Workshop objectives

A second persistence workshop was convened to: (i) discuss and evaluate the progress and any scientific advances made as a consequence of the activities initiated following the 2007 Holmes Chapel workshop, (ii) discuss other scientific developments within the field of persistence, and (iii) learn from the chemical industry and environmental regulators’ experience of persistency assessments conducted within the initial phases of REACH.

The technical programme will address the following themes through a combination of invited and submitted keynote presentations (using case study measured data where possible) and syndicate sessions:

• Regulatory efforts to harmonise persistency criteria and its evaluation across the EU;
• Validation of biodegradability tests for persistency evaluation and the development of appropriate quality assurance / quality control standards;
• Effective prioritisation of persistence at the screening level including the role of quantitative structure- biodegradability relationship (QSBRs), modified and enhanced (ready) biodegradation tests;
• Biodegradability assessments with ‘difficult to test’ substances;
• Assessment of non-extractable residues associated with sludge, soils and sediments within higher tiered studies;
• Predication, detection, identification and evaluation of degradation products;
• Microbial adaptation and its relevance to exposure and persistency assessment.

The key objectives of the workshop were to:

a) Identify whether / how the programmes initiated as a consequence of the 2007 workshop have helped further the understanding of biodegradation / persistence related issues;

b) Identify and prioritise key areas for further future research.