ABSTRACT
Science began as a way to free people from irrational fears about the nature of the physical world. The science of environmental analysis has made remarkable strides in telling us what is present in our environment. Environmental regulations require that new chemicals be tested at a sufficiently high level to show an effect. The education of the public about risk must include attention to both the risks of modern technology and the background risks present in the natural environment. The environmental value of eliminating the Chinese use of chlorofluorocarbons for the twenty- to thirty-year lifetime of the refrigerators was lost. Industrial lobbies and environmental action groups must ultimately learn that they have a common interest in the intelligent use of technology and the reasoned acceptance of some risk. Although methods will continue to be refined, it is unreasonable to expect further improvements in scientific methodologies to make significant contributions to the process of making policy.
