Department Chemical and Product Safety

Our tasks

The Chemical and Product Safety Department assesses chemical substances that fall under the European chemical law (REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006). The objective is to ensure toxicological assessment, health risk assessment for consumers and the identification and initiation of necessary risk mitigation measures in accordance with the REACH Regulation. Assessments are also carried out with the aim of classifying and labelling of substances in accordance with the CLP Regulation (EC) 1272/2008.

In addition, the department is involved in the assessment of health risks that might be associated to cosmetic products, tobacco products, commodities (food contact materials, toys, baby bottles, teats, cleaning agents, garments, etc) as well as other consumer products (furniture, mattresses, carpets, DIY products, etc). It takes in account not only the existing knowledge gaps of science-based risk assessment but also the concerns of the general public in this field. Experimental projects on migration and exposureExposureTo glossary as well as the toxicity of chemicals present in these articles of daily use are an integral part of these assessment activities.

The remit of the department also includes the coordination and overall evaluation of risk assessments, the identification of data gaps and research needs for risk assessment and the initiation and supervision of internal and external research projects to support risk assessments.

Specialised committees

The department's employees represent the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment on national and international bodies, such as the OECD, the WHO/IPCS, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHAshort forEuropean Chemicals Agency), the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), the Committee of Experts on Cosmetic Products of the Council of Europe, and the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Committees for Consumer Products and Cosmetics as well as various working groups such as the ALS (Working Group of Experts in Food Chemistry from the German States/”Länder”) and national and international standardisation committees.

Units

Department Chemical and Product Safety comprises the following units:

Third party projects (Selection)

Research projects
Go to overview of all third party projects

Science News - The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in journals

Datum Titel Fachzeitschrift
External Link: Mono-n-hexyl phthalate: exposure estimation and assessment of health risks based on levels found in human urine samples Archives of Toxicology
External Link: Summary and derived Risk Assessment of 3D printing emission studies Atmospheric Environment
External Link: The "EU chemicals strategy for sustainability" questions regulatory toxicology as we know it: is it all rooted in sound scientific evidence? Archives of Toxicology
External Link: A scientific review of colorful textiles Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety
External Link: Heated Tobacco Products: A Review of Current Knowledge and Initial Assessments Frontiers in Public Health
External Link: Vergleich von drei Emissionsprüfkammern für die Untersuchung von Verbraucherprodukten Indoor Air - International Journal of Indoor Environment and Health
External Link: Consumer protection and risk assessment: sensitising substances in consumer products Allergo Journal International

Further information

Contact

Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Luch Head Department - Chemicals and Product Safety Address: Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10
10589 Berlin
Germany Postal address: German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment)
Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10
10589 Berlin
Germany Telephone: +49-30-18412-77000 +49-30-18412-77000 E-mail: 7@bfr.bund.de

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