Two-day training course on: Chemical Risk Assessment for the Environment. Day 1. Adam Peters and Graham Merrington 2017

Course format and expectations Aims and objectives Introductions Course format and expectations Day 1 Aims and objectives The risk assessment paradigm The never ending journey – PECs/PNECs Protection goals Regulatory Drivers 2017

Introductions Adam Peters…. Graham Merrington….. Post doc Environment Agency SEPA wca Graham Merrington….. Lecturer – B’mouth, Adelaide 2017

Course format and expectations Slides - booklet Tests Discussions Exercises……(excel sheet of datasets) Questions and perhaps, some answers?! Resources – wca-environment.com Or? 2016

Aims and Objectives Good practice in chemical risk assessment Behaviour, fate, hazards of chemicals Where in the environment? Regulatory context (who cares?) If I can’t do it, where can I find the information I need?! Avoiding the major pitfalls! Getting a start (not a finish) 2016

The risk assessment paradigm Firstly, get a nice complicated, interminable diagram Then spend a lifetime trying to work out what it means Quote endlessly from the diagram….. When asked about what it means, suck air through teeth, shake head from side to side and say “well, I’m afraid it is very complicated. Or, you could try and keep it simple? 2016

The risk assessment paradigm Model or measure chemical in environment (this is the exposure) Compare this to the environmental hazards of the chemical (this is the effects) Characterise the risk….Exposure concentration/effect concentration Refine….(get better exposure or effects data) 2017

The never ending journey? Refinements…..iterate. Effort invested commensurate with level of assessment: Screening, quick, precautionary but often quite uncertain Specific, more time, better data, less precautionary, more certain (scales!) Exposure: Predicted Environmental Concentrations (PEC) or Measured Environmental Concentrations (MEC) Effects: Predicted No Effect Concentrations (PNEC) More ecotox data (Nickel?), higher-tier data, understand mode of action? 2017

Protection goals and points of protection Often defined (badly or not at all) in legislation POINT OF PRODUCTION controls on raw materials, processes POINT OF EMISSION limits on emissions e.g. discharge permits POINT OF CONTACT limits in ambient environment Most chemical standards apply here but may be translated into controls at point of emission INTERNAL DOSE limits on body burdens 2017

Regulatory drivers Many regulatory drivers require assessment of potential chemical risks REACH Human and Vet meds (although no notice is taken of ERA for human meds) Biocides Plant Protection Products Cosmetics Wastes and Sewage Sludges Industrial Emissions Directive? Important to note, an Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) is NOT a PNEC. Why? 2017

Questions……….. Is there any difference between hazard and risk…? In the environment, ecosystems are exposed to mixtures of chemicals. Why do we not regulate for this? When you’ve done an assessment, how do you know it is right? Will we be covering any human health related issues? 2017

2016