ABSTRACT
Chemical substances are everywhere; they are present in the air that we breathe, in the food and water that we drink and eat and in the products that we make and consume. Chemical substances may be environmental (minerals, metal ores, atmospheric gases, natural products) or manufactured in origin. Some are safe to mine, manufacture or use, others are harmful. How does society and how do we decide what chemical substances to make, and when to use them? Also, the environment is full of chemical substances, some of which are harmful. How can control be exercised to prevent or minimise exposure to these chemicals? Taking decisions on how to manage exposure to toxic substances implies risk management, and, if risks are to be managed sensibly, risk assessment. The aim of this book is to set out the political, social, legal and scientific underpinning of risk assessment and risk management for toxic substances. Risk analysis is the field of study that covers this process, although it includes other areas of risk as well. Because the field is highly interdisciplinary, what is covered in the book and what is meant by the different terms used must be identified clearly.
