Regulation of Chemicals

Overview

Issues from manufactured chemical products remain ever-present.  Chemicals with new properties are being developed and existing products become used in new applications.  From time to time chemicals come back into the public eye, whether in the context of a disaster (for example the recent explosion in Beirut) or the need to rapidly develop new products (for example to tackle the Covid-19 coronavirus).  

The issues in risk management of chemicals range from safety evaluation and manufacture through to distribution, use and disposal.  They will also vary between single products (for example fertilisers, cleaning agents and drugs) and products in combination (for example implantable medical devices). 

In these sessions, key regulators will discuss existing approaches and the policy and practical challenges for the future.