The OECD Existing Chemicals Program

When a full SIDS Dossier on a chemical is available, an initial assessment of the information is undertaken and conclusions are drawn on the potential hazard(s) posed by the chemical and recommendations are made on the need for further work. The conclusions present a summary of the hazards of the chemical, written with sufficient detail and clarity as to be informative and to assist countries with classihcation work and other hazard-based national decision making and exposure information to put the hazard information into context (e.g., on use in the Sponsor country). The recommendation, based on these conclusions, can be either that the chemical is currently of low priority for further work or that it is a candidate for further work to clarify its potential risk (e.g., that further information is required to clarify concerns identified in the SIDS process, and that post-SIDS testing is recommended). 

The following text explains the process in further detail, see also Table 2.1. 

The SIDS Process of the OECD Existing Chemicals Program 

Member Country (in cooperation with industry if appropriate) 

Review of the quality of data, identification of data gaps, preparation of SIDS Dossiers including Robust Study Summaries and SIDS Testing Plans 

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For further details, please consult the description of OECD work on investigation of HPV chemicals prepared by the OECD Secretariat based on the agreements reached in the OECD Existing Chemicals Program up to October 2004 (OECD 2006c). 

International Uniform ChemicaL Information Database (lUCLID) is the basic tool for data collection and evaluation within the EU risk assessment program for existing substances and has also been accepted by the OECD as the data exchange tool under the OECD Existing Chemicals Program (see Section 2.4.1.6 for details). 

Work undertaken on a chemical in the OECD HPV Chemicals Program as a follow-up to conclusions and recommendations by SIAM is considered as post-SIDS work, see also Table 2.2. This can include national/regional exposure information gathering and assessment as well as testing of endpoints beyond SIDS to assess a concern identified by SIAM. The Task Force on Existing Chemicals monitors post-SIDS work and can take decisions related to further work to be carried out in OECD in a concerted manner. 

Many other OECD activities on hazard/risk assessment are undertaken within programs such as Existing Chemicals, New Chemicals, and Pesticides and Biocides, which deal with specific types of chemicals. The work on exposure assessment methods is undertaken by the Task Force on Environmental Exposure Assessment, consisting of experts. Most of the outcome of this work is published in the Series on Testing and Assessment or in Emission Scenario Documents, which are available at the OECD Web site (OECD 2006a). 

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, Existing Chemicals Assessment Division. Information packet on the OECD Screening Information Data Set (SIDS) Program for high production volume (HPV) chemicals, 1992. 

Existing chemical substances, especially those supplied in high volume, may be subject to review in one of the national or international evaluation programs, such as the OECD Screening Information Data Set (SIDS) scheme [7]. Existing data are reported initially, but new studies may be required subsequently to fill data gaps, especially if necessary for adequate assessment of the substance. The hazard and risk assessment could lead to risk management. 

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