Information sources

Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) UK

Chemicals and Biotechnology Division, DOE, Room B351, Romney House, 43 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY, UK

Tel: (+44 171) 276 8331`, Fax: (+44 171) 276 8333, E-mail: 106523.261@compuserve.com , WWW site: http://www.shef.ac.uk/~doe

UK advisory body for the Government on release and marketing of GMOs.

Biotechnology Advisory Center

Stockholm Environment Institute, Box 2142, Lilla Nygatan 1, S-103 14 Stockholm, Sweden

Tel: (+46 8) 723 0260, Fax: (+46 8) 723 0348, E-mail: seibac@sei.se , WWW site: http://www.sei.se/bac.html

The BAC mission is helping to meet the challenge of biosafety capacity building in developing countries. The BAC support to developing countries has mainly consisted of two components. Firstly, training in biosafety risk assessment and risk management. Secondly, biosafety information exchange and information interpretation to support scientific and environmental biosafety assessments.

Centre for Environmental and Risk Management (CERM)

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK

Tel: (+44 1603) 592838, Fax: (+44 1603) 507719

A specialist interdisciplinary Centre providing a unique research and consultancy service in several fields including environmental risk assessment, industrial risk assessment, and risk management.

Centre for Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment (CIERA)

Environment Agency, Romney House, London SW1P 3PY, UK

Tel: (+44 171) 276 5305

Centre of Expertise in environmental risk in industry for UK Environment Agency.

Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (regulatory body for radiation protection)

Justo Dorado 11, E-28040 Madrid, Spain

Tel: (+34 1) 534 9140, Fax: (+34 1) 455 1280

Regulatory body for radiation protection.

Danish National Environment Research Institute

Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark

Tel: (+45) 46 30 12 00, Fax: (+45) 46 30 11 14, WWW site: http://www.fsk.dk/dgri/1996/dmu.html

NERI is a government agency under the Ministry of Environment and Energy. "NERI's mission is to provide a sound and informed scientific basis for making environmental decisions at the political, administrative and commercial levels. The Department of Environmental Chemistry conducts research and develops techniques of relevance for studies of the environmental fate of natural and anthropogenic pollutants occurring in various matrices."

Danish Toxicology Centre (DTC)

Agern Allee 15, DK-2970 Hoersholm, Denmark

Tel: (+45) 42 57 00 55, Fax: (+45) 42 57 19 19

Aims to procure, assess and communicate toxicological data and aspects regarding legislation.

Finnish Environment Institute

PO Box 140, FIN-00251 Helsinki, Finland

Tel: (+358 9) 403 000, Fax: (+358 9) 4030 0190, WWW site: http://www.vyh.fi/fei/fei.html

The FEI is a national research institute. Three divisions of eleven conduct research in the field of risk assessment: the Impacts Research Division; the Pollution Prevention Division; and the Chemicals Division. Areas of research include: behaviour and ecological effects of chemicals in the terrestrial and aquatic environment, human exposure to contaminants in the environment; risk assessment and reduction of chemicals; and risks of GMOs. The Institute works with various organisations in Finland such as universities and throughout Europe.

Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Aerosol Research

Nicolai-Fuchs-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany

Tel: +49 (0) 5 11 / 53 50 - 0, Fax: +49 (0) 5 11 / 53 50 - 1 55, E-mail: info@ita.fhg.de,
WWW site: http://www.fhg.de/depts/ita-e.html

"The main work of the Institute is research into the effects and mechanisms of action of foreign substances, particularly after chronic exposure in the low dose range. The Institute is a leading authority world wide on the study of airborne pollutants (inhalation toxicology). The range of activities is complemented by reports on risk assessment for humans." (Web page) Various publications are produced, a list is available on the main web page of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.

Fraunhofer Working Group for Toxicology and Environmental Medicine (ATU)

Grindelallee 117, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: (+49 40) 41 23 52 77, Fax: +49 (0) 40 / 41 23 - 53 16, WWW site: http://www.fhg.de/depts/atu-e.html

"The ATU, integrated with the Departments of Medicine and Chemistry of the University of Hamburg, deals with research and scientific consultancy concerning the biological, physical and chemical effects the environment has on people's health. In the department of Environmental Medicine, the ATU investigates how the occurrence of diseases in man is connected to chemical exposure from the environment. The ATU offers expert competence in various fields of toxicology, medicine, biology and chemistry, and thus provides the basis for scientific assistance in coping with problems of environmental and health protection." (Web page) Various publications are produced, a list is available on the main web page of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.

