Applying Precaution in the context of chemical safety
Tools
Exposure assessment tools
EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT)
The EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating:
• what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment; and
• how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals.
See: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/exposure/ for the list of tools and descriptions of them.
These tools may be helpful when appropriate monitoring data are not available or need to be supplemented, and in considering potential exposure when designing and selecting products and processes; and evaluating pollution prevention opportunities.
The results of an exposure assessment are generally combined with a hazard assessment (potential for a chemical to cause adverse health or environmental effects).
Health Canada
Health Canada Proposal for Priority Setting for Existing Substances on the Domestic Substances List under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999: Greatest Potential for Human Exposure. This report describes a proposed priority setting process of existing substances in Canada. A stakeholder meeting was convened to discuss the Complex Exposure Model (comET). For more on the Canadian chemical substances review process see http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/