Specific environmental release categories-A tool for improving chemical safety assessment in the EC-report of a multi-stakeholder workshop

In April 2011, experts from industry and authorities met for a workshop to discuss experience and future developments regarding the use of specific environmental release categories (SPERCs) in chemicals safety assessment (CSA) under the European Chemicals Regulation Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH). This article provides a summary of the workshop. It briefly explains what a SPERC is, why SPERCs are needed, where the challenges of the concept are, and what improvements are needed to make SPERCs a useful tool for assessments under REACH. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 580–585. © 2012 SETAC