Population There are no population-scale impacts because exposure to sodium chlorate is confined to scale impacts industrial settings. Very little information is available on the environmental impacts of Overview sodium chlorate. Medium: Sodium chlorate exhibits low acute toxicity to animals by Acute ecotoxicity ingestion of dust exposure. The former use of sodium chlorate as a Potential weedicide shows that it can be toxic to plant life, especially grasses. environment Chronic impacts No information is available about chronic toxicity of sodium chlorate. ecotoxicity Sodium chlorate is not persistent in the environment since it is Persistence readily reduced to chloride. Bioaccumulation Sodium chlorate is not bioaccumulative. Where are the Generation Transport Storage Treatment Recovery Final disposal risks of impacts most High Moderate Moderate Medium N/A Low likely? Has anything No incidents involving sodium chlorate are known in Australia. However, the Bali bombing happened in 2002 involved potassium chlorate, probably diverted illegally from safety match before in production (an industry not replicated in Australia). Australia? Manufacturers of explosives for commercial, sporting or military purposes are tightly regulated in Australia. Some substances used Industry by firework manufacturers are also controlled under security – systematic regulations. Some of these chemicals have other examples are – controls sodium chlorate that is used to generate chlorine dioxide for paper pulp bleaching, and ammonium nitrate used as nitrogenous fertilizer and so regulations extend to those industries, too. – What control Industry – Most of the substances are not toxic and most industry controls are measures are exposure directed at avoidance of explosive risks and illegal diversion (theft). in place to controls manage risks Under National Code of Practice for Chemicals of Australia’s posed by this Security Concern there are 11 chemicals considered high risk. The waste? list includes sodium and potassium chlorates, perchlorates, and nitrates and sodium azide, Most of the chemical substances in the list of 96 chemicals of security concern are those that could be Government involved in chemical weapons and do not possess explosive potential. Ammonium nitrate is separately regulated by state and territory governments.
Population scale impacts There are no population-scale impacts because exposure to sodium chlorate is confined to industrial settings. Potential environment impacts Overview Very little information is available on the environmental impacts of sodium chlorate. Acute ecotoxicity Medium: Sodium chlorate exhibits low acute toxicity to animals by ingestion of dust exposure. The former use of sodium chlorate as a weedicide shows that it can be toxic to plant life, especially grasses. Chronic ecotoxicity No information is available about chronic toxicity of sodium chlorate. Persistence Sodium chlorate is not persistent in the environment since it is readily reduced to chloride. Bioaccumulation Sodium chlorate is not bioaccumulative. Where are the risks of impacts most likely? Generation Transport Storage Treatment Recovery Final disposal High Moderate Moderate Medium N/A Low Has anything happened before in Australia? No incidents involving sodium chlorate are known in Australia. However, the Bali bombing in 2002 involved potassium chlorate, probably diverted illegally from safety match production (an industry not replicated in Australia). What control measures are in place to manage risks posed by this waste? Industry – systematic controls Manufacturers of explosives for commercial, sporting or military purposes are tightly regulated in Australia. Some substances used by firework manufacturers are also controlled under security regulations. Some of these chemicals have other – examples are sodium chlorate that is used to generate chlorine dioxide for paper pulp bleaching, and ammonium nitrate used as nitrogenous fertilizer – and so regulations extend to those industries, too. Industry – exposure controls Most of the substances are not toxic and most industry controls are directed at avoidance of explosive risks and illegal diversion (theft). Government Under Australia’s National Code of Practice for Chemicals of Security Concern there are 11 chemicals considered high risk. The list includes sodium and potassium chlorates, perchlorates, and nitrates and sodium azide, Most of the chemical substances in the list of 96 chemicals of security concern are those that could be involved in chemical weapons and do not possess explosive potential. Ammonium nitrate is separately regulated by state and territory governments.
hazardous-waste-impacts.docx