Chemicals are an essential part of everyday life and all too-often taken for granted, yet often portrayed negatively in the media. Concern over the deleterious effects of chemicals to the environment and human health have prompted governments in the developed world to establish screening programmes such as REACH and HPV Challenge to identify chemicals presenting the greatest degree of risk to health and the environment. While such programmes identify chemicals with the greatest risk, there is no ranking system for alternative chemicals, which while being potentially less harmful, still carry a degree of risk. This volume of the Issues in Environmental Science and Technology series investigates how the alternatives can be assessed and their risk determined. With contributions from experts across the globe, this volume addresses some of the key concepts behind risk assessment of alternative chemicals. Some of the current protocols adopted are discussed, and several chapters explore the topic in the context of industry, making this book essential reading for industrialists as well as academics, postgraduate students and policy makers.

The series has been edited by Professors Hester and Harrison since it began in 1994.

Professor Roy Harrison OBE is listed by ISI Thomson Scientific (on ISI Web of Knowledge) as a Highly Cited Researcher in the Environmental Science/Ecology category. He has an h-index of 54 (i.e. 54 of his papers have received 54 or more citations in the literature). In 2004 he was appointed OBE for services to environmental science in the New Year Honours List. He was profiled by the Journal of Environmental Monitoring (Vol 5, pp 39N-41N, 2003). Professor Harrisons research interests lie in the field of environment and human health. His main specialism is in air pollution, from emissions through atmospheric chemical and physical transformations to exposure and effects on human health. Much of this work is designed to inform the development of policy.

Now an emeritus professor, Professor Ron Hester's current activities in chemistry are mainly as an editor and as an external examiner and assessor. He also retains appointments as external examiner and assessor / adviser on courses, individual promotions, and departmental / subject area evaluations both in the UK and abroad.

Chemicals Alternatives Assessment (CAA): Tools for Selecting Less Hazardous Chemicals; European Initiatives for Selecting Sustainable Flame Retardants; MBDC Cradle to Cradle Product Evaluation and Certification Program; China's Implementation of Alternatives Assessment in the Building Industry: GIGA; A Collaborative Industry and University Alternative Assessment of Plasticizers for Wire and Cable; Chemical Hazard Assessment and the GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals; HewlettPackard's Use of the GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals; DSM's Sustainability Journey Towards a Proactive Ingredient Policy for Gaining Effectiveness in the Design of Better Products; US Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment (DfE) Alternatives Assessment Program; NGO Initiatives in the EU Identifying Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) and Driving Safer Chemical Substitutes in Response to REACH; Alternatives Assessment in Regulatory Policy: History and Future Directions.