European Commission - Assessing chemical toxic mixtures

摘要

The European Commission has revealed a new approach to assessing toxic chemical mixtures. Under this approach, the Commission will identify priority mixtures to be assessed, ensure that EU legislation provides consistent risk assessments for such priority mixtures and fill in gaps in scientific knowledge needed to assess the mixtures. In 2008 the Council of the European Union adopted a set of conclusions on 'the combination effects of chemicals' and invited the European Commission "to assess how and whether relevant existing Community legislation adequately addresses risks from exposure to multiple chemicals from different sources and pathways, and on this basis to consider appropriate modifications, guidelines and assessment methods, and report back to the Council by early 2012 at the latest".