UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum (CSF)
Chemicals and criteria
- Introduction
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Criteria for concern
- List of chemicals
- Current progress
- Safety net
- Background
Introduction
This section describes how the chemicals that the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum (UKCSF) are scrutinising were selected and illustrates the progress being made with each substance currently being considered.
FAQs
Criteria for Concern
The UK Chemicals Strategy sets out a fast track procedure for taking action on the chemicals of most concern. This required the development of criteria to enable chemicals that require a risk management strategy to be identified quickly. The UKCSF agreed criteria to identify the chemicals of greatest concern, taking into account the key properties of persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT).
List of Chemicals
The application of the criteria of concern to the European Union’s IUCLID database produced an initial list of over 100 chemicals of concern. Detailed background to the development of the List of Chemicals of Concern.
To query the inclusion of a substance on the UKCSF List of Chemicals of Concern please first read the FAQs where the proforma can be found.
Current progress
Safety Net
As part of the criteria for identifying chemicals of concern, the Forum also has a safety net procedure for chemicals that do not meet the PBT criteria but where there are reasons to believe that the chemicals raise equivalent concerns.
Background
In 1997 the Government launched a review of its policies on chemicals. The review was needed because of a number of concerns about the effect of chemicals on the environment and human health and a lack of information about some of the effects.
One of the main outcomes of the review was the creation of the UKCSF that advises the Government on reducing the risks from industrial chemicals to the environment and human health via the environment. In doing so the Forum also recognises the many benefits that synthetic chemicals bring to society and that modern life would be unrecognisable without the chemicals that go into almost all the objects and materials we use at home and at work. The UK chemical industry makes a significant contribution to the economy.
There are, however, concerns about the risks to the environment and to human health which might be present from some of the chemicals we use, as was set out in the Government's UK Chemicals Strategy Sustainable production and use of chemicals - a strategic approach (December 1999).
In 2004 there was a full public consultation on the working of the UK Chemicals Strategy and the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum. The consultation document set out four options for improving the effectiveness of Government action:
Of those respondents to the UK Strategy Consultation who expressed a preference, most either agreed in full, or made suggestions to improve, the Government’s preferred option for the future of the UKCSF, Option A.
Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat PDF documents.
Page last modified: 27 September 2007
Page published: 4 December 2002