Nationally, environmental and labor groups refer to reducing the
use and storage of highly toxic chemicals such as MIC as
adoption of "inherently safer technologies." Currently, the
National Academy of Sciences is using the Bayer MIC unit as a
case study to examine the concept. In a 2002 report called
"Challenges in Implementing Inherent Safety Principles in New
and Existing Chemical Processes," Mannan said that inherently
safer technologies "may require significant financial
resources," without eliminating all risk of accidents. "Everyday
life is plagued with hazards that are intrinsic to our society,"
the report said. "Removing all hazards is not possible." In
recent years, the idea of forcing companies to consider such
safer alternatives has become part of the discussion over ways
to make chemical manufacturing plants less attractive targets
for terrorists. Andrea Kidd Taylor, a former U.S. Chemical
Safety Board member who is serving on the national academy's
study team, has advocated requiring companies t