Rising concern in recent years over the possible adverse environmental consequences of the use of chemicals has led to a steady increase in national activity towards greater regulation, as well as voluntary agreements with manufacturers for risk management of certain products. This book begins by reviewing the current framework of legislation for the regulation of chemicals in the UK and then reports expert views on both the current situation and possible future developments. Subsequent chapters consider some of the scientific and technical issues, including the evaluation of the risks which chemicals can pose to human life and the environment, and the problems relating to evaluating the risks associated with metals in the environment. Finally, the predictive methods used to model the behaviour of organic chemicals within the environment are described. Highly topical, and with authoritative contributions from international experts, this book covers both the scientific underpinning and the legislative and practical issues of this emotive subject. The detailed coverage of a topic that affects many sectors of industry and society will make it popular with a wide audience of individuals from government organisations, industry or academic research, particularly those in environmental chemistry sectors.
Chapter One: The Current Regulation of Environmental Chemicals;
Introduction;
Protection of the Water Environment;
Classification and Labelling of Chemicals;
The Notification of New Substances Regulations;
Existing Substances Regulations;
New European Chemicals Policy;
Other European and UK Regulations on Chemicals;
International Activities on Chemicals;
Voluntary Approaches to Control of Chemicals in the Environment;
References;
Chapter Two: Chemicals Risk Assessment and Management;
Introduction;
Types of Risk;
Risks and Hazards;
The Evidence for Harm Caused by Industrial Chemicals;
Cost-Benefit;
Perception of Chemical Risks and the Roles of the Advocates;
The Problems in Controlling Risks from Chemicals;
Industry Initiatives;
REACH;
Conclusions;
References;
Chapter Three: Future Perspectives in Risk Assessment of Chemicals;
Introduction;
Difficulties in Risk Assessment;
Current Developments;
Future Perspectives;
Conclusions;
References;
Chapter Four: Assessing Risks to Human Health;
Introduction;
Chemical Hazard Assessment;
Assessing Risk;
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Risk Assessment;
Role of Epidemiology;
Applications of Molecular Toxicology;
Uncertainties in Human Health Risk Assessment and the Role of Expert Committees;
The Changing Face of Chemical Regulation in Europe;
Future Perspectives;
References;
Chapter Five: Environmental Risk Assessment;
What is Environmental Risk Assessment?;
What are We Trying to Protect?;
What is the EU Legislative Framework?;
What are Some of the Challenges Associated with the Environmental Risk;
References;
Chapter Six: Risk Assessment of Metals in the Environment;
Introduction;
Ecological Risk Assessment;
Comparison of Inorganic and Organic Contaminants;
Problems with the Application of Traditional ERA Approaches to Metals;
Conclusions;
Acknowledgements;
References;
Chapter Seven: Partitioning, Persistence and Long-Range Transport of Chemicals in the Environment;
Introduction;
Partitioning;
Persistence;
Long-range transport;
Conclusions;
Acknowledgements;
References;
