The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has identified new research areas where further regulatory scientific research is needed to enhance protection of human health and the environment and strengthen chemicals safety.

In its updated Key Areas of Regulatory Challenge Report, ECHA calls for targeted research to address gaps in environmental risk assessment and support evidence-based decisions on chemical safety across the EU. The report’s update also expands on regulatory research areas to tackle pollution and biodiversity loss, to enable the evaluation of environmental impacts and to address safe innovation and circularity.

New areas for regulatory science research are:

🟡 Environmental impacts of chemicals at ecosystem level, to strengthen the link between risk assessment, biodiversity protection and socio-economic decision-making;
🟡 Mobility of persistent substances, including the need for improved methods and models to identify contaminants that can spread widely in water systems; and
🟡 Resistance to biocides, requiring harmonised methods to assess risks and ensure continued effectiveness of treatments.

Contact Donna at LKC for advice and support on analysis of alternatives, socio-economic assessments and resistance.

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