EPA's Research in Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment

Through the performance of risk assessments, researchers seek to understand the fundamental processes that underlie human health problems that are caused by pollutants in the environment. Risk assessments address questions of exposure and the adverse outcomes associated with exposure.

Health: With health risks assessments, NCEA Scientist coordinate with experts in ORD's Labs and centers, EPA's Programs and Regions on issues like cancer, birth defects, developmental disorders, and other serious health problems that can be caused by exposure to chemical or biological agents in the environment. A major result of this coordinated work is the Integrated Risk Information System with it's chemical assessments.

Eco: With ecological risk assessments, NCEA scientists address concerns about the effects of pollution on organisms and ecosystems. A major result from this work is the Casual Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System.

There are four steps to risk assessment:

1. hazard identification,
2. dose-response assessment,
3. exposure assessment, and
4. risk characterization.

Read about the differences between human health and ecological risk assessments and using science to improve these processes.

• Human Health Risk Assessment Overview
• Ecological Risk Assessment Overview
• Using science to improve risk assessments
• Risk Assessment Practices