Erich W. Bretthauer, Chairman of the Exposure and Hazard Assessment
Working Group U. s. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D. C.
The efforts of the Exposure and Hazard Assessment Working Group were
focused on the exchange of information on a variety of topics including
research projects, regulations/statutes, analytical laboratories, and
methods of exposure/risk assessment involving CDDs and CDFs. It was
evident to the leaders of the Working Group that several of the
knowledge voids had to be addressed on a fundamental level before
expanded efforts could be made. Several questions needed to be
answered: - Who has done research on this topic, and what do the data
indicate? - Who is performing research now, and what are their
capabilities? - How are other nations addressing this problem, and do
they have legislative mandates in place? - Is there a general consensus
on the topic? The members of the Working Group believed that these
questions could be answered by surveying the major participants in the
field of interest. Three principal survey efforts were performed by the
Working Group, which collected information on research,
regulations/statutes, and analytical laboratories from each of the
participating nations. In addition to answering these fundamental
questions, these efforts also fulfilled the major objectives of the
entire Pilot Study. The collection, analysis, and distribution of
information on research projects, regulations/statutes, and analytical
laboratories were very useful efforts in helping to fill some of the
basic knowledge voids.