ACA Exposure Characterization Computer Program

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BEFORE YOU START:
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The ACA Exposure Characterization Computer Program is a tool to assist companies or consortia in gathering information relevant to exposure potential and preparing a report related to that information.  It is envisioned that this program may be useful for:

• companies or consortia working on exposure elements under the High Production Volume (HPV) or EHPV programs;
• companies wishing to put elements reported under the Inventory Update Rule (IUR) in context for outside stakeholders;
• companies or consortia wishing to develop exposure information on specific chemical substances as part of their product stewardship commitments.

The objectives of the computer program is to

1. Guide the user in collecting information that may relevant to exposure potential. These elements by themselves are NOT indicators of actual exposure.
2. Allow the user to store the information in an electronic file that can be saved and referenced later; and
3. Allows the user to generate a DRAFT exposure characterization report in Word that can be further modified as needed by the user.  It is important to recognize that the draft characterization report generated from the program WILL REQUIRE some modifications.  The program is set up with a framework of text in the draft report.  The information inputted into the database is then linked into that framework.  Therefore, if the user opts not to input certain elements in the database, that information will not be linked to the generated report and will impact how the report reads.  In addition, grammatical, capitalization, and punctuation corrections will be necessary.  The document generated through this program should only be considered a starting point for a final exposure characterization report. 

FIRST TIME USER
You will be required to register a user name and password in order to access the site.  Users can set up a company-wide name and password, which would allow anyone within their company to access the files and information entered under that user name.  Or you can set up a unique name and password for each individual within a company. 

Each time you enter the website, you will be asked for your user name and a password. 

Using the Exposure Characterization Report

Getting Started

When you enter the site for the first time, you will be asked to "Create New File". This file will be the placeholder for all the exposure-related information.  Choose a name that will allow you to recall the contents in the future keeping in mind that over time you may collect a number of such files. On subsequent visits, all the information you saved in this file will be available once you log in.

Once you give your first file a name, you will see the “File List Page". The next step is to "Add Notes". This is a place where you can provide a more extensive description that you could not give in the title or any other important information.

Doing the Report

The next step is to add your information. To do so click the "Input Information" link.

The next page that appears is the "File navigator” page.  This page provides you with the title of the file as you provided it.

It then outlines the various sections of the program, and indicates whether you have seen (and presumably inputted information) on those section.  It is hoped that this feature will be useful if you have to close out a file before finishing it completely.  There is also a small icon of a person that represents the last page you viewed.

When you go into the first question you can complete all the information provided on the page. At the bottom of each page, there are options to save & go to the next question, save & return to file navigator, skip & go to next question, or skip & return to file navigator.  When you use the skip buttons the information you entered is not saved.

NOTE:  On the consumer use application categories (Part IV), the system will simply go through to the next listed category, regardless of the categories selected by the user.  It may be easier to navigate this section via the file navigator, rather than by paging through to each subsequent question.

On each page, the program lists out information elements that have been identified as being relevant to exposure potential.  If the information listed is not available, the user can simply leave the response cell blank.  The chosen text that is inputted into the program, including references, will be linked to a DRAFT exposure characterization report. 

The report does take some time to download. Be patient.

Many of the information elements in the program are also reporting requirements under the EPA IUR.  The program uses the same numerical ranges and/or descriptions provided in the EPA IUR guidance. 

The Report

Once you have finished answering questions you can return to the "File List Page." There you will see your Files. Each file can also be viewed on line (click View Report), Downloaded for editing in a word processor (click Download Report) or if you want to delete your work click Delete entire file. This will remove all traces of the report and can not be undone!

Finishing

When you are done with answering questions go to the File Navigator page. In the top right corner is a Log Out button. Clicking this will end your session and you will have to log in again to continue.

 

Print this instruction guide

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Then click this link:

Log in to the Exposure Characterization Report