Reflecting on 40 years of regulatory developments in Europe – Peter Fisk
In this episode I am joined by Peter Fisk, founder of Green Chemical Design Ltd, and formerly of Peter Fisk Associates (now Vitis Regulatory).
Peter talks about his extensive career journey, and gives an honest appraisal of the evolution and current state of chemicals management in Europe.
Our discussion covers a lot of ground, including:
Peter's early career and interests as a scientist
Making the switch to consultancy and starting a business
The advent of the REACH regulation and the transformation of chemicals management in Europe
How interactions between regulators and industry have changed over time
Unifying qualities of regulatory scientists
Challenges with the implementation of REACH: on read-across, QSARs, testing costs, bureaucracy, and the speed of regulatory processes
Hazard assessment vs risk assessment
REACH for polymers
Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)
The challenge of assessing complex substances (UVCBs) and the progress made by the oil industry
Opportunities and challenges with green chemistry and chemical substitution
The potential of Hansen Solubility Parameters as a tool to evaluate chemical hazards
Remembering Steve Robertson
Ethical concerns with fish testing and regulatory box-ticking
Praise for the REACH registered substances database
The extreme persistence of PFAS and their impact on other chemistries
Peter has accrued a huge amount of knowledge and wisdom during his career. If you're interested in learning from his experience, this one is not to be missed!
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