title: Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating ecotoxicity Data (CRED): comparison and perception of the Klimisch and CRED methods for evaluating reliability and relevance of ecotoxicity studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The regulatory evaluation of ecotoxicity studies for environmental risk and/or hazard assessment of chemicals is often performed using the method established by Klimisch and colleagues in 1997. The method was, at that time, an important step toward improved evaluation of study reliability, but lately it has been criticized for lack of detail and guidance, and for not ensuring sufficient consistency among risk assessors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A new evaluation method was thus developed: Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating ecotoxicity Data (CRED). The CRED evaluation method aims at strengthening consistency and transparency of hazard and risk assessment of chemicals by providing criteria and guidance for reliability and relevance evaluation of aquatic ecotoxicity studies. A two-phased ring test was conducted to compare and characterize the differences between the CRED and Klimisch evaluation methods. A total of 75 risk assessors from 12 countries participated. Results show that the CRED evaluation method provides a more detailed and transparent evaluation of reliability and relevance than the Klimisch method. Ring test participants perceived it to be less dependent on expert judgement, more accurate and consistent, and practical regarding the use of criteria and time needed for performing an evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the CRED evaluation method is a suitable replacement for the Klimisch method, and that its use may contribute to an improved harmonization of hazard and risk assessments of chemicals across different regulatory frameworks.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, EAWAG-EPFL, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kase
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Toxicology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Muris
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkaric
authors.affiliation: Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, EAWAG-EPFL, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ågerstrand
keywords: Ecotoxicology; Hazard/risk assessment; Klimisch method; Relevance evaluation; Reliability evaluation; Water quality criteria