Research into measuring and valuing the environmental impacts of chemical pollution in the UK

Background The UK has longstanding and comprehensive regulatory and monitoring regimes for priority chemicals in the environment, meanwhile research programmes both domestically and internationally have furthered human understanding of the potential harms caused by exposure to specific chemicals or groups of chemicals. The stock of existing chemicals that have not yet made their way into the environment and the development of new chemicals for use in processes and products are increasing rapidly and there is a need to better understand the overall effects and costs of damage from exposure. This is key to justifying action and determining the appropriate controls for effectively managing the risks they pose. If not managed appropriately, some chemicals can disrupt the populations of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms in ways that can lead to ecological change. Aim To develop a methodology to measure and quantify the environmental impacts of chemical pollutants in the context of chemicals regulation within the UK. The avoided environmental damage costs from regulation can then be compared against the cost of controls. Objectives The objectives of this project are to: 1. To scope and develop a conceptual framework and methodology to measure and predict the effects of chemical pollutants on the environment. The impacts of these effects on the environment will need to be quantified and, ideally, monetised. 2. Develop methods which assess the differences in effects amongst chemical pollutants, which will support risk management and benefits monetisation of regulation.