Improving noncancer risk assessment in regulatory decisions

Abstract

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 will bring substantial changes to the national drinking water utilities, States, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), as well as greater protection and information to the 240 million Americans served by public water systems. These changes comprise a balanced, integrated framework of reform, and represent a major national commitment to new and stronger approaches to prevent contamination; better information for consumers; and regulatory improvements, including better science, prioritization of effort, risk assessment, management and communication. Specifically, the Amendments require the use of the best available, peer‐reviewed science and supporting studies conducted in accordance with sound and objective scientific practices. The 1995 USEPA Risk Characterization Policy satisfies some of these requirements since it must feature values such as transparency in decision making process; clarity in communicating with each other and the public regarding environmental risks and uncertainties associated with risks; and consistency across USEPA Program Offices/Regions in core assumptions and science policies, which are well grounded in science and are reasonable. Furthermore, USEPA needs to explore new and improved noncancer risk assessment approaches in setting scientifically sound and defensible drinking water standards.

Key words:

• Safe Drinking Water Act
• risk characterization
• drinking water standards
• reference dose
• uncertainty factors
• risk management

Notes

Health and Ecological Criteria Division (4304), Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20460–0001; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]

The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.