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The NORMAN Network: Advancing Knowledge on Emerging Substances

The NORMAN Network is a non-profit association focused on understanding and evaluating emerging substances and their environmental effects. With over 30 members, the network promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing through various activities funded by its members. The goal for 2009-2011 is to develop a more structured approach for the identification and risk assessment of emerging substances, including integrated chemical and biological approaches.

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The NORMAN Network: Advancing Knowledge on Emerging Substances

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  1. The NORMAN network on emerging substances: Creation of the association and activities for 2009www.norman-network.net The views expressed are purely those of the writer and may not under any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the European Commission V. Dulio

  2. Follow-up of the presentation of CMA plenary meeting – Paris, 21 October 2008 Emerging environmental substances: great numbers of emerging substances are potentially responsible for adverse environmental effects A permanent network has been created following the FP6 project funded by the EC– DG RTD

  3. 2009 - The NORMAN network is now established as a non-profit association Network of all interested stakeholders dealing with Emerging Substances (around 30 members) Activities funded by its members: via annual membership fees Focus on a strong synergy with the various activities funded at the national level The number of emerging substances of concern is increasing It is not possible for individual countries alone, to develop the knowledge and methodologies needed for measuring and evaluating the effects and associated risks

  4. NORMAN Founding Members INERIS - Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques, France : Executive secretary BRGM - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières, France WRI / EI - Consortium of Water Research Institute and Environmental Institute, Slovakia : President UBA - Umweltbundesamt - Federal Environment Agency, Germany IAREN - Instituto da Água da Região Norte - Water Institute of the Northern Region, Portugal IVL - Svenska Miljoinstitutet - Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Sweden BfG - Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde - Federal Institute of Hydrology, Germany ALTERRA b.v., The Netherlands

  5. Our goal for 2009-2011 • Our goal for 2009-2011 is to stimulate discussion and build a more structured common approach for the identification and risk assessment of emerging substances, including all aspects related to the use of chemical and biological integrated approaches • 2009: The challenges of the WFD • 2010: REACH and monitoring needs Today we still lack the capacity to capture those substances which are really emerging in a European context and to distinguish them from those ‘believed’ to be emerging

  6. Among the activities planned for 2009: Regular feeding of the NORMAN databases (EMPOMAP, EMPODAT and EMPOMASS) with results of recent monitoring campaigns ILS on “Perfluorinated Compounds in Water, Fish and Sludge”: organised by IVM, NORMAN and QUASIMEME (March – Nov 2009) Expert Group meeting on “Use of passive sampling for emerging substances” – publication of a NORMAN position paper (Prague, May 2009 - jointly with the 3rd Intern. Passive Sampling Workshop and Symposium - IPSW 2009) Workshop on “Metabolites / degradation products of emerging substances”: Autumn 2009 (RIVM / IVM) – will soon be announced WG and Expert Group meeting on the “Use of biological assays and analytical methods in monitoring programmes”: as tools for better understanding of the mode of action of the bioavailable substances in the sample and identification of the toxicants responsible for adverse effects WG on “Prioritisation of emerging substances ”: the mandate of the WG has been approved and the operational work is in its starting phase

  7. WG on Prioritisation of Emerging Substances Lack of knowledge / data / information is by default the most common situation for “Emerging Substances” In existing prioritisation methodologies the lack of knowledge / data / information is used as a justification not to prioritise a substance Felt necessary to define a prioritisation methodology (common criteria for prioritisation) specifically addressed to emerging substances Quantitative criteria for different classes of priority: Sufficient evidence of effects on the ecosystems and human health? Occurrence levels in the environmental media: is available info sufficient? Performance / validation of measurement methods: is it satisfactory for the levels of concentration of these substances in the environment? Needs for a safety net (substances that need to be reconsidered)? e.g. when: Possible combined effects of minor pollution sources Trends indicating increasing importance of the pollutant Can the substance be classified for second priority action? Need to define an iterative methodology: to keep the list updated

  8. More info on the NORMAN website: www.norman-network.net If you wish to join the NORMAN network, contact: valeria.dulio@ineris.fr (NORMAN Executive Secretary) slobodnik@ei.sk (NORMAN President)

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