Fraunhofer-Institut für Umweltchemie und Ökotoxikologie (IUCT)
Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology

P.O Box 1260, D-57377 Schmallenberg

Tel: (+49) 29 72 30 20, Fax: (+49) 29 72 30 23 19, E-mail: info@iuct.fhg.de , WWW site: http://www.iuct.fhg.de

The IUCT concentrates on research, development and specialist services with respect to identifying and characterising chemical substances and products in the environment including the determination of ecotoxicological effects. In collaboration with government agencies and industry, the institute develops and optimises concepts, evaluation processes and methods for the protection of soil, water and ecosystems, the classification and disposal of wastes, for the assessment of substances and technical processes and products, and for the protection of human life against exposure to toxic substances. The offered research products comprise testing and assessment procedures in areas related to the prediction and estimation of environmental damage, decontamination and product improvement, including production-integrated environmental protection. The Institute produces various publications, a list is available on the web site.

Gabinete de Protecção e Segurança Nuclear (Environmental radioactivity advice)

Avenida da Republica 45-6, P-1000 Lisbon, Portugal

Tel: (+351 1) 793615, Fax: (+351 1) 7973482

Environmental radioactivity surveillance, safety assessment and emergency advice.

Gesellschaft für Strahlen und Umweltforschung GmbH (GSF) (Radiation and Environmental Research Centre)

Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, D-8042 Neuherberg, Germany

Tel: (+49) 89 31870

Research on the protection of man and his environment from harmful influences.

Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS) - French Institute for the Industrial Environment and Technological Risks

Parc Technologique ALATA, BP 2, 60550 Vernaeuil-en-Halatte, France

Tel: (+33) 344 556 677, Fax: (+33) 344 556 699

INERIS is a national organisation both public and commercially funded. It serves both government and industry with research expertise in a wide range of areas including the impacts of industry on the environment and public health, technological risks, and waste and land pollution control. This involves the assessment, modelling and analysis of hazards from industrial activities and toxicological and ecotoxicological testing. INERIS is also committed to two European networks - ENERO (European Network of Environmental Research Organisations) and ESReDA (European Safety, Reliability and Data Association). Produces a range of publications, a list is available.

Kasanterveyslaitos (NPHI) (National Public Health Institute)

PO Box 95, SF-70701 Kuopio, Finland

Tel: (+358) 71 20 12 11, Fax: (+358) 71 20 12 65

National Food Agency of Denmark

Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark

Tel: (+45) 39 69 66 00, Fax: (+45) 39 66 01 00, WWW site: http://www.Ist.mim.dk

"The National Food Agency of Denmark administers The Food Act and assists the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries in formulating regulations, counselling on health aspects and researching on food issues. The Agency supervises and co-ordinates the work of the municipal food control units. Further, the Agency carries out toxicological counselling and research for the Ministry of the Environment in the areas of gene technology and chemical substances and products." Major tasks include: analysing, supervising and evaluating health risks of undesired substances and micro-organisms in the Danish diet; toxicological examination of chemical substances; evaluation of health risks in connection with genetically modified organisms and related products.

National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)

Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, UK

Tel: (+44 1235) 831600, Fax: (+44 1235) 833891, E-mail: nrpb@mcimail.con

Independent statutory body, a national point of authoritative reference in radiological protection. Responsible for the advancement of knowledge about the protection from radiation hazards by means of research and otherwise, and to provide information and advice to those with responsibility for protection in the United Kingdom.

National Research School for Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology

Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Tel: (+31 30) 2535400, Fax: (+31 30) 2535077, E-mail: r.kroes@ritox.dgk.ruu.nl ,
WWW site: http://www.ruu.nl/Onderzoek/lopend/Field-C.html#C.06

The School studies the fate of chemicals in the environment (environmental chemistry), and the effects of chemicals on organisms and health risk assessment (toxicology). The main objectives of the Research School include the prediction of fate and effects of chemicals and risk assessment of chemicals. Collaborative research with TNO, RIVM and the Universities of Wageningen and Nijmegan is also carried out.

