Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)
The Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), prepared and maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), is an electronic database containing information on human health effects that may result from exposure to various chemicals in the environment. IRIS was initially developed for EPA staff in response to a growing demand for consistent information on chemical substances for use in risk assessments, decision-making and regulatory activities. The information in IRIS is intended for those without extensive training in toxicology, but with some knowledge of health sciences.
The heart of the IRIS system is its collection of computer files covering individual chemicals. These chemical files contain descriptive and quantitative information in the following categories:
- Oral reference doses and inhalation reference concentrations (RfDs and RfCs, respectively) for chronic noncarcinogenic health effects.
- Hazard identification, oral slope factors, and oral and inhalation unit risks for carcinogenic effects.
IRIS is a tool that provides hazard identification and dose-response assessment information, but does not provide situational information on individual instances of exposure. Combined with specific exposure information, the data in IRIS can be used for characterization of the public health risks of a given chemical in a given situation, that can then lead to a risk management decision designed to protect public health.
In a risk assessment, the extent to which a group of people has been or may be exposed to a certain chemical is determined, and the extent of exposure is then considered in relation to the kind and degree of hazard posed by the chemical, thereby permitting an estimate to be made of the present or potential health risk to the group of people involved.
Risk assessment information is used in the risk management process in deciding how to protect public health. Examples of risk management actions include deciding how much of a chemical a company may discharge into a river; deciding which substances may be stored at a hazardous waste disposal facility; deciding to what extent a hazardous waste site must be cleaned up; setting permit levels for discharge, storage, or transport; establishing levels for air emissions; and determining allowable levels of contamination in drinking water.
A complete risk assessment consists of the following four steps:
- Hazard identification;
- Dose-response assessment;
- Exposure assessment; and
- Risk characterization,
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