Environment Commissioner announced a new approach to assessing toxic chemical mixtures in which the Commission undertakes to address potential risks associated with chemical mixtures are properly understood and assessed. Having into account that the number of potential chemical combinations is very large, the first challenge under the new approach will be to identify priority mixtures.

The European Commission will identify priority mixtures to be assessed, ensure that the different strands of EU legislation deliver consistent risk assessments for such priority mixtures, and fill in gaps in the scientific knowledge needed to assess the mixtures, according to a new approach presented in Brussels. For example, more than 3 million notifications have been submitted by chemicals manufacturers and importers to the European Chemical Agency by January 2011.

According to what it was announced by the Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik, there is a need to know more about how chemicals act in combination. He also added that when the Commission has good reason to believe that a chemical mixture is of potential concern for human health or the environment a more detailed assessment should be carried out and it should take appropriate action.

The first challenge under the new approach presented in a Communication will be to identify priority mixtures, so that resources can be focused on the most potentially harmful combinations, according to the Commission. The issue is complicated by the fact that much EU legislation targets specific groups, covering plant protection products, biocides, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines, and so on. This can be an obstacle to co-ordinated, integrated assessments of mixtures containing substances that fall under different pieces of legislation. The Commission will ensure that as soon as a priority mixture is identified, it is assessed in a co-ordinated and integrated manner. By 2014, the Commission will also develop technical guidance to codify best practice for the assessment of priority mixtures.