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Utility of Risk Assessment in Public Health Policy Decisions

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Public Health Risk Assessment for Human Exposure to Chemicals

Part of the book series: Environmental Pollution ((EPOL,volume 27))

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Abstract

Risk assessment has become a vital decision-making tool for informing risk managers and the public about the different prospective policy options for protecting public health and the environment; in particular, it seems to be gaining wider grounds in making public health policy decisions on the control of risks associated with human exposures to chemicals. This state of affairs may be attributed to the fact that, the very process of performing a risk assessment can lead to a better understanding and appreciation of the nature of the risks inherent in a study—and it further helps develop steps that can be taken to reduce these risks. Overall, the application of risk assessment to chemical exposure problems helps identify critical receptor exposure routes, as well as expose other extraneous factors contributing most to total risks. It also facilitates the determination of cost-effective risk reduction policies. Indeed, the risk assessment process is intended to give the risk management team the best possible evaluation of all available scientific data—in order to arrive at justifiable and defensible decisions on a wide range of issues. For example, to ensure public safety in chemical exposure situations, receptor exposures must not exceed some stipulated risk-based exposure levels or acceptable public health goals—typically established through a risk assessment process. On the whole, it is apparent that, some form of risk assessment is inevitable if public health and environmental management programs are to be conducted in a sensible and deliberate manner. Ultimately, based on the results of a risk assessment, a more effectual decision can be made in relation to the types of risk management actions that might be necessary to address a given chemical exposure problem or a hazardous situation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Health Risk Assessment Practice, Washington, DC, USA

    Kofi Asante-Duah (Scientific Advisor/Environmental Consultant)

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  1. Kofi Asante-Duah
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Asante-Duah, K. (2017). Utility of Risk Assessment in Public Health Policy Decisions. In: Public Health Risk Assessment for Human Exposure to Chemicals. Environmental Pollution, vol 27. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1039-6_15

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