Concern over the toxic effects observed in tests on animals has demonstrated the need to assess hazards of many new, and some presently used, materials. The process described herein will help producers, regulatory agencies, and others to compare alternative materials efficiently and adequately, completely assess a final candidate material, or reassess the health hazard of a material already in use. The process is not intended for pesticide registration; this guide provides techniques for health hazard assessment.

Sequential assessment and feedback allow appropriate judgments concerning the efficient use of resources, thereby minimizing unnecessary testing and focusing effort on the information most pertinent to each material. For different materials and situations, hazard assessment will appropriately be based on substantially different amounts and kinds of biological, chemical, physical, and toxicological data.

Assessment of the health hazard of a material should never be considered complete for all time. Reassessment should be considered if new uses are discovered, the nature of the exposure changes, or new information on biological, chemical, physical, or toxicological properties becomes available.

Periodic review will help ensure that new information receives prompt and appropriate attention.

If a pesticide is transformed substantially into another chemical entity in the environment, the hazard of the transformed material(s) may need to be assessed.