Caleb Management Services Ltd |
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Chemical Risk Appraisal and Management There are tens of thousands industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and naturally occurring compounds that collectively act as building blocks for many valuable and life enhancing products and services enjoyed by most societies. However, there are also potential health and environmental impacts during extraction, manufacture and conversion of chemicals into useful items. In some cases, these can extend into the use and decommissioning phases of the lifecycle, creating the need for informed management techniques and policies. Part of the problem is that, the datasets for many long-standing industrial chemicals are incomplete with uses being 'grandfathered' from previous generations. In addition, the use of naturally occurring starting materials can lead to greater complexity because many such starting materials are complex mixtures in themselves. What we do know is that society has a problem to be managed if we want to continue to benefit from these materials and their products. National and international regulators and public opinion are now rightly demanding more transparency from industry and a higher degree of scrutiny in most cases. However, balanced with this trend is the fact that there would be no need to manufacture these chemicals in current quantities if society was less profligate. Accordingly, just as all stakeholders have a responsibility for the problem, all have a role to play in the solution. Caleb is well placed to act in the area of 'Chemical Risk Appraisal and Management' where this involves the engagement of stakeholders and the building of consensus on regulatory issues. The company has strong relationships with regulators throughout the world. However, because of our geographic location, these are probably at their strongest in the European Union where, the increasing expression of the precautionary principle in European Chemical Policy development is causing much angst at this time. Caleb has positioned itself to provide, not only alerting services, but also, more importantly, the capability to engage with regulators in order to provide balance to the argument and develop mutual understanding. We feel passionately that the chemical industry has failed to communicate its value to society and this often forms the first plank of our approach with regulators who are often looking for an over-simplistic answer to their perceived problems. In parallel, however, we do not shy away from explaining the stark responsibilities faced by an industry which has taken its 'license to operate' for granted for too long. Although, we don't offer specific toxicological services in support of our chemicals-based initiatives we do work closely with companies providing these specific resources. However, like-mindedness in the area of regulatory relationships remains a key basis for co-operation. Among the chemicals that we are currently working with
are phenol, resorcinol, formaldehyde and alkyl phenols. This takes us
into the 'mysterious world' of endocrine disruption and the even more
mysterious efforts to harmonise test protocols and regulatory approaches.
Other areas of specific interest are halogenated chemicals and particularly
their persistent and bio-accumulative characteristics. Of course, a sub-set
of this sector is the family of chlorfluorocarbons, which as ozone depleting
substances have become a business unit all of their own! |