Product safety, risk assessment, and responsible care in the biocide chemical industry

Manufacturers of biocides recognize a need to control the risk from their products. This paper discusses some of the history and critical aspects of these activities and outlines the needs under the current initiatives of Responsible Care. Biocide product safety risk assessment is operationally defined in this context and presented as the fundamental tool of the process. The need for data and the criteria for its dissemination are discussed along with the requirement that the data-gathering effort be combined in joint efforts with scientists in industry, academia, and the regulatory community.