HESI Sustainable Alternatives Subcommittee Robert A. Barter, PhD (ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences) Subcommittee participant Emerging Issues Session HESI Annual Meeting 12 June 2012 Prague, Czech Republic
Frameworks for alternative chemical assessment and selection of safer, sustainable alternatives Proposed by Dow Chemical Company and ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Selected as HESI Emerging Issue in fall of 2011 First sustainability project for HESI 2
HESI Combined Challenges Map 2010-2020 Sustainabilityrelated Topics. 3
Why is this project important? There are growing interest and demand for the use of alternative chemical assessment (incl. REACH, U.S. states) There is general agreement by stakeholders that: Attributes beyond hazard are also important (i.e. LCA, risk/exposure, cost, performance, social responsibility) Not one tool/method to meet all needs Not enough standardization with current methodologies Often insufficient handling of data gaps and insufficient ability to weigh multiple attributes There is a need to pool the expertise of participants across academia, government, NGOs, and industry to develop guidance for implementing alternatives assessment HESI is uniquely positioned to do this 4
Vision and Mission VISION Improved protection of human health and the environment using an implementable and informed substitution framework to continuously improve the advancement of safer, sustainable alternatives. MISSION To evaluate and identify key elements/criteria and tools to help trigger and guide the selection of safer, sustainable alternatives while minimizing the likelihood of regrettable substitutions. 5
Project Objectives Build understanding of existing approaches used to select safer, sustainable alternatives. Identify strengths, weaknesses and gaps in current approaches. Develop a decision tree to guide key stakeholders through the alternatives assessment process. Identify emerging needs/challenges for the future. 6
Project Deliverables Hold a 2-day workshop during winter 2013 during which experts will discuss the key topics identified by the subcommittee. Publish recommendations aimed at guiding and improving the successful selection of safer, sustainable alternatives. 7
Topics of Focus 1) Guidance for key stakeholders through the alternatives assessment process 2) Attributes beyond hazard that are also important, including life cycle assessment, exposure, risk, performance, cost and social responsibility 3) New tools for prioritization and assessment of hazard, risk and other attributes 4) Making decisions with limited data and a minimum data set 5) Best practices for weighing disparate attributes 6) Addressing different needs across the supply chain 8
Timeline: 2011-2012 2011 September: Initiation of the subcommittee December: Steering Team formed, first teleconference 2012 February: Face-to-face meeting of Steering Team, drafted mission, vision, topics of focus March-May: Outreach and expansion of subcommittee June/July: First telecon with new members Summer 2012: Plan workshop for Winter 2013, select speakers, break into 3-4 discussion topic subgroups 9
Timeline: 2013 Winter 2013: Hold 2-day Workshop Post workshop: draft manuscript(s), submit for HESI Peer Review and journal publication, and decide next steps for subcommittee 10
Leadership Team Co-chair: Derek Muir (Environment Canada) Co-chair: Pam Spencer (Dow Chemical) Science advisor: George Gray (George Washington University) HESI staff: Jennifer Young 11
Steering Team: Active since December 2011 Industry (n=5) Dow Chemical Company ExxonMobil Procter & Gamble Company SciVera, LLC Shell Chemicals Academia (n=3) Government (n=4) TOTAL = 13 EFSA liaison officer at FDA (observer) Environment Canada NIEHS/NTP US EPA George Washington University (2) University of Michigan Non-profit (n=1) NSF International 12
Next Steps Continue to recruit additional expert participants to join subcommittee and workshop Summer 2012: Discuss the key topics to begin developing guidance, to shape the workshop, and identify workshop speakers Plan workshop for Winter 2013 Publish workshop proceedings/ recommendations Decide next steps for subcommittee 13
Interested in Joining the Subcommittee? Contact Jennifer Young for more information or to join the subcommittee: jyoung@hesiglobal.org 14