Applying Precaution in the context of chemical safety

Tools

Chemical Toxicity Data

PRIO

A web-based risk reduction tool consisting of a guide and a database containing about 4000 dangerous substances.

The aim of PRIO is to facilitate in the assessment of health and environmental risks of chemicals so that people who work as environmental managers, purchasers and product developers can identify the need for risk reduction. To achieve this PRIO provides a guide for decision-making that can be used in setting risk reduction priorities.

The target groups for PRIO are primarily Swedish actors but also include chemical suppliers to Sweden in other countries. PRIO also provides a source of knowledge for environmental and health inspectors, environmental auditors, risk analysts and those who in some other way can influence the use and handling of chemicals.

PRIO allows users to:
• search for substances and obtain information on properties hazardous to the environment and health
• obtain information on prioritised health and environmental properties
• identify substances contained in chemically characterised substance groups and product types
• obtain help in developing routines for purchasing, product development, risk management etc.

IRIS Database

IRIS is a database of human health effects that may result from exposure to various substances found in the environment. IRIS was initially developed for EPA staff in response to a growing demand for consistent information on chemical substances for use in risk assessments, decision-making and regulatory activities

Toxnet

Toxnet is a series of databases on chemical toxicity hosted by the National Institutes of Medicine which allows multiple searching options

EPA Triage Database

Triage is a searchable database of scientific studies on the health and environmental effects of toxic chemicals related to Section 8(e) of TSCA

Toxics Release Inventory Resources

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a publicly available EPA database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities reported annually by certain covered industry groups as well as federal facilities

TSCATS (Toxic Substances Control Act Test Submissions)

TSCATS is an online index to unpublished, non-confidential studies covering chemical testing results and adverse effects of chemicals on health and ecological systems. The studies are submitted by U.S. industry to EPA under several sections of the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). There are four types of documents in the database: Section 4 chemical testing results, Section 8(d) health and safety studies, Section 8(e) substantial risk of injury to health or the environment notices, and voluntary documents submitted to EPA known as a For Your Information (FYI) notice

The Scorecard Database

The Scorecard Database provides information on chemical releases, risk prioritization of substances and other relevant information for chemicals and facilities

European Chemicals Bureau databases

The European Chemicals Bureau is the European Commission focal point for data and the assessment procedure on dangerous chemicals.
Once REACh comes into force, many of these capacities will be transferred to a new Chemicals Agency in Helsinki.

Related links