HOLISTIC RISK ASSESSMENT - AN EMERGING PROCESS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS

A holistic risk assessment (HRA) strategy is proposed as an alternativ e, inclusive paradigm which builds upon the traditional risk assessmen t process described by the National Academy of Sciences. This proposed process expands beyond the traditional process in that it: (i) includ es parallel and integrated assessments for ecological risk and human h ealth risks; (ii) recognizes the presence of competing risks that may arise from implementation of risk management decisions; (iii) is an it erative and nonsequential process that highlights the importance of ri sk characterization and the need for comparisons; (iv) has focus on pr esenting a series of risk choices that take into consideration paramet ers specific to exposed populations and ecosystems; and (v) involves c ommunication as the first step between risk assessors and risk manager s, with subsequent communication of the results of the assessment to c lients and the public. This HRA strategy is illustrated by a case stud y on methyl mercury. Specific research is proposed for future improvem ents in this area. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.