Background

The scale of our environmental health problems requires a co-ordinated effort among scientists who, until now, have not worked together to solve the ‘chemical control dilemma’, estimated to cost three per cent of global GDP.

  • European and UK laws (i.e. Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of CHemicals [REACH]) require proof that compounds are proven to be safe before products are permitted to market. Industry is burdened by current safety assessment practices that are too slow, too expensive and scientifically questionable.
  • There are too many chemicals in current use to be tested using current methods, and these methods are neither rigorous nor accurate.
  • New high-throughput testing methods must be developed on an industrial scale to investigate the potential toxicities of the huge number of chemicals that are in current use.
  • These high-throughput technologies will help industries to manufacture greener, safer products and better manage their corporate responsibility and environmental and investment risks – termed responsible innovation.

See our project