In this episode I speak with Dr Katherine Santizo, Programme Manager of Cefic's Long-range Research Initiative (LRI).

Since 1999, Cefic-LRI has funded over 250 projects (totaling approximately €90 million) to advance the scientific assessment of the safety of chemicals, and to improve understanding of potential health and environmental risks.

Tune in to hear first-hand from Katherine about the exciting work that Cefic-LRI does, and how this is helping to deliver progress in chemicals assessment science.

Our conversation covers:

• What is Cefic-LRI? The LRI mission, and what makes it different
• How it works - the LRI process from ideation to publications
• Tools and solutions to address key regulatory challenges
• Katherine's background and career journey
• Working across disciplines - integrating environmental science with human health
• Reflecting on the 25 year anniversary of Cefic-LRI
• Upcoming research projects: new approach methodologies (NAMs), mobility and biodegradation
• Other hot topics in chemicals safety research
• Cefic-LRI's contribution to persistence assessment science

Cefic-Lri – Long-Range Research Initiative

Determining the water solubility of difficult-to-test substances: A tutorial review - ScienceDirect

Cefic-LRI workshop highlights advances in chemical assessments aligned with evolving regulations – Cefic-Lri

LRI Marks 25 Years of Advancing Chemical Safety Assessments – Cefic-Lri

Cefic-LRI 25th Anniversary Commemorative Book

New funding opportunities for research on NAMs, biodegradation testing and mobility assessment – Cefic-Lri

ECO52 – Bioavailability, complex substances and overall persistence (BCOP): three themes to deliver a step-change in persistence assessments – Cefic-Lri

Developing a weight-of-evidence methodology for persistence assessment of substances in the environment | Earth, Space, and Environmental Chemistry | ChemRxiv | Cambridge Open Engage

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode I speak with Dr Anna Zhenova of Green Rose Chemistry.

Green Rose Chemistry are a mission-driven consultancy applying the principles of green chemistry to help organisations to develop more sustainable products and processes.

Our conversation covers:

• What does Green Rose Chemistry do?
• Green chemistry as a grass roots movement - the need for education and champions within organisations
• How different sectors are at varying stages on the green chemistry journey
• The importance of language in communicating sustainability
• Examples of green chemistry solutions - chemical substitution vs functional substitution
• Reflections on connecting chemical safety with product development and other disciplines
• Avoiding tunnel vision and uncovering win-wins - a case with safer solvents
• What is green chemistry? 12 principles, 3 pillars
• On externalities - economic vs moral questions
• Chemicals in the environment, persistence, transformation products, and mixtures
• Dealing with overwhelm and working within your sphere of influence
• How do green chemists differ from traditional chemists

Green Rose Chemistry | Sustainable Chemistry Consultants

Beyond Benign

Green Rose Chemistry | Training

Advancing Safer Alternatives Through Functional Substitution | Environmental Science & Technology

12 Principles of Green Chemistry - American Chemical Society

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode, I speak with Janet Greenwood of TT Environmental.

Janet has been working for many years in chemicals safety and regulatory compliance, and runs a community of regulatory professionals (the Chemical Regulations Self Help Group) here in the UK, and a regular newsletter (Chemicals Coffee Time) with over 4000 subscribers across the globe.

Janet therefore brings an important perspective from regulatory professionals and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) working 'on the ground' to address regulatory compliance within the chemicals industry.

Our conversation covers:

• Janet's background and the origins of her community and newsletter
• Chemicals Coffee Time - during lockdown and beyond
• Janet's journey to becoming an environmental consultant
• Environmental permits, sustainability and ISO 14001
• Top-down procedures vs individual vigilance
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS), CLP labels, and the need to keep the end user in the focus
• Dealing with the deluge of regulatory changes in the EU and UK
• The impact of new substances of very high concern (SVHCs)
• Reflections on the evolution and broader impacts of REACH
• The shifting chemicals marketplace and shared responsibility
• Views on environmental challenges, and the concept of stewardship

TT Environmental Consultancy Yorkshire | EP, IPPC, REACH, COMAH, ADMS & Environmental modeling

The Chemical Regulations Self Help Group – Peer support for REACH, CLP and other chemical regulations

Sign up to Chemicals Coffee Time weekly - Chemicals Coffee Time

Chemicals Coffee Time Monthly newsletter - LinkedIn

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode I speak with Professor Thomas Hartung.

Prof Hartung is Doerenkamp-Zbinden Chair of Evidence-based Toxicology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Konstanz. He also holds positions as Director of the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) and Field Chief Editor of the academic journal Frontiers in AI, and was the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Peter Singer Prize.

We have a fascinating discussion about the breathtaking developments in AI and animal-free toxicology, and what this means for areas like drug development, chemical regulation, public health, animal testing, research ethics, the exposome, and the future of our society.

Our conversation covers:

• New Approach Methodologies (NAMs): the new automobile?
• Technological advances in microphysiological systems (MPS) and artificial intelligence (AI)
• The problems with animal models
• Challenges with validation and regulatory acceptance of NAMs
• The importance of education for uptake of NAMs
• Recent developments on US animal testing policy
• What is happening in the EU? Differences between regions and regulatory systems
• How AI is transforming research, and using it in day-to-day work
• Implications of AI for quality of scientific publications and risk of bias
• The Human Exposome Project: what is it, and how can AI help deliver it?
• Environmental persistence, the exposome, and the public discourse on chemicals

NAMazing: Déjà Vu at the lab bench - Why animal-free science is the new automobile - ScienceDirect

NIH stops funding new projects which focus only on animal testing | Cruelty Free International

The turning point: April 2025 marks historic shift in US animal testing policy | ALTEX - Alternatives to animal experimentation

REACH out-numbered! The future of REACH and animal numbers | ALTEX - Alternatives to animal experimentation

A systematic analysis of read-across adaptations in testing proposal evaluations by the European Chemicals Agency | ALTEX - Alternatives to animal experimentation

Guidance for Good In Vitro Reporting Standards (GIVReSt) – A draft for stakeholder discussion and background documentation | ALTEX - Alternatives to animal experimentation

Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2024 | World Economic Forum

Assessing risk of bias in toxicological studies in the era of artificial intelligence | Archives of Toxicology

Is regulatory science ready for artificial intelligence? | npj Digital Medicine

How AI can deliver the Human Exposome Project | Nature Medicine

Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode I speak with Dr. Blanca Serrano Ramón, Secretary General of the European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC).

