3. What impact do the authorities have on TRVs?

In France, acute toxicity thresholds are defined by the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and the Environment (MEDDE) following the work of a specialized commission led by INERIS. They can be used in the event of an industrial accident, but also to define risk zones around industrial facilities.

Since 2007, private operators have also been able to draw up technical reports on acute toxicity threshold values. These reports are critically examined by the group of experts, and presented to the Conseil supérieur des installations classées (CSIC).

In 2003, Afsset set up a program to develop toxicological reference values (TRVs). Its aim is to contribute to the development of solid French expertise, shared by the various competent bodies.