III. RECOMMENDATIONS

F. Future of This R&D Plan

This document is meant to continuously evolve. As the top R&D needs are addressed, those lower on the list will rise toward the top. As new information on the risks of these and other substances and processes is developed, it may change the order of projects being addressed. In addition, it may be that technology transfer of the results of current or near-term R&D may merit support before additional R&D projects are undertaken, depending on the overall amount of funding available. Finally, it has not always been possible to identify at this point which problems can be largely solved by short-term research and which ones will require longer-term research. That will only become apparent as the short-term R&D is undertaken. Nevertheless, the priorities and recommendations presented above are the best that can be produced at this time and are historic in terms of developing a consensus-based environmental R&D plan for any industrial sector.

Developing this National Metal Finishing Environmental R&D Plan is just the first step in agreeing on and using R&D priorities to guide and coordinate public and private sector environmental research for this industry. Beyond that, it is necessary to disseminate and ensure the adoption of the Plan's priorities and to provide for periodic updating of the Plan in the future.