Department Chemical and Product Safety

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Chemical and Product Safety

Department Chemical and Product Safety

The Chemical and Product Safety Department assesses chemical substances that fall under the European chemical law (REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006). The objective is to ensure toxicological assessment, health risk assessment for consumers and the identification and initiation of necessary risk mitigation measures in accordance with the REACH Regulation. Assessments are also carried out with the aim of classifying and labelling of substances in accordance with the CLP Regulation (EC) 1272/2008.

In addition, the department is involved in the assessment of health risks that might be associated to cosmetic products, tobacco products, commodities (food contact materials, toys, baby bottles, teats, cleaning agents, garments, etc) as well as other consumer products (furniture, mattresses, carpets, DIY products, etc). It takes in account not only the existing knowledge gaps of science-based risk assessment but also the concerns of the general public in this field. Experimental projects on migration and exposure as well as the toxicity of chemicals present in these articles of daily use are an integral part of these assessment activities.

The remit of the department also includes the coordination and overall evaluation of risk assessments, the identification of data gaps and research needs for risk assessment and the initiation and supervision of internal and external research projects to support risk assessments.

The department's employees represent the BfR on national and international bodies, such as the OECD, the WHO/IPCS, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), the Committee of Experts on Cosmetic Products of the Council of Europe, and the BfR Committees for Consumer Products and Cosmetics as well as various working groups such as the ALS (Working Group of Experts in Food Chemistry from the German States/”Länder”) and national and international standardisation committees.

Department 7 comprises the following units: