technical guidance documents - Institute for Health and Consumer ...
technical guidance documents - Institute for Health and Consumer ...
technical guidance documents - Institute for Health and Consumer ...
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FOREWORD<br />
I am pleased to present this Technical Guidance Document which is the result of in-depth cooperative<br />
work carried out by experts of the Member States, the Commission Services, Industry<br />
<strong>and</strong> public interest groups. This Technical Guidance Document (TGD) supports legislation on<br />
assessment of risks of chemical substances to human health <strong>and</strong> the environment. It is based on<br />
the Technical Guidance Document in support of the Commission Directive 93/67/EEC on risk<br />
assessment <strong>for</strong> new notified substances <strong>and</strong> the Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1488/94 on<br />
risk assessment <strong>for</strong> existing substances, published in 1996. This <strong>guidance</strong> was refined taking into<br />
account the experience gained when using it <strong>for</strong> risk assessments of about 100 existing<br />
substances <strong>and</strong> hundreds of new substances. Furthermore, it has been extended to address some<br />
of the needs of the Biocidal Products Directive (Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament<br />
<strong>and</strong> of the Council).<br />
Concerning Chapter 2 on Risk assessment <strong>for</strong> human health, the Exposure assessment<br />
(Assessment of workplace exposure <strong>and</strong> <strong>Consumer</strong> exposure assessment) as well as the Effects<br />
assessment were improved <strong>and</strong> refined. However, <strong>for</strong> the following sections the revision process<br />
is not yet finalised <strong>and</strong> thus, the current TGD version uses the previous text: section 2.4 on<br />
Assessment of indirect exposure via the environment <strong>and</strong> section 4 on Risk characterisation.<br />
These sections are expected to be available by the end of 2003.<br />
With respect to Chapter 3 on Environmental risk assessment, the Environmental exposure<br />
assessment <strong>and</strong> the Effects assessment underwent major improvements. A new chapter on<br />
Marine risk assessment was added.<br />
Concerning Chapter 7, five out of eight available Emission scenario <strong>documents</strong> (ESDs) were<br />
revised (IC-3 Chemical industry: Chemicals used in synthesis, IC-7 Leather processing industry;<br />
IC-8 Metal extraction industry, refining <strong>and</strong> processing industry; IC-10 Photographic industry;<br />
IC-13 Textiles processing industry). Furthermore, a document on Rubber industry (IC-15) <strong>and</strong> a<br />
number of ESDs <strong>for</strong> the Biocidal Product Types or parts thereof were added. Some of the<br />
Emission scenario <strong>documents</strong> are still subject to on-going consultation in the OECD <strong>and</strong> thus,<br />
may need to be revised at a later stage. In addition, ESDs to cover all 23 Biocidal Product Types<br />
are under development. Consequently, it is anticipated that the set of Emission scenario<br />
<strong>documents</strong> will be continuously exp<strong>and</strong>ing in the future.<br />
The White Paper outlining a future chemicals policy was adopted in February 2001 by the<br />
Commission. This TGD is there<strong>for</strong>e to be used in support of the current legislative instruments<br />
as described above until they are revoked <strong>and</strong> replaced by the future legislation implementing the<br />
White Paper.<br />
I hope you will agree that this TGD makes a valuable contribution to the development <strong>and</strong><br />
harmonisation of risk assessment methodologies not only within the Community but also<br />
worldwide in the context of the activities of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation <strong>and</strong><br />
Development <strong>and</strong> the WHO/ILO International Programme on Chemical Safety.<br />
Ispra, April 2003<br />
Kees van Leeuwen<br />
Director<br />
<strong>Institute</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Consumer</strong> Protection<br />
III