Integrated risk assessment or integrated risk management?
Problems of hazard assessment and risk assessment are at the present time the subjects of considerable discussion in the context of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) chemical management programs, within the European Community (EEC) and at national levels. A previous article (J. W. Hart and N. J. Jensen, 1990, Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 11, 123-131) discussed the inherent limitations of the hazard assessment of chemicals. The elements of hazard and risk assessment have been described by Bro-Rasmussen (In Risk Assessment of Chemicals in the Environment, M. L. Richardson, Ed., Chap. 24, pp. 437-450, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, 1988). This article is an attempt to illustrate the different elements in hazard and risk assessments in specific risk management areas and to indicate the limitations in these processes. This analysis indicates that there are different requirements for a risk assessment, which depend on its specific purpose. In particular, problems related to the integration of different approaches--and the stage at which integration is possible--are discussed. While the principle subject of the discussion is risk assessment, many of the elements concerned are also a part of priority setting, and this subject is also discussed briefly.
Hart
J W
JW
Ministry of the Environment, National Agency of Environmental Protection, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jensen
N J
NJ
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D005062:European Union; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012306:Risk; D012308:Risk Management; D014116:Toxicology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000393:Air Pollutants