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APPROACHES FOR INTEGRATED RISK ASSESSMENT
Citation:
Munns Jr., W R., R. Kroes, G D. Veith, G. W. Suter, T. Damstra, AND M D. Waters. APPROACHES FOR INTEGRATED RISK ASSESSMENT. HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT 9(1):267-272, (2003).
Description:
Recognizing the need to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of risk assessments globally, the WHO International Programme on Chemical Safety, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the European Commission, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development formed a collaborative partnership to foster integration of assessment approaches used to evaluate human health and ecological risks. The primary objectives of this effort included: ensuring better understanding of the benefits of integration, identifying the obstacles that might be encountered in the integration process, and engaging key agencies, organizations, and scientific societies to promote discussion of integration. Together with supporting documentation, a framework was developed to describe an approach for integration. Four case studies were constructed to illustrate how integrated risk assessments might be conducted for chemical and nonchemical stressors. The concepts and approaches developed in the project were evaluated in an international workshop that asked participants to identify the benefits of and obstacles to integration, the research needed to facilitate its implementation, and the mechanisms and actions that facilitate practical application of integrated risk assessment. The ultimate goal of this effort was to promote development of internationally-accepted guidance for integration of risk assessment.