1. Risk Evaluation

2. Emission and Exposure Control

3. Risk Monitoring

4. Risk Communication

  

Click here to see the Summary Table of Available Tools for Risk Management

 

When an environmental risk assessment has been made, the focus turns to how to control the identified risk. Risk management consists of four elements, i.e. risk evaluation, emission and exposure control, risk monitoring and risk communication. The principles of, approaches to, and terminology related to risk management can vary a lot across countries and regions, and are in many cases strongly context dependent.

 

1. Risk Evaluation

The first step to risk management, risk evaluation, consists in determining whether the risk(s) identified at the risk assessment stage need to be mitigated.  This can be done quantitatively or qualitatively taking into consideration relevant laws, regulations and policies, societal values, relevant program objectives and socio-economic aspects.  The objective of this step is to determine whether control measures need to be taken to address specific risks identified at the risk assessment stage.

 

2. Emission and Exposure Control

Once risk evaluation has been completed and further risk mitigation is thought necessary, the next step is to take measures to control emission and exposure of chemicals for protecting humans and/or the environment. The process includes identifying and analysing options for controlling risks to select the most appropriate measure(s) and to implement them.

 

Various approaches for emission and exposure control have been taken in countries and regions. Some example of those are setting safety standards, and technical risk reduction measures. Classification and labelling are used in some countries for risk mitigation by linking them to regulatory measures or particular risk management measures.  

 

3. Risk Monitoring

Risk monitoring plays an important role in environmental and human risk management with the aim of checking that risk mitigation or reduction has worked effectively. The result of risk monitoring is used as a basis for consideration of further risk mitigation options.

 

4. Risk Communication

Risk communication is the interactive exchange of information about risks among risk assessors, managers, news media, interested groups and the general public.

 

The OECD Risk Management Programme is developing methodologies to support government and industry efforts to manage risks posed by chemicals. The programme includes a variety of themes such as Chemical Product Policy, Using Non-Regulatory Means to Manage Risks, Risk Communication, Socio-Economic Analysis, Sustainable Chemistry, Tools for R and D Screening as well as reports on risk management of specific chemicals such as Cadmium, Lead, Methylene Chloride, Mercury, Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Brominated Flame Retardants.

Guidance documents and reports on risk management are available in the Series on Risk Management.

 

Specific Information on management of risks caused by pesticides is also available on the site on pesticide risk reduction where pesticide-specific issues such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), labelling, application technology and the Pesticides Risk Indicators are addressed.

 

Guidance documents and reports for risk management for specific situations like chemical accidents are also available.

 

Click here to go back to the OECD Environmental Risk Assessment Toolkit (Flow Chart)OECD Environmental Risk Assessment Toolkit

Steps in Environmental Risk Management 

 

Related Documents

 

Summary Table of Available Tools for Risk Management

The OECD Environmental Risk Assessment Toolkit: Tools for Environmental Risk Assessment and Management

The OECD Environmental Risk Assessment Toolkit: Steps in Environmental Risk Assessment and Available OECD Products