Over the next several years a large volume of hazard data about commonly used chemicals will be placed in the public domain. These data are likely to influence a wide variety of public and private choices about chemical risk management throughout the world. The participants in the Alliance for Chemical Awareness believe that these choices would be improved substantially by enhanced access to objective, timely and relevant information about how common chemicals are used and resulting human and ecological exposures, so that hazard data can be put in context. Such information will also be useful to help define future priorities for the evaluation and management of such chemicals.

Mission

The Alliance for Chemical Awareness (ACA) is an initiative by the business community, working with guidance from government agencies and non-governmental organizations, to enhance the quality of information available to the public about the manufacture, uses, exposures, and risks of major chemicals in commerce.

The ACA will develop and broadly share a practical and timely screening framework and guidance for characterizing exposures associated with major chemicals in commerce, so that hazard data on these chemicals can be put into a risk context. It will also establish a network of information resources and tools to facilitate the communication of such information to the public.

ACA's particular focus is on the voluntary U. S. High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals program. However, the tools it has developed are also likely to be applicable to other programs where hazard data are collected, and there is interest in putting those data into a risk context.

Outcomes

In pursuit of this mission the ACA will:

1. Develop a practical, risk-based framework for characterizing potential occupational, community, and product-related exposures to HPV chemicals, in order to help put the hazards of those chemicals into a risk context.
   
   
2. Facilitate the inclusion of exposure data in chemical risk characterizations and develop a library of screening-level exposure models.
   
   
3. Identify tools and approaches to encourage data-sharing among companies that can enhance chemical risk characterization while minimizing concerns about confidentiality and liability.
   
   
4. Establish a network of information resources that will provide tools for communication with the public about potential occupational, community, and product-related exposures and risks associated with chemicals. Primary audiences include the government, workers, local communities near chemical facilities, customers, and consumers.
   
   
5. Encourage transparency of the methodologies and processes used for risk characterization and the sharing of chemical data that is relevant to health and environmental risk.
   
   
6. Ensure ACA tools utilize state-of-the-art knowledge and promote use of ACA tools where relevant, by maintaining awareness of other US and international initiatives related to the development of exposure, risk evaluation and communication tools.
   
   
7. Engage in outreach with the sponsors of chemical testing to raise awareness of the value and availability of exposure evaluation, risk and communications tools.