| Abstrakt: |
Despite the evolution over the last half century of regulatory programs and frameworks developed for the evaluation of safety and management of risks associated with chemicals and materials, new and emerging contaminant issues continue to be identified. These recurring issues suggest a need for review and reflection on current approaches and strategies for ensuring the safety of chemicals and materials. Twelve existing frameworks relating to the evaluation and management of chemical or material risk were reviewed to identify potential process improvements for facilitating early identification of potentially problematic substances and better inform risk management strategies (e.g., prohibition, restricted use, or selection of safer alternatives). The frameworks were selected to represent a broad spectrum of regional, national, and international authorities and purposes, including preproduction evaluation of new substances, classification and hazard communication, identification of persistent pollutants, and identification of safer alternatives. Elements common to the frameworks were identified, as well as features unique to select frameworks. A comparative evaluation was performed, and potential new strategies and approaches were identified to inform process improvement recommendations. These recommendations include requiring validated analytical procedures to enable measurement in environmental media, improved data transparency and accessibility, flexibility to incorporate advances into the state of the practice (e.g., new approach methodologies and high‐throughput assessment tools), and incorporation of monitoring and adaptive management strategies to enable more timely intervention. Process improvement recommendations are discussed and summarized in a conceptual risk management framework. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:1192–1206. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. Key Points: There is a general need for increased sharing of primary toxicological data (e.g., worker epidemiological data) and environmental and biomonitoring data to aid in early identification of potential emerging contaminants (ECs).The evaluation of hazard and exposure should include a deeper understanding of the likely environmental fate of the substance, including its mobility, transformation or degradation, and environmental partitioning.Greater consideration of the broad range of potential exposure and receptors scenarios is needed.Frameworks should allow for incorporation of new technologies (new approach methodologies [NAMs]) for rapid, broad‐based review, analysis, and organization of data (e.g., machine learning) to optimize identification of potential environmental and public health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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