Hans Marquart of Triskelion discusses the options for companies to provide socio-economic input into regulatory risk management processes for chemicals .
Multiple Regulations and Directives regulate chemical products in the EU . A general aim of this type of legislation is to protect human health and the environment . Therefore , the legislation offers various options for action by authorities to limit or prevent risks . These fall under the general term ‘ regulatory risk management ’. It is clear that we need chemicals in our daily life and that every risk that is mitigated comes with a price , as the implementation of risk management measures ( RMMs ) often requires large investments . To balance risks and costs , many of the aforementioned regulations take into account socioeconomic aspects before taking decisions , as shown in Figure 1 . Some regulatory risk management options are directly invoked by the legislation , as shown in Figure 2 . For example , the Biocidal Products Regulation ( BPR ) requires the approval of biocidal products to ensure that there will be no risks from them . Other options occur after an evaluation of hazard or risk has been made . The use of restrictions or authorisations under REACH depends on evaluated hazards or risks of substances to be regulated .
What can we do ?
Our future is at stake - can we do something about it ? What if your product is in the line of fire of the authorities ? Is there anything you can do to limit the negative consequences ? Sometimes our clients from outside the EU ask us , whether we can put pressure on someone in government to ‘ make this go away ’. And perhaps someone who knows a prime minister or a European commissioner might get things done that others cannot achieve . But the direct influence a consultant can usually exert via his network on decisions in the scope of EU legislation is rather limited .
Hazard
Risk
However , that does not mean , that nothing can be done . Quite often , an assessment of the impacts of decisions including socio-economic impacts , is an integral part of the decision making process . Affected companies can provide input into such processes – and such opportunities should not be wasted ! If you leave it up to the authorities to assess your situation , they may overlook important aspects or not value them as much as you would do . Giving input on the socio-economic aspects of proposed RRMs can therefore be very important . Table 1 includes a couple of possibilities from different pieces of legislation .
Management options
Exposure
Socioeconomic data
Figure 1 – Role of socio-economic data in regulatory risk management of chemicals
Regulatory decision
42 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981