REACH assessment of humans exposed to chemicals indirectly via the environment: screening modeling in EUSES versus state of the science

In a Nutshell

An ECETOC task force has reviewed current approaches for evaluating potential unintentional exposure of humans to chemicals via the environment, for example via food, drinking water, and/or air. The study concludes that the default EU tool used to assess this potential exposure, the EUSES[1] tool, provides a conservative screening evaluation, but there are areas where it could be strengthened.  In particular, it could incorporate newer models to both widen the applicability domain of EUSES, for example for ionisable substances, and potentially more accurately predict chemical concentrations in the food we consume. Model assumptions could also be updated, for example to better reflect today’s dietary trends. [1] EU System for the Evaluation of Substances (EUSES)