Safe designs

Regarding the proposals for mandatory use of "inherently safer technology" ("Democrats Back Safer Technology," C&EN, April 10, page 17):

Inherently safer technology is an inherently judgmental term. IST is a design philosophy. I cannot see any practical way for this sort of engineering judgment to be explicitly written into legislation. What is inherently safe? Is reducing on-site inventory safer if it increases transit of shipping containers through the neighboring community? Is a new process technology safer if the added energy penalty produces more emissions from dirty midwestern power plants and drops them on asthmatics like me? Is using a "less toxic" chemical safer if more waste is produced? I cannot see how mandating inherently safer technology is going to do anything but produce a morass.

Daniel R. Kuespert
Columbia, Md.