Required Reading
The Red Book's 4 part risk
assessment paradigm
Breyer, S. 1993. Breaking the vicious cycle: Towards effective
risk regulation. Read the two paragraphs in Chapter 1 on
risk assessment and risk management (these are the two paragraphs
immediately preceding the section entitled "Major Problems.")
National Research Council. 1983.
Risk assessment in the federal government:
Managing the process. National Academy Press. Washington, D.C.
This is the "Red Book."
Read the
pages 1-2 (Section of the Summary entitled "Setting",
pages 9-16 (The Introduction), and pages 17-20 (introductory
pages of Chapter 1: The Nature of Risk Assessment).
Methylmercury risk assessment
Look at the
Table of Contents of the methylmercury risk assessment, with
an eye towards identifying the (1) hazard assessment, (2) dose-response
assessment, (3) exposure assessment, and (4) risk characterization
steps. This Table of Contents is not in the Required Course Pack, and is
only available online. You may also want to read the introductory pages of
key chapters, so that you can understand what is contained in each chapter.
Supplemental reading
U.S. EPA. 1991.
Risk Assessment for Toxic Air Pollutants:
A Citizen's Guide. EPA 450/3-90-024. This
has a simple and readable introduction to the
hazard assessment, dose-response
assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization
steps.
Questions for class discussion
The Red Book's 4 part risk assessment paradigm
1. Does the methylmercury risk assessment contain each of
the four steps discussed in the Red Book? If so, where are they?
For each step,
explain, in language that the governor of Vermont can
understand, the type of data and analyses used in the
risk assessment. (Don't use the technical jargon. Rather, I
want you to provide a simple, understandable explanation
of the data and analysis used in each step. This will require
some thought.)
2. What are the benefits of a broadly applicable
conceptual model of risk assessment
(like the four step process contained in the Red Book), as opposed
to undertaking risk assessments using procedures
developed on a case-by-case, ad hoc
basis? What are the drawbacks of a general and generic approach, such
as that contemplated by the Red Book?
3. The Red Book and Breyer list a number of assumptions and problems that
are encountered at various stages of the risk assessment process. Come
to class prepared to briefly summarize these. Where possible,
illustrate these
problems, using examples drawn from the methylmercury risk assessment.
(This is a question we will be pounding on all semester. For
now, I just want you to understand the major problems encountered
at each of the 4 risk assessment steps.)
Risk assessment, management and communication
4. Drawing on the methylmercury risk assessment, provide
an example of (i) risk assessment, (ii) risk mangement, and (iii)
risk communication. Your examples should make clear the distinction
between these three concepts.