Environmental Risk Assessment of Chemicals: Science, Policy and Regulation

The toxic effects of chemical substances present a significant threat of harm to ecosystems, biodiversity, and health. A range of policies, legislation and regulatory frameworks have emerged to manage or mitigate the adverse effects of hazardous chemicals, however regulatory policy is not as robust, transparent, or evidence-based as it could be. To understand how and why this is the case, and to identify possible solutions, an inter-disciplinary approach is needed. This thesis examined how the environmental risk of chemicals is shaped by the interplay of regulation, science and policy. It has been produced as a thesis-by-publication and contains four data chapters, three of which have been published in international peer-reviewed journals.

In chapter 2, I analysed key documents and reports, and provided empirical evidence of an emerging divergence in UK-EU regulation. I found that between 2016 and 2022 the UK government was unable to keep pace with EU developments, lacking the capacity, expertise, and capability of its EU counterparts. In chapter 3, I used methods of co-design to develop a transparent and reproducible framework for mapping evidence on the ecologically relevant effects of flame retardant substances. In chapter 4, I applied this protocol to provide a comprehensive overview of toxicological effects; identify knowledge gaps and clusters, and bridge the divide between scientific research and regulatory practice. Finally in chapter 5, I used a systems approach to identify system-level barriers to uptake and use of academic research in regulatory decision making, and set out a series of recommendations to support its use.

Together these findings advance understanding in the fields of UK and EU regulation, evidence synthesis and systems-thinking, and underscore the complex and evolving nature of chemical regulation and policy. This thesis argues that strengthening the interface between regulation, science and policy will allow for better protection from hazardous chemicals.