RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF NEW AND EXISTING CHEMICALS

An evaluation was made of the recently developed risk assessment metho dologies for new and existing chemicals in the European Communities. T he evaluation also included the methodologies to prioritize chemicals and procedures for risk management, i.e., the (draft) guidance documen t for the development of strategies for risk reduction. The way in whi ch chemicals are prioritized is accepted with only very few comments. Clear progress has been made in the development and harmonization of r isk assessment methodologies and the application of estimation methodo logies. Nevertheless, improvements are necessary for the estimation of consumer and occupational exposure, the derivation, use and transpare ncy of assessment factors for chemicals and classes of chemicals based on the mode of toxic action, environmental exposure models and their validation and relation with monitoring data. As far as risk managemen t is concerned it was recommended to Improve the integration of the my riad of directives and regulations, to clarify definitions, to provide clear guidance on the determination and weighing of advantages and im plications of risk reduction measures and to develop tools, including voluntary agreements, to speed up the slow chemical-by-chemical approa ch.