ABSTRACT
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organization of 25 democratic nations with advanced market economies. The Environment Committee, now called the Environment Policy Committee, was created in order to bring governments together to work cooperatively toward shared environmental objectives. OECD work on chemical safety began in the early 1970s as a result of concern over widespread contamination of the environment and accompanying adverse environmental effects. Classification and labeling systems provide information on the properties and the safe use of chemicals. The ultimate aim of the testing and assessment of chemicals is to prevent or reduce undue risks to human health and the environment. The work on hazard assessment is being extended to include the new evolving life cycle risk assessment methods in close cooperation with OECD’s Pollution Prevention and Control Group. Work on hazard assessment is closely linked to work on test guidelines, existing chemicals and pesticides.