Naturvardsverket (Swedish Environmental Protection Agency - SNV)

S-10648 Stockholm, Sweden

Tel: (+46 8) 698 1000, Fax: (+46 8) 20 29 25, E-mail: natur@environ.se ,
WWW site: http://www.environ.se/www-eng/enghome.htm

The SNV supports research programmes in many areas of risk assessment, particularly human health (risks from air pollution) and ecology/ecotoxicology (transgenic organisms and persistent organic pollutants) as part of its commitment to research on thirteen priority areas designated as threats to the environment and the goal of sustainable development. The SNV produces many reports available to the public and an Annual report and the twice yearly magazine - enviro.

Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT)

Box 8100 Dep, N-0032 Oslo, Strømsveien 96, Norway

Tel: (+47) 22 57 34 00, Fax: (+47) 22 67 67 06, WWW site: http://www.sft.no/eindex.html

The SFT has several departments responsible for carrying out work relating to risk assessment on new and existing substances, offshore activities, and GMOs. The departments mostconcerned with such activities are the Department of Industry and the Department of Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes.

Oesterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften - Forschungsstelle fuer Technikbewertung (Austrian Academy of Sciences - Technology Assessment Institute)

Postgasse 7, A-1010 Wien, Austria

Tel: (+43 1) 51581 582

Research Institute of Toxicology

University of Utrecht, Research Institute of Toxicology, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Tel: (+31 30) 2535400, Fax: (+31 30) 2535077, E-mail: r.kroes@ritox.ruu.nl ,
WWW site: http://www.ruu.nl/Onderzoek/lopend/Field-C.html#C.05

Research is carried out mainly in the field of toxicology on the toxic mode of action of industrial chemicals and natural toxins, their fate in the environment and their impact on human and ecosystem health. Collaborative research with TNO and RIVM is also carried out under the banner of the Utrecht Toxicology Centre addressing hazard identification, exposure assessment, risk characterisation and risk management of chemical exposure.

Risoe National Laboratory, Denmark

Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 49, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark

Tel: (+45) 46 77 46 77, Fax: (+45) 42 36 06 09, E-mail: risoe@risoe.dk , WWW site: http://www.risoe.dk/

Risoe Laboratory is a research and consultancy organisation for industry and public authorities. Programme areas include Industrial Safety - Integrated Environmental and Risk Management; Environmental Aspects of Agricultural Production - biotechnology and isotope research at the Risoe Environmental Risk Assessment Facility - the research aims to reduce environmental impact from agriculture by lowering the demand for pesticides and fertilisers. Produces publications and reports.

RIVM - National Institute of Public Health and the Environment

Postbox 1, NL-3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands

Tel: (+31 30) 274 9111, Fax: (+31 30) 274 2971, WWW site: http://deimos.rivm.nl/

RIVM is an organisation funded by government and commercial sources and is divided into seven Divisions. Division VI is devoted to Substances and Risks and includes laboratories such as the Toxicology Advisory Centre, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis and the Laboratory of Radiation Research. The Division's expertise includes research and consultancy (primarily for the government and international organisations) on the effects and risks of exposure of humans and ecosystems to substances of anthropogenic origin, natural or combinations of these. Work includes hazard and risk assessment of chemicals. Reports are produced for clients and also for the public. Also RIVM Reports - a quarterly bulletin; an annual review of available reports and an Annual Scientific Report.

Sateilyturvakeskus (STUK) Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety

PO Box 268, SF-00101 Helsinki, Finland

Tel: (+358 1) 708 21, Fax: (+358 1) 708 2210

Regulatory body for nuclear power, plant safety and other uses of radiation.

SEI (Service de l'Environnement Industriel)

20, avenue de Segur - 75302, Paris, 07 SP, France

SEI is a department in the Direction de la Prevention des Pollutions et des Risques, its work covers the risks from the petro-chemical industry, biotechnology, and the agriculture and food industry. It works in close co-operation with INERIS.

Sociedad Española de Protección Radiológica (SEPR) Spanish Society for Radiological Protection

Avenida Compultense 22, E-28040 Madrid, Spain

Tel: (+34 1) 244 1200

Scientific and organisational problems in the field of protection against ionising and non-ionising radiation.

