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There has been a growing awareness in The Netherlands since 1986 that when nitrogen
oxides occur in the air with hydrocarbons (volatile organic compounds) in good weather
conditions - in other words sun and little or no wind - ozone or smog is created. Ozone is
harmful to the health of human beings, it irritates the eyes, nose and throat and creates
headaches and respiratory problems such as shortness of breath and coughing. Ozone is
also harmful to plants. It exacerbates the effects of acid deposits. In 1994, when The
Netherlands had a good summer, the Centre for Agriculture and the Environment at
Utrecht estimated that the damage to agriculture amounted to roughly 1 billion guilders,
approximately 500 million ecu - which is a lot of money by any standards.
Volatile organic compounds can also harm directly human health. On the long run,
exposure to high concentrations of hydrocarbons like may happen under contained
conditions, can cause irreversible damage to the nerval system.
In The Netherlands quite recently - since 1 February 1995 - a law on the health protection
of workers has entered into' force: employers are liable without any possibility of
exonerating themselves, for exposing their employees to hazardous materials.
Hydrocarbons are hazardous so this new law that has no connection at all with KWS
2000, might accelerate product substitution.
