PROPOSAL OF A TIERED APPROACH TO ASSESSING AND CLASSIFYING THE HEALTH RISK OF EXPOSURE TO FIBERS

The basis of a preventative health policy for humans against potential risks from chemical products is based on risk assessment leading to the classification and labelling of substances. However, the different existing classifications do not give an homogeneous framework that can be used in every country. Therefore, a tiered approach to assessing and classifying the hearth risk of exposure to fibres is proposed based on the EU Directive on carcinogens. The aim of this paper is to propose an algorithm for the risk assessment of existing and future fibres. Clearly chemically defined respirable fibres should be classified according to an algorithm based on a step-by-step procedure: a priori criteria, screening tests, long-term inhalation tests and epidemiological data (for commercial fibres). Then fibre-containing poducts should be labelled according to the classification of each type of fibre it contains, on one hand, and the ability of the product to release fibre in the air, on the other. The different tests listed in this algorithm, extensively discussed during the Workshop, are presented in detail in the following paper.