Swedish National Chemicals Inspectorate

P.O Box 1384, s-171 27 Solna, Sweden

Tel: +46 8 730 57 00, Fax: +46 8 735 76 98

TNO Institute for Environmental Sciences, Energy Research and Process Innovation, Division of Environmental Quality and Safety

Laan van Westenenk 501, PO Box 342, 7300 AH Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

Tel: (+31) 55 549 3591, Fax: (+31) 55 549 3252, E-mail: mkv.secretariaat@mep.tno.nl , WWW site: http://www.tno.nl/home/index.html

The TNO Institute of Environmental Sciences, Energy Research and Process Innovation is an expert centre and contract research institute for industry and government agencies. The Environmental Quality and Safety Division provides expertise in the analysis and evaluation of the behaviour and fate of pollutants, resulting from industrial processes and the use of products as well as their effects on the environment and industrial and ecological risks activities. Research areas include: industrial safety studies - quantitative risk analysis; development of methods and models for environmental risk analysis; risk analysis and assessment of ecological effects of chemicals in the aquatic environment.

UK Health and Safety Executive

Baynards House, 1Chepstow House, Westbourne Grove, London W2 4TF, UK

Tel: (+44 171) 243 6000, WWW site: http://www.open.gov.uk/hse/hsehome.htm

Although expertise is mainly in the area of occupational health and safety in the UK it does extend to public safety from hazardous installations and activities. Publications - guidelines and advice/information.

UK Institute of Terrestrial Ecology

Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambs. PE17 2LS, UK

Tel: (+44 1487) 773381, Fax: (+44 1487) 773467, E-mail: M.Roberts@ite.ac.uk , WWW site: http://www.nmw.ac.uk:80/ite/

The ITE Research Station at Monks Wood is one of six stations at the ITE. Research is currently being carried out in the areas of hazard and risk assessment for chemicals and ecotoxicology in the terrestrial and aquatic compartments. The institute is part government/part privately funded through commercial contracts. Publications include reports on a wide range of subject matter and annual reports. Extensive information on the ITE can be found on its web site.

UK National Centre for Environmental Toxicology

WRc, Henley Road, Medmenhem, Marlow, Bucks. SL7 2HD, UK

Tel: (+44 1491) 571 531, Fax: (+44 1491) 579 094, E-mail: cet@wrcplc.co.uk

Information is available on the effects resulting from chemical contaminants in water including; toxicity to humans and livestock; ecotoxicity (environmental effect/PNECs); environmental fate and behaviour (PECs). Information is provided to clients paying an annual fee.

US Environmental Protection Agency Centre for Exposure Assessment Modelling and the
National Exposure Research Laboratory - Ecosystems Research Division

960 College Station Road, Athens, Georgia, USA

Tel: (+1 706) 355 8400, Fax: (+1 706) 355 8302, E-mail: ceam@epamail.epa.gov ,
WWW site: ftp://ftp.epa.gov/epa_ceam/wwwhtml/address.htm

"To support environmental risk-based decisions, CEAM provides proven predictive exposure assessment techniques for aquatic, terrestrial, and multimedia pathways for organic chemicals and metals. A wide range of analysis techniques is provided, ranging from simple desk-top techniques suitable for screening analysis, to sophisticated, state-of-the-art continuous simulation models." The NERL "provides scientific understanding, information and assessment tools to reduce and quantify the uncertainty in the Agency's exposure and risk assessments for all environmental stressors. Stressors include chemicals, biologicals, radiation, and changes in climate, land and water use. It provides research information on stressor sources; pollutant transport, transformations and exposure; and source-to-receptor predictive exposure models applicable to the appropriate temporal scales and to site, watershed/regional and global scales. It also provides risk managers with receptor and stressor analyses, and evaluations of alternative mitigation, management or restoration strategies from an exposure perspective."

VITO (Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek) Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium

Tel: (+32 14) 33 55 11, Fax: (+32 14) 33 55 99, WWW site: http://www.vito.be

VITO is the largest multi-discipline research centre in the Flanders region of Belgium. Both commercial and government/public work is carried out. Under the environment programme, current research projects include effect assessment (ecotoxicological test systems and long and short-term toxic effects of pollutants). More information is available on the web page.