Strengthening Australia's Chemical Regulation

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 11; p. 6673
• Main Authors: Gabriela, Arlene, Leong, Sarah, Ong, Philip S W, Weinert, Derek, Hlubucek, Joe, Tait, Peter W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 30.05.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Asthma; Cancer; Chemical residues; Chemicals; Disease; Flame retardants; Grey literature; Perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances; Pesticides; Regulation; Residues; Reviews; Risk assessment; Risk management; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Australia; Canada; United States > US; APVMA; Australian chemical regulatory frameworks; AICIS; Australian chemical policies; agvet chemicals; industrial chemicals; chemical exposure; human health
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116673

Humans are exposed to a myriad of chemicals every day, some of which have been established to have deleterious effects on human health. Regulatory frameworks play a vital role in safeguarding human health through the management of chemicals and their risks. For this review, we focused on agricultural and veterinary (Agvet) chemicals and industrial chemicals, which are regulated, respectively, by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), and the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). The current frameworks have been considered fragmented, inefficient, and most importantly, unsafe in prioritizing human health. We evaluated these frameworks, identified gaps, and suggested improvements that would help bring chemical regulation in Australia in line with comparative regulations in the EU, US, and Canada. Several weaknesses in the Australian frameworks include the lack of a national program to monitor chemical residues, slow pace in conducting chemical reviews, inconsistent risk management across states and territories, a paucity of research efforts on human health impacts, and inadequate framework assessment systems. Recommendations for Australia include establishing a national surveillance and chemical residue monitoring system, harmonizing risk assessment and management across jurisdictions, improving chemical review efficiency, and developing regular performance review mechanisms to ensure that human health is protected.