PROSOIL – Protection of soil organisms: Development of toxicity criteria for soil organisms in the framework of classification of substances and PBT assessment | Umweltbundesamt

The European ⁠CLP⁠ Regulation as well as the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) only provide criteria for aquatic toxicity with regard to environmental hazards. Legal requirements for the use of terrestrial toxicity data are missing, although data from substance regulations (pesticides, pharmaceuticals, biocides or ⁠REACH⁠ chemicals) are available. The goal was to develop data-based proposals for possible criteria for soil organisms. In the project, available toxicity data for soil organisms were compiled and analyzed in a comprehensive database. Based on the toxicity distributions for different organisms, sensitive toxicity ranges for organism groups were identified using various statistical methods and possible criteria and categories were defined. Substances falling into the defined categories were identified and compared to existing aquatic classifications to highlight potential consequences and benefits. The findings and analyses provide an important contribution to support current processes to develop toxicity criteria for the terrestrial environmental compartment and implement them in regulations and guidance documents.