ECETOC is a scientific organisation that brings together experts from industry, academia and regulatory bodies to tackle challenges and deliver solutions for chemical safety.

Through its range of task forces, events and coordination activities, ECETOC is working across the full spectrum of chemical hazard and risk assessment topics, including endocrine disruption, new approach methodologies (NAMs), biodiversity, microplastics, persistence, and mobility (to name a few). They also develop and maintain a number of advanced risk assessment tools.

Our conversation covers

• What is ECETOC? What do they do?
• Why it's important to have dialogue between industry, academia and regulatory bodies
• Face-to-face vs online interactions
• Blanca’s background and journey to ECETOC
• Reflections on working at ECETOC
• ECETOC’s work on polymers
• The need to improve awareness and education in regulatory science
• Risk perception, trust in science, and science communication
• Two years on: the debate on conflicts of interest
• ECETOC associate membership

Home - ECETOC

ECETOC Workshop Report Highlights Advances and Challenges in Biodegradation Testing Guidelines - ECETOC

ECETOC task force proposes three-tiered approach to targeted information requirements for polymers - ECETOC

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode I speak with Andrew Johnson, Environmental Research Scientist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Visiting Professor at Brunel University.

Andrew and I have a fascinating discussion about the current state of scientific research and public discourse on chemicals, and how a different approach might ultimately lead to better outcomes for wildlife.

Our conversation covers:

• Andrew's background and research interests
• What's wrong with the way we do research on chemicals?
• Endocrine disruption and uncovering population-relevant effects
• Insights from 30 years of monitoring data on macroinvertebrate diversity in English rivers
• The issue of combined sewer overflows
• Why monitoring data is so valuable, and so underappreciated
• Problems with the Water Framework Directive
• Risk assessment of chemicals and the mixture assessment factor (MAF)
• Are we prioritising the wrong things?
• Perverse incentives in research
• Science in the media and improving public discourse
• Advice for early career scientists

Zinc and Copper Have the Greatest Relative Importance for River Macroinvertebrate Richness at a National Scale | Environmental Science & Technology

Review of the Classification Framework for Ecological Status/Potential under the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) England and Wales Regulations - WT15168

Are we going about chemical risk assessment for the aquatic environment the wrong way? | Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry | Oxford Academic

How to be a Better Scientist | Andrew Johnson, John Sumpter | Taylor & Francis

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode I am joined by Todd Gouin of TG Environmental Research. Todd and I have a far-reaching discussion about the science and policy of chemicals in the environment.

Our conversation covers:

• Todd's career journey and the role of Don Mackay
• The concept of environmental persistence
• Tools for chemicals management and the evolving policy landscape
• Exposure assessment and risk assessment - the importance of considering exposure in addressing chemical risks
• How sustainability is changing the way we look at chemicals
• How science is produced, and communicated in the media
• How well do our tools fit what is happening in the environment?
• Biodiversity and the roles of chemical and non-chemical stressors
• Changes to policy around persistence - storing up problems for the future?
• Why biodegradability is important for consumer-facing sectors
• Persistence in the discussion on product circularity and innovation
• What's at stake? Balancing costs to society
• The need for multidisciplinary expertise and the role of industry

Recorded on 12th March 2025

Environmental Fate and Exposure - TG Environmental Research

In Memoriam: Don Mackay

Zinc and Copper Have the Greatest Relative Importance for River Macroinvertebrate Richness at a National Scale | Environmental Science & Technology

A review of DEB theory in assessing toxic effects of mixtures - ScienceDirect

Why environmental persistence should be a top priority for safe and sustainable products

The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com

In this episode I share an article discussing the new hazard classes under the EU CLP regulation, and what this might mean for chemicals management more broadly.

As a reminder, the new CLP hazard classes are:

• Endocrine disruptors (ED) for human health and the environment;
• Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); and
• Persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT); very persistent and very mobile (vPvM).

I also share some insights on what has been happening since the article was published.

Read the original article: How should we expect the new hazards under EU CLP to play out in practice? — Embark Chemical Consulting

Events I attended in May:

SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting

Designing for Circularity in Biodegradable Chemicals and Polymers | Sustainable Chemicals and Materials Manufacturing Hub

CHEMUK 2025 EXPO

Latest developments on the new CLP hazard classes:

ECHA clarification on deadlines - New hazard classes 2023 - ECHA

ECHA guidance on the new CLP hazards - Guidance on the Application of the CLP Criteria - Part 4/5: Environmental hazards and additional hazards

Persistence Assessment Tool (PAT) preprint - Developing a weight-of-evidence methodology for persistence assessment of substances in the environment | Earth, Space, and Environmental Chemistry | ChemRxiv | Cambridge Open Engage

ECHA webinar and Q&A - Events - ECHA

New hazard classes added to IUCLID - All news - ECHA

C&L Inventory moves over to ECHA CHEM - All news - ECHA

View the latest proposals for harmonised CLP classifications - Registry of CLH intentions until outcome - ECHA

CLH proposal for trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) - Registry of CLH intentions until outcome - ECHA

Visit my website for more content and insights www.embarkchemical.com