Exposure assessment is the estimation or measurement of exposure to the chemical under investigation during its life cycle and is, with hazard assessment, the basis for risk characterisation. The exposure assessment for the life cycle of a chemical is the main activity in risk assessment and needs input from all sectors involved in industrial chemicals management.
For human health, exposure assessment can consist of characterising exposure to a chemical via environmental media (air, water and soil), food or products. This could consider exposure at different life stages or for different segments of the population (e.g. occupational) and the route (oral, dermal, inhalation), duration and magnitude of exposure.
Ecological exposure characterisation can consist of characterising which ecological receptors can be exposed (e.g. birds, mammals, fish, vegetation etc.), the pathways of exposure, and the duration and magnitude of exposure.
With limited resources the step proposed for implementation of this sub-element is:
- Make use of exposure assessments carried out by other countries or international organisations.