Welcome to the Interdepartmental Group on Health Risks from Chemicals (IGHRC)

Steering Committee meeting minutes

Jan 04 | Jan 05 | Jan 06 | Jan 07 | Nov 07 | Nov 08
Dec 09 |Jan 11 |July 11 |Dec 12

For a copy of previous Steering Committee meeting minutes please contact the IGHRC Secretariat Ruth Bevan [r.bevan@cranfield.ac.uk]

Risk Assessment and Toxicology Steering Committee

The Risk Assessment and Toxicology Steering Committee operated for three years from 1996 to 1999. It was set up to investigate how recent scientific advances could be used to improve chemical risk assessment methods. Its specific aims were to:

• review current practice for managing risks to health from chemicals, taking account of UK and overseas experience;
• hold workshops as a first step to the development and validation of innovative approaches to risk assessment; and
• start to explore with the Research Councils a joint research strategy.

Six reports were produced each with recommendations for improving risk assessment procedures (see Publications List). The reports include an overview of the work of the Committee and future directions, a review of the way government departments carry out chemical risk assessments and four reports from workshops on specific aspects of the risk assessment process (one focusing on the thorny problem of how to deal with uncertainties). The reports make recommendations in three main areas, harmonisation, development of improved methods and new approaches, and transparency.