina, and Paul Crutzen are jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. The acknowledgment highlights the critical importance of their research in the field of atmospheric chemistry and its implications for global chemical risk, particularly in the context of ozone layer protection.[4] | United States | ||
| 1975 | Intentional | Terrorism (state-sponsored) | Parathion, thallium, multiple | During the Rhodesian conflict, the minority white community in Rhodesia face challenges from native African nationalists. Stretched thin, Rhodesian forces adopt unconventional methods, employing commercially available poisons like parathion and thallium. They contaminate clothing, water sources, and food, resulting in an estimated 1,500–2,500 guerilla deaths, with numerous civilians affected. Facing native African nationalist insurgents, the Rhodesian forces struggled due to limited resources. Rhodesia's chemical warfare, marked by low-tech methods, demonstrate a brutal, yet unconventional approach to counter the growing power of the insurgent forces.[5] | Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) |
| Early 1980s | Intentional | Biological warfare program | Multiple | Project Coast starts operating as South Africa's covert Chemical and Biological Warfare (CBW) program. Operational until early 1990s, the program would be found to have developed lethal chemical and biological weapons, including sterilization toxins and concealed poisons, targeting African National Congress political leaders and black township populations. Project Coast would be accused of contaminating water supplies with cholera, aiding Rhodesian troops with anthrax and cholera, and employing toxic agents for political assassinations. Investigations would lead to dismissals and document destruction, with South Africa officially maintaining the program's defensive nature, despite international concerns.[6] | South Africa |
| 1984 | Bhopal Disaster in India highlights the devastating consequences of chemical accidents. | ||||
| 1985 | The 1985 United Nations Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is held as an international treaty aimed at addressing the environmental and health risks associated with the release of certain chemicals known to deplete the ozone layer. It is a landmark agreement that addresses chemical risks associated with ozone depletion. | Austria | |||
| 1987 | Around 100 individuals in India fall ill due to the consumption of wheat products contaminated with mycotoxins, a result of heavy rains.<ref name="Melnick">:155 | India | |||
| 1999 | Dioxin affair | Belgium |
Meta information on the timeline
How the timeline was built
The initial version of the timeline was written by FIXME.
Funding information for this timeline is available.
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What the timeline is still missing
Timeline update strategy
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Ryan, Jeffrey R. (2016). "Seeds of Destruction". Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: 3–29. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-802029-6.00001-3.
- ↑ Frischknecht, Friedrich (June 2003). "The history of biological warfare". EMBO Reports. 4 (Suppl 1): S47–S52. ISSN 1469-221X. doi:10.1038/sj.embor.embor849.
- ↑ Melnick, Alan (3 December 2007). Biological, Chemical, and Radiological Terrorism: Emergency Preparedness and Response for the Primary Care Physician. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-0-387-47232-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "40 Years of Chemical Safety at the OECD: Quality and Efficiency" (PDF). oecd.org. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ↑ "Dirty War: Rhodesia and Chemical Biological Warfare 1975-1980 (Book Review)". PRISM | National Defense University. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ↑ "What Happened In South Africa? | Plague War | FRONTLINE | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
