An Argument-Based Approach to Deal with Wastewater Discharges

In this paper we propose the use of an argument-based model --ProCLAIM --that has the potential to minimize ecological impact of industrial wastewater discharges into water bodies. On the one hand, the diversity and unpredictability of many of industrial wastewater discharges and on the other, the complexity of ecological systems that finally receive the discharge (i.e. fluvial ecosystems) illustrates the difficulty to attain a good ecological status of water bodies as required by one of the main priorities of the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). ProCLAIM enables agents involved in the wastewater management process deliberate over whether proposed actions (e.g. industrial spills) are environmentally safe, thus, making each undertaken action a more informed decision.