Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) require a clear technical approach on how to identify and evaluate them while acknowledging uncertainties in their environmental fate and transport, receptor exposure, and/or toxicity. Such an approach can be conducive to improved allocation of regulatory response resources and provide a foundation for communicating potential risk to stakeholders.
The ITRC CEC framework is comprised of a white paper and four associated fact sheets. In the white paper, CEC are defined as: “substances and microorganisms including physical, chemical, biological, or radiological materials known or anticipated in the environment, that may pose newly identified risks to human health or the environment.” The framework is meant to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders identify examples of CEC monitoring programs; evaluate potential hazard by systematically applying key CEC characteristics; communicate real and perceived risk from CEC to the public; and understand how laboratory analytical methods can be used in the identification process.
⇐ ONLINE DOCUMENT: On this web page, use the Table of Contents shown in the left-hand navigation column to select a specific section of interest
- Full Guidance Document PDF (To be posted soon)
- CEC White Paper
- Fact Sheets:
Published by the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council, December 2023
