General Aspects – Current and Further Perspectives

By definition, it is accepted worldwide that environmental risk assessment is a scientific practice that identifies and evaluates the likelihood of an activity or substance to threaten the environment in general, and/or living organisms, natural habitats and ecosystems, in particular. In other words, it is a term used to describe the overall process or method allowing (a) the identification of hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm (hazard identification) and (b) the analysis and evaluation of the risk associated with that particular hazard (risk analysis and risk evaluation). It also suggests all the appropriate ways to eliminate or minimize the hazard, or control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated (risk control).