Exposure Scenario

Exposure scenarios are important tools for improving the safe use of chemicals in Europe. They provide information on how the exposure of workers, consumers and the environment to substances can be controlled in order to ensure their safe use. Exposure scenarios are developed by manufacturers and importers in the context of the chemical safety assessment as part of the REACH registration.

REACH, the EU Regulation for the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals, requires industry to take the responsibility for the safe use of the chemicals they place on the market. To achieve this, all
actors in the supply chain must play their part in producing information on the use of substances in their processes.

Manufacturers and importers of hazardous substances demonstrate the conditions for the safe use in their chemical safety report (CSR) that is part of the registration dossier submitted to ECHA. When they supply their chemicals downstream, advice on safe use is given in a safety data sheet which may include one or more exposure scenarios (ES).

Exposure scenarios are an innovation introduced by REACH. They describe the operational conditions and risk management measures that allow safe use of a substance for a specific use.
Generating and implementing exposure scenarios needs effective communication mechanisms to

• Developing a common understanding on the purpose and use of the information in the exposure scenarios.
• Developing efficient means to generate the information needed for a chemical safety assessment.
• Developing the IT tools for effective processing and communication of safety information.
• Improving the way formulators can utilise exposure scenarios and communicate safety measures for mixtures.
• Improving communication of safety information to companies and professionals that use chemicals in their products or work.