WHO Announces Second Meeting On Global Collaboration In Chemical Risk Assessment

   By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its second meeting focused on strengthening global collaboration in chemical risk assessment to be held 29-30 March 2012 in Bonn, Germany. The first meeting was held in March 2010.

The two day meeting will follow up on key issues and priority actions to address the needs identified in March 2010 including: capacity building/training; chemical risk assessment/sharing knowledge; risk assessment methodology; and, research. The objective of the first day of the meeting is to provide an update on tools developed to increase capacity globally in chemical risk assessment and propose strategies to enhance update of risk assessment methodologies. The objectives of Day 2 of the meeting are to further explore interest in participating in a WHO Risk Assessment Network, to discuss the Network design in terms of vision, goals and objectives, structure and function, as well as to propose options for its implementation.

The WHO previously identified ten chemicals of major public health concern that are an important focus in the continuing risk assessment work:

1.   Air pollution
2.   Arsenic
3.   Asbestos
4.   Benzene
5.   Cadmium
6.   Dioxin and dioxin-like substances
7.   Inadequate or excess fluoride
8.   Lead
9.   Mercury
10.   Highly hazardous pesticides

More information about this upcoming meeting and WHO's outreach on chemicals and related risk assessment is available at http://www.who.int/ipcs/en/.

E. Lynn Grayson is a partner in Jenner & Block's Chicago office and a member of the Firm's Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources Law, Climate and Clean Technology Law, Defense & Aerospace and Environmental Litigation Practices. Ms. Grayson is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell's highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Ms. Grayson has been recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America, an Illinois Super Lawyer and Lawdragon magazine named Ms. Grayson to its "New Stars, New Worlds" list of 500 attorneys who are "carving the path to the new heights of the legal profession." Chambers USA and Leading Lawyers Network have recognized Ms. Grayson as one of the country's leading environmental lawyers as recommended by a peer review process.

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