On November 27, 2017, Ninja Reineke from the UK-based non-profit organization CHEM Trust reported on a stakeholder workshop on the prioritization of substances for research and analysis under the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU). HBM4EU is an initiative by the European Commission and European countries to coordinate and advance human biomonitoring (FPF reported). In 2015, a first prioritization round was initiated, and since then nine groups of substances have been identified and assessed according to previously defined criteria (phthalates and DINCH (1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester, CAS 166412-78-8), bisphenols, per-/polyfluorinated compounds, flame retardants, cadmium and chromium, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aniline family, chemical mixtures, and emerging substances).
The stakeholder workshop, which took place on November 20, 2017, in Brussels, Belgium, was part of a second prioritization round aiming at the generation of a refined list of priority substances by April 2018. CHEM Trust, one of the stakeholder organizations of HBM4EU, nominated five substance groups (bisphenols, per-/polyfluorinated compounds, flame retardants, UV filters (oxybenzones), and methoxycinnamates), with a focus on specific questions for the three re-nominations. “The main added value this project can bring to EU society is to provide data needed for new regulation to address threats to human health and our ecosystems”, Reineke concluded after attending the meeting.
Read more
CHEM Trust (November 27, 2017). “Which chemicals contaminate our bodies? The EU Biomonitoring initiative is trying to find out.”
CHEM Trust (November 27, 2017). “Priority substances for the EU Human Biomonitoring Initiative HBM4EU.” (pdf)
HBM4EU (November 20, 2017). “Stakeholder Workshop on the prioritisation of substances for research and analysis under HBM4EU.” (pdf)
HBM4EU (August 24, 2017). “Prioritisation strategy and criteria – Deliverable Report.” (pdf)
HEAL (November 29, 2017). “Guest blog from the European Environment Agency (EEA): Human Biomonitoring for Europe.“
