Outcome 2 - Targeting evaluations

Risk-proportionate, transparent and targeted evaluations.         

Actions

• Target chemicals for evaluation using the Evaluation Selection Analysis (ESA) criteria and process.
• Maintain and update prioritisation tools and adopt innovative methods to allow efficient and consistent screening. 
• Create a validated a list of chemicals that are not commercially active for industrial use in Australia (inactive chemicals).

What can trigger an evaluation?

• New information from the public, national and international regulators and industry, including information provided under the IC Act.  
• Information identified through compliance monitoring and audit activities. 
• Presence of emerging concerns. 
• International or national regulatory activity.
• Findings from our assessment of chemicals eg arising from information requirements.
• Request from risk managers.
• Prioritisation of the chemicals listed on the Inventory. 

The scope of our evaluations can vary and cover a class of chemicals or a single chemical.

How we prioritise chemical evaluations

Our priority is to evaluate industrial chemicals with higher potential for adverse impacts on human health or the environment.

We will only evaluate a chemical if we are satisfied that there is a need to evaluate it. This approach will ensure that we do a risk-proportionate and efficient evaluations.

We use the ESA method to identify chemicals for evaluation based on set criteria. We have different criteria for human health and the environment. 

To select a chemical for evaluation, we will consider the need for:

• risk management recommendations (eg, scheduling the chemical in the Poisons Standard)
• regulatory changes under the IC Act (eg, a variation to the terms and conditions that apply to the introduction of a chemical under certificate), or 
• a change to the Inventory listing (for example, the listing of a misidentified chemical).

In addition, we may select a chemical for an evaluation if there is a need to publish information about it. For example, to provide information on the risk of an adverse event (for example, skin reaction to chemicals). 

We apply extra criteria and approaches for prioritising chemicals that meet the circumstances listed above. 

The ESA method we use comprises these 3 steps:

• high throughput selection of candidates
• application of weighting modifiers
• determining the priority for evaluations.

This 3-step process will allow the publication of a rolling action plan for evaluations.

Identifying industrial chemicals not for commercial use

As part of prioritising Inventory-listed chemicals, we will also create a list of ‘inactive’ chemicals. We will work to validate this list so we can confirm they are not commercially active in Australia. As we identify ‘inactive’ chemicals, we’ll be able to direct more of our resources to meet our objectives to evaluate higher concern chemicals.

Next: Knowledge and evidence