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Animal alternatives for whole effluent toxicity testing: Perspectives from a global workshop (presentation)
Citation:
Norberg-King, T., M. Embry, S. Belanger, T. Braunbeck, J. Butler, P. Dorn, B. Farr, P. Guiney, S. Hughes, M. Jeffries, R. Journel, M. Leonard, M. McMaster, J. Oris, K. Ryder, H. Segner, T. Senac, G. Van der Kraak, P. Wilson, AND G. Whale. Animal alternatives for whole effluent toxicity testing: Perspectives from a global workshop (presentation). SETAC Midwest Chapter, Minneapolis, MN, March 20 - 22, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
In the early 1980’s, toxicity based effluent assessments and subsequent discharge controls became globally important, when it was recognized that physical and chemical measurements alone did not protect the environment from potential impacts. Various strategies for whole effluent assessment have been developed over 30 years of practice with many workshops and meetings focused on effluent risk assessment through ASTM, SETAC, OSPAR, UK competent authorities, and EU specific country rules. With the drive to improve effluent quality using toxicity tests, interest in reducing animal use has risen. To assess the evaluate strategies for concepts, tools, and effluent assessments and update the toolbox of for effluent testing methods, an international workshop held. The objectives were to identify the various strategies being used for effluents and to assess whether effluent testing can include 1) reducing the number of fish used in testing (by fewer fish) or by using other species, 2) use of modeling, invertebrates and 3) alternative monitoring methods are essential to meet animal protection goals, and examine specific, ‘non-traditional’ endpoints such as endocrine disruptor protocols, genotoxicity, teratogenicity, other specific mode of action approaches. In preparation for the workshop, a survey was conducted by the workshop organizer to assess the use and application of ecotoxicity-based effluent assessments in the various regulatory jurisdictions globally. This talk will focus on the highlights of the workshop, including a review the state of the science, description of the suite of strategies being used for reducing the impact of effluents, discussion on ways to integrate alternative approaches, and identification of opportunities to lessen the reliance on animal testing. The talk will provide an overview of how various countries approach effluent testing and discuss how these approaches and data generated can integrate into existing risk assessment methodologies.
Description:
Since the 1940s, effluent toxicity testing has been utilized to varying degrees in many countries to assess potential ecological impacts and assist in determining necessary treatment options for environmental protection. However, it was only in the early 1980’s that toxicity based effluent assessments and subsequent discharge controls became globally important, when it was recognized that physical and chemical measurements alone did not protect the environment from potential impacts. Consequently, various strategies using different toxicity tests, whole effluent assessment techniques (incorporating bioaccumulation potential and persistence) plus supporting analytical tools have been developed over 30 years of practice. Numerous workshops and meetings have focused on effluent risk assessment through ASTM, SETAC, OSPAR, UK competent authorities, and EU specific country rules. Concurrent with this drive to improve effluent quality using toxicity tests, interest in reducing animal use has risen. The Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) organized and facilitated an international workshop in March 2016 to evaluate strategies for concepts, tools, and effluent assessments and update the toolbox of for effluent testing methods. The workshop objectives were to identify opportunities to use a suite of strategies for effluents, and to identify opportunities to reduce the reliance on animal tests and to determine barriers to implementation of new methodologies. As preparation for the workshop, a survey was conducted to assess the use and application of ecotoxicity-based effluent assessments. This talk will focus on the highlights of the workshop, including a review the state of the science, description of the suite of strategies being used for reducing the impact of effluents, discussion on ways to integrate alternative approaches, and identification of opportunities to lessen the reliance on animal testing. Finally, we will give an overview of how various countries approach effluent testing and discuss how these approaches and data generated can integrate into existing risk assessment methodologies.