METAL RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE
With their extensive background in metals risk assessments, the people of ARCHE were contracted by the European Metals Industry to compile a guidance document for the environmental risk assessment of metals and inorganic metal compounds.
The main sponsors of the MERAG project were:
ICMM, The International Council of Mining and Metals:
www.icmm.com
Eurometaux, The European Association of Metals:
www.eurometaux.org
Metals are natural components of the earth and exist in many forms - each with its own specific chemical characteristics that define its interactions with the environment and with living organisms.
Traditionally, the majority of risk assessments and consequently guidance materials have focussed on organic chemicals. In many cases such guidance fails to adequately address specific characteristics that must be taken into account to perform accurate risk assessments for metals. Through MERAG we have sought to address this by consolidating the extensive scientific progress that has been made in this field in recent years.
The critical concepts are presented in a series of eight independently reviewed MERAG fact sheets. It is hoped that these latest concepts will enable regulators and scientists to create new or adapt local, national or regional risk assessment systems accordingly.
It is the intention that this publication, through periodic updates and addition to these fact sheets will provide a solid basis for improvement in risk assessment processes for metals and we encourage all parties to use the material freely.
To request printed copies of the report, please e-mail info@icmm.com
Download background report:
Download fact sheets:
Risk Characterization - general aspects
Exposure Assessment
Effects Assessment - Data compilation, selection and derivation of PNEC values for the risk assessment of different environmental compartments (water, STP, soil, sediment)
Marine Risk Assessment - Use of freshwater data for the derivation of ecotoxicity thresholds for marine species
Bioavailability - Water and Sediment
Bioavailability - Soils
Uncertainty Analysis
Classification - Classification for effects on the aquatic environment of metals/metal compounds and alloys
