What is the PRIO tool?
The PRIO tool is one of the most popular sites on the Chemicals Inspectorate’s website, and it serves an important part in the agency’s aim to reduce the risk of harm to people and the environment from hazardous chemicals.
PRIO uses particular criteria to determine if a material is hazardous to human health or the environment. These criteria include carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, and persistence in the environment.
PRIO allows users to detect compounds that are harmful to human health or the environment. Companies and purchasers utilize it to go above and beyond regulatory requirements, phasing out dangerous chemicals before they are restricted or banned.
How is the new criteria set?
- The criteria themselves are based on Sweden’s environmental quality target for a non-toxic environment, the EU’s REACH and CLP chemicals regulations, and international conventions.
- In addition to the established criteria, the tool also features a comprehensive database containing over 16,000 examples of substances that meet one or more of PRIO’s criteria.
- This recent update introduces two entirely new criteria and revises three existing ones, along with continuously adding new examples to the database.
The new additions to PRIO’s criteria stem from the adoption of four new hazard classes within the CLP regulation.
The specific criteria updates in PRIO include:
- Two new criteria:
PMT/vPvM: This identifies substances classified as persistent, mobile, and toxic (PvM) or very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) at the “priority level phase-out substance” level.
Potential endocrine disruptor: This identifies substances suspected of being endocrine disruptors in humans or the environment at the “priority level priority risk reduction substance” level.
- Changes to three existing criteria descriptions:
PBT/vPvB: This criterion now identifies substances classified as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) at the “priority level phase-out substance” level.
Potential PBT/vPvB: This criterion now identifies substances suspected of being PBT/vPvB at the “priority level priority risk reduction substance” level.
Endocrine disruptors: This criterion now identifies substances classified as endocrine disruptors for humans or the environment at the “priority level phase-out substance” level.
“Users need to be confident that PRIO is based on current knowledge and remains at the forefront, and also “Using PRIO is voluntary, but it’s a valuable tool for those who want to go the extra mile and exceed current legislation,” explains Jessica Norrgran Engdahl, PRIO project manager.
