1. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20101 Aquatic ecotoxicology – can we improve its influence on policies and risk management? European Environment Agency, Copenhagen 6-7 May 2010 Organizing committee : Peter PärtEuropean Commission-JRC Ingvar Thornformer Swedish EPA and European Environment Agency Christina RudénRoyal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden Dorota JarosinskaEuropean Environment Agency, Copenhagen Robert CollinsEuropean Environment Agency, Copenhagen

2. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20102 Objectives Retrospective analysis – “Lessons learned” - how we can optimize the science and decision basis in the ecotoxicology area. How has research findings in the ecotoxicology area found their way into policy and how they have been used in risk management and decision- making. Capacity building - the importance of research projects for capacity building. Research priorities for the future – “Are we doing the right thing”?

3. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20103 Projects ESTHER (1982 – 1987, Swedish EPA) NewS (1998-2003, New Strategy on Chemicals, MISTRA, Sweden) NOMIRACLE (Novel Methods for Integrated Risk Assessment of Cumulative Stressors, EU 2004-2009 http://nomiracle.jrc.ec.europa.eu) MODELKEY (Models for Assessing and Forecasting the Impact of Environ-mental Key Pollutants on Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity (www.modelkey.org)

4. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20104 Questions for speakers 1. Presentation of your research and what you think are the highlights 1. Has your research/findings been used or been taken up in policy making? In case, give examples! 1. How has your projects assisted in capacity building. 1. What do you see as research priorities in ecotoxicology for the future?

5. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20105 Ecotox findings has changed policy The risk of mercury to wildlife and human health was originally based on observations of acute mercury poisoning in the nature (birds) The ban on use of the insecticide DDT was based on observed effects in wild life, mainly birds The ban on, and phasing out, of PCBs was based on observations on reproductive disturbances in birds and animals in the environment PBT (persistant – bioaccumulation – toxicity) criteria based on ecotox observations The discovery of imposex among marine snails as a result of the use of tributyltin (TBT) antifoulants has lead to a worldwide prohibition of the use The acidification of lakes and the impacts of acid deposition on terrestrial environments - legislation to reduce acidifying sulphur emissions from use of fossil fuels

6. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20106 Ecotox – policy impact (cont) Phasing-out of chlorine bleaching in pulp and paper industry – negative impact of chlorinated compounds in the aquatic environment Reproductive damage to fish and invertebrate populations observed in the 1990’s has been shown to be caused by exposure to complex mixtures of oestrogens and other endocrine disrupting chemicals EEA report 1998 “Chemicals in the European Environment: Low doses, High stakes?” - one of the drivers for the REACH legislation The United Nations Stockholm Environment Conference 1972 – the creation of UNEP and the “Stockholm Convention -

7. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20107 Conclusions - policy Policy advice: International Panel on Chemical Pollution (IPCP), http://www.ipcp.ch/http://www.ipcp.ch/ The Network of reference laboratories for monitoring of emerging environmental pollutants (NORMAN). Collaboration agreement with JRC. Contribute to the European Chemicals Agencies (ECHA) environmental risk assessments through their public consultations Closer collaboration with European agencies like European Environment Agency, European Food Safety Authority, European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Create “win-win” situations between human health concerns and ecotoxicological concerns

8. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20108 Conclusions - policy Communication Arrange short targeted seminars in the European Parliament and in National Parliaments with the theme “Water, health and wealth”. Participate in the Green week- conference arranged by the European Commission DG Environment in June every year (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek/home.html).http://ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek/home.html Timing. Experiences show us that a topical issue has greater change of influencing policy. Write summary reports. Use a non-technical language and terminology. Include writing of scientific reports in research funding applications Important to establish direct contacts with users/regulators to promote a continuous dialogue between scientists and regulators. Direct contacts with scientists have for example been very important for the work of the Swedish EPA Work with NGOs Work with science journalists

9. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.20109 Conclusions - Research Research in ecotoxicology can be categorised into 2 groups 1. Research that aims to understand effects and observations in the environment. This is research that at a later stage may anticipate policy initiatives. 2. Research which aims to develop procedures (tools) to assess the hazard and environmental risk of chemicals, chemical products, mixtures and complex pollution like industrial and municipal effluents

10. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.201010 Conclusions - Research Widening the ecotoxicology concept Stress ecology approach Ecotoxicology – environmental pathology (immune defense and disease) Alien species and pathogens Climate change (ecosystem responses to anthropogenic stress, example marine acidification. Retrospective analysis (what has happened – how could it be prevented) Mechanisms, biomarkers, mixtures, test methods, in vitro methods, omics, bioavailability

11. EEA, Copenhagen 07.12.201011 Participants Thomas Backhaus Göteborg University, Sweden Poul Bjerregaard University of South Western Denmark, Odense, Denmark Hans Blanck Göteborg University, Sweden Magnus Breitholtz Stockholm University, Sweden Finn Bro-Rasmussen Prof. em., Copenhagen, Denmark Nicholas Bury King's College, London, UK) Argelia Castaño Inst. Carlos III, Madrid, Spain Robert Collins European Environment Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark Watze de Wolf DuPont, Belgium Britta Eklund Stockholm University, Sweden Lars Förlin Göteborg University, Sweden David GeeEuropean Environment Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark Enken Hassold UBA, Berlin, Germany Michaela Hein UFZ, Leipzig-Halle, Germany Christer Hogstrand Kings College, London, UK Ludo Holsbeek Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium Tom Hutchinson CEFAS, UK Ketil Hylland Oslo University and NIVA, Norway Dorota JarosinskaEuropean Environment Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark Niklas Johansson Swedish EPA, Stockholm, Sweden Teresa Lettieri European Commission - JRC, Ispra, Italy Hans Lökke Prof. em., coordinator NOMIRACLE, Denmark Aimo Oikari Univ. of Jyväskylä, Finland Stuart Marshall Unilever, UK Leif Norrgren Swedish Agricult. Univ. SLU, Uppsala, Sweden Helmut Segner University of Bern, Schweiz José Tarazona European Chemicals Agency, Helsinki, Finland Aldo Viarengo Univ Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Italy Marlene Ågerstrand Royal Inst. Technology, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden Ingvar Thorn Stockholm, Sweden Christina Rudén Royal Inst. Technology, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden Peter Pärt European Commission - JRC, Ispra, Italy