Managing environmental knowledge and the necessary IT tools - Environmental Deterioration and Contamination: Problems and their Management - page 445

4 SUMMARY

The accessible IT tools and the up-to-date scientific and engineering knowledge has
been combined simultaneously with the design and development of the comprehensive
ENFO knowledge bases.
Milliards of data available today are not manageable without processing and gen-
erating information from them. The information volume is still confusingly large,
even for professionals, who must have a full overview on every aspect of environ-
mental management. On the other hand systematically arranged information would
be necessary to make good decisions, to be able to select the best available environ-
mental technologies, to evaluate management options and alternative risk reducing
technologies.
Knowledge bases are founded on the concepts of experienced experts, which is
why these databases are also called “expert systems.'' These systems support decision
making with systematically organized and searchable information on environmental
legislation, assessment and monitoring methods, and risk and impact assessment tools
to estimate the risk of chemicals or contaminated environment. The list of risk-reducing
possibilities and the characteristics of environmental technologies are also important
information for the identification of the best management option.
These types of expert systems are today web-based, IT-aided dynamic systems,
accessible and available for all type of users from politicians, legislators, decision
makers, through managers and engineers to citizens, families and pupils.
The introduced ENFO system aims to contribute to decision support in envi-
ronmental management of chemical substances and contaminated land. It provides
legal, scientific and engineering tools and includes an expert system which arranges
the information according to the management levels and tasks in combination with
the impacted elements of the environment such as chemical substances, environmen-
tal compartments and the exposed receptors. ENFO is a good example of combining
IT tools (databases, photo galleries, e-courses, various maps, navigators and search
engines) with scientific, engineering and management knowledge serving the systematic
arrangement and easy search of information. All the subdatabases are online readable
and writable and optionally expandable. The tiered verification system ensures the
professional control and management of the knowledge base.

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