As the demand for safer chemicals and technologies grows, the field of alternatives assessment is becoming increasingly important in guiding the transition towards safer, less toxic alternatives
This guidance, developed within the framework of the OECD Ad Hoc Group on Substitution of Harmful Chemicals, aims to advance broader agreement on a general approach and criteria for the selection of safer alternatives, with a focus on chemical substitution. It is intended to advance a consistent understanding of the minimum requirements needed to determine whether a chemical alternative is safer than the priority chemical, product, or technology for substitution, independent of the entity performing the assessment or the alternatives assessment framework being used.
The guidance focuses on minimum assessment criteria and recommended assessment practices for four core areas of alternatives assessments: determining the assessment’s scope; comparative hazard assessment; comparative exposure assessment; and the integration of hazard and exposure results to select a safer alternative. It also includes recommendations for moving beyond the minimum criteria and assessment practices.