The “Quick Scan” method is a tool to rapidly assess chemicals in the absence of data, to prioritize further study and action.
Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment developed it.
This method specifies criteria for determining hazard levels of a chemical for specific hazard endpoints.
The steps in the Quick Scan method
- Gather hazard data on chemicals
- Use criteria to assign chemicals to hazard levels
- Use decision-making rules to determine concern categories
- Revise concern categories based on the use of data
When developing this method, at the international level, it was noted that the number of complete and in-depth risk assessments of substances (and products) was extraordinarily low as a proportion of the total number of substances (and products).
The quick scan is an initial general approach to both the hazard of and exposure to a substance, in particular in cases where no risk assessment is available.
It must be possible to conduct a quick scan for every existing substance within a relatively short period (two years).
In this way, the quick scan can act as a prioritisation instrument in a new European system of registration and authorisation.
So the quick scan can be used as the first indication of the risk associated with a substance.
This method brings into play the hazardous properties of a substance and its use (as an indication for exposure).
The result of the quick scan determines the priority that must be given to the substance with respect to any further determination of the risk and the measures to be taken by the authorities and/or by the industry itself.
The results of the quick scan can (and should) be refined by further data supplied by the industry concerning hazard and/or exposure.
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This article can be found in the 2023 edition of the document. Find the full publication here:
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