3.0.: Introduction

3.0.1. The objective of the environmental hazard assessment shall be to determine the classification of a substance in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and to identify the concentration of the substance below which adverse effects in the environmental sphere of concern are not expected to occur. This concentration is known as the Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC).
3.0.2. The environmental hazard assessment shall consider the potential effects on the environment, comprising the (1) aquatic (including sediment), (2) terrestrial and (3) atmospheric compartments, including the potential effects that may occur (4) via food-chain accumulation. In addition, the potential effects on the (5) microbiological activity of sewage treatment systems shall be considered. The assessment of the effects on each of these five environmental spheres shall be presented under the relevant heading of the Chemical Safety Report (Section 7) and where required and in accordance with Article 31, summarised in the Safety Data Sheet under headings 2 and 12.
3.0.3. For any environmental sphere, for which no effect information is available, the relevant section of the chemical safety report shall contain the sentence: ‘This information is not available’. The justification, including reference to any literature research carried out, shall be included in the technical dossier. For any environmental sphere for which information is available, but the manufacturer or importer believes that it is not necessary to conduct the hazard assessment, the manufacturer or importer shall present a justification, with reference to pertinent information, under the relevant heading of the Chemical Safety Report (Section 7) and where required and in accordance with Article 31, summarised in the Safety Data Sheet under heading 12.
3.0.4. The hazard assessment shall comprise the following three steps, which shall be clearly identified as such in the Chemical Safety Report:

Step 1

:

Evaluation of information.

Step 2

:

Classification and Labelling.

Step 3

:

Derivation of the PNEC.