The debate as to whether chemicals should be regulated according to hazard or risk is once again under the spotlight, this time commented by Ragnar Lofstedt, PhD, Professor and Director of the Kings Centre for Risk Management at Kings College in London. He takes the reader through the history of risk assessment and chemical control, presents two interesting current case studies and sheds light on the influence of politics on the implementation of regulation.

Professor Lofstedt's assumption that two different methods of assessment exist is not a complete statement. In fact this is a confusing way to describe the scientific and political processes involved in regulation. It is not a choice between two methods, but rather a balance between political ambition and scientific facts within one method. Examples can be found where science has been more influential than policy on the actual regulatory decision, and vice versa.