GES Library

The GESs contained within the ESVOC library have been primarily developed for solvents.  For each area of use of a solvent (described via the GES title) a generic chemical safety assessment has been undertaken for the volatility type (low, moderate and high volatility substances) and Derived No Effect Level (DNEL) range (both inhalation and dermal) for notional solvents that fall into these categories.  The ECETOC TRA version 2 has been used to derive the expose estimates for both inhalation and dermal exposure.  Based upon the exposure estimates, and ensuring that associated risk characterization ratios remain acceptable (less than 1), supporting Exposure Scenario (ES) narratives have been developed for each Chemical Safety Assessment (CSA) using a limited number of standard phrases and in a format that is consistent with the expectations of REACH.  The CSA takes the shape of an Excel file.  However, the format of the narrative ES files differs; some are in the form of the Cefic GES template.  Others follow the form described in the earlier guidance document on GESs. Taken together, the files cover the uses of commonly marketed solvents.

The index to the library identifies those generic CSAs (and supporting narrative GESs) that are available for the common uses of solvents, together with those downstream trade organizations that have been involved in their development.  The format of the CSA meets the expectations of part D of the Information Requirements and CSA Technical Guidance Document (TGD).  The supporting narrative ES is displayed either in the earlier 9 section ES format (from June 2009) or the more recent (December 2009) 4 section narrative format.

List of the 22 Generic Exposure Scenarios.

Click on the respective following scenarios to download the files.

ESIG/ESVOC developed the Generic Exposure Scenario (GES) Titles and Use Mapping for REACH which have been prepared to support communication of uses through the solvents supply chain, including Specific Environmental Release Classes (SpERCS).

USING THE ESIG/ESVOC GES LIBRARY (Industrial and professional)

The following steps describe the use of the library;

1. In order to use the library, the starting point is to determine the volatility and relevant DNELs for any substance.  The volatility is categorized in a manner consistent with the guidance of the ECETOC TRA.  Any DNEL is likely to have been derived as an outcome of the hazard assessment for the substance and in a manner consistent with the guidance offered in chapter R8 of the TGD.
2. The uses of the substance must be identified.  This will be a process that uses both market information available to the supplier, together with responses from customers and other downstream users resulting from supply chain communication activities.
3. Based upon 1 and 2, identify the relevant GESs for the known uses of the substance (and which will be shown by reference to the index, using both the volatility and DNEL range).  Two files are relevant; the Excel based CSA and the supporting narrative GES (contained either as an Excel- or Word-file).
4. For each use, the relevant DNELs for the substance should be inserted into the Excel CSA.  When this step is completed, the sheet will auto-calculate the risk characterization ratios for each of the contributing scenario that describe the situations associated with handling the material that potentially give rise to exposure.
5. Where the Risk Characterization Ratios (RCR)  remain < 1, then the associated narrative ES remains valid i.e. because the GES already represents a set of conditions that manage risk to an acceptable level than providing the RCR remains less then 1, then validity of the phrases can be considered to have been verified.
6. In those circumstances where the RCR is greater than 1, then the user will need to implement additional Risk Management Measures (RMM) (or more stringent operating conditions) to ensure that associated exposures are reduced such that the RCR is less than 1.  In those instances the associated ES will also need to be (manually) amended to ensure that any additional RMM or Operating Condition (OC) changes are also reflected in the narrative ES.
7. On completion of steps 1 to 7, users can consider that the GESs have been applied to the CSA process in a manner consistent with REACH i.e. the GES serves a start point, the validity of which has been verified by reference to the specific characteristics of the substance being evaluated.  The associated revised files then also form the basis for information that may need to be contained within section 9 and 10 of any Chemical Safety Report.

Although the library has been developed for solvents, the information contained within it, is also likely to be applicable to other substances.  For example, the manner in which key uses have been described through dialogue with downstream users and their representatives represents a ready resource for other groups wishing to evaluate the risks presented from the use of their substances in similar circumstances.  In these situations, however, users will need to determine whether the volatility ranges are relevant to such materials. When the material cannot be covered by the ESIG/ESVOC GES tool, then users would need to substitute the exposure predictions contained within the Excel-files within the library with those resulting from the application of the ECETOC TRA (or other suitable REACH endorsed exposure model) for the substance properties of interest.