June 9 2017 Concluding remarks and closing by Jukka Malm, Deputy Executive Director, ECHA

1. Helsinki Chemicals Forum 2017
Concluding Remarks
Day 2
Jukka Malm
European Chemicals Agency

2. Speeding up chemical
assessments: from novel
information to new
management approaches,
what works?
Panel 4

3. Key themes
• Novel approaches for hazard data emerging
• OECD is key forum for advancing their regulatory use
• Important to understand opportunities and limitations
• Ambition is to maintain compatibility with MAD
• Complementary to conventional methods, no perfection,
good enough
• Challenge also for capacity building
• Grouping as a tool to speed up chemicals assessment
and management increasingly used
• Modern chemicals management schemes increasingly
rely on new approaches & grouping, both in priority
setting and in definitive assessment
3

4. 4
Opportunities
• Novel approaches as part of innovation roadmap, application
in the process from idea to market
• Gather experiences and gain confidence via regulatory
application
• Ensure transparency of assessment and uncertainties
• Presentation of results benefit from structured platform,
IUCLID6
• Mutual acceptance of assessments
• Big data/data analytics as more data is accessible
• Novel methods and grouping are important elements in the
evolving chemicals management, proactive sustainability
approaches, ensuring safe use of emerging new materials,
and circular economy

5. Substances of concern in
products – whose job is it
to control these in a free
trade world?
Panel 5

6. Key themes
• Increasing focus on tracking and avoiding hazardous
substances in products, holistic assessment approach,
strong link to sustainability and circular economy
• Consumer expectations for transparency in increasing
complex supply chains, but regional differences
• Data sources and information flow insufficient, also not
possible to know everything
• Need for combined efforts by all involved players
• Proactive companies invest in chemical management
taking into account the full supply chain in their
innovation
• Chemical hazards/risk in a multi-factor matrix of
decision making
6

7. 7
Opportunities
• Complex area – challenge, not an excuse
• Start with long-hanging fruits, build case studies, and
good practice, but also build a systematic approach at
same time
• International alignment would help
• Evolving area of experiences and tools; knowledge
transfer and capacity building
• Find solutions for CBI & IPR;
• E.g. use of 3rd parties to certify product content/safety
• Transparency of assessment criteria

8. Before closing…
… from HICCS 2008
to HCF 2017…
…9+1 years…
…what makes it
work…

9. 9

10. Thank you!
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See you next year 14-15 June 2018