TR 142 – Approaching cross-sector aggregate substance exposure assessment for consumers

An ECETOC task force has highlighted a lack of both good data and cross-industry-sector tools and guidance for assessing consumers’ aggregate exposure to chemicals, which is when a person comes into contact with the same chemical substance in a number of different ways (inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact), and/or from a number of different sources, such as cosmetics, foods or medicines.

It concluded that, while cross-sector aggregate exposure assessment will be important in future, the lack of data and tools means there is currently no reliable way to cover all the possible consumer exposures thoroughly, especially across different industry sectors. It recommended bringing all available tools and data onto one platform – and that regulators and industry consider ways to make chemical use tonnages and daily use patterns more readily available.