Is there a role for biomonitoring in improved chemicals policy? Combining use and release data with toxicity to identify targets

Both the European Union (EU) and the Canadian government have taken significant strides in improving capacity to identify chemicals in commerce of potential health concern. The EU adopted the REACH initiative, and the Canadian government completed an initial assessment of the toxicity and potential for ecological effects of chemicals in use in Canada. While the US has not taken any comparable steps, individual states are considering policies to improve assessment and management of chemicals. One opportunity may be to use biomonitoring programs to contribute information about population exposure to chemicals of potential concern. We considered ways that chemicals could be selected for biomonitoring that might inform chemical policy initiatives. In particular, we examined overlays of information about toxicity of chemicals, primary taken from the Canadian assessment, with data about use of chemicals in commerce and releases of chemicals to the environment, taken from national and state information systems that include the high production volume testing program, the toxics release inventory, national emission inventories, and the California pesticide use reporting system. These methods identify chemicals that are important from both a toxicity and a use perspective and are consequently candidates for biomonitoring programs to see if people are exposed. This focuses greater attention on chemicals in current use that are consequently amenable to policy action. Such integration of biomonitoring into chemicals management could improve public health.