Workshop: APEC Risk Assessment Training on Metals and
Metal Compounds
Nina Ballroom 1, Radisson Blu Cebu Hotel, Cebu, the Philippines
28 (full day) / 29 (half day) August, 2015
(in association with the APEC Chemical Dialogue meeting, under the APEC
Senior Officials Meeting (SOM3) and Related Meetings)
The Planning Committee for the APEC Training Workshop on the Risk Assessment of Metals
and Metal Compounds invites you to attend the Workshop (Attachment B). This pack will help
you:
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finalise your Workshop registration (Attachment A), and indicate your preference for
attending break-out groups, receiving electronic workshop materials, and attending the
Workshop Welcome Dinner
register your details with APEC – please contact your APEC Chemical Dialogue
Regulators’ Forum delegate (Attachment C)
book your accommodation with APEC Designated Hotels in Cebu (Attachment D)
Your registration will enable the Planning Committee to finalise the seating arrangements for the
plenary and break-out sessions. The next few pages provide an update on Workshop logistics.
Attachments:
A. Registration form
B. Near-final agenda
C. Contact list for APEC Chemical Dialogue Regulators’ Forum delegates
D. APEC 2015 Administrative Circular No. 05
E. Australian Department of Health Create Vendor Form
Please complete and return the registration form at Attachment B
no later than 24 July 2015 to:
the Project Overseer at matthew.gredley@nicnas.gov.au
cc the Industry Coordinator at benjamin.davies@icmm.com
1
Background and rationale for the Workshop
The APEC project on the Risk Assessment Training on Metals and Metal Compounds under the
APEC Chemical Dialogue1 seeks to build the capacity of the APEC chemical regulatory
community (government, industry and academia) through shared training to enhance the sound
scientific risk assessment of a key APEC economic commodity – metals and metal compounds.
The two key objectives of the project, informed by a survey of Chemical Dialogue members
undertaken in December 2013 - January 2014, are to build capacity by:


increasing participants’ knowledge and understanding of the risk assessment of metals
and metal compounds by holding an intermediate-to-advanced 1.5 day training
workshop (this Workshop) for the regulatory community that will document and discuss
current approaches used by APEC economies, informed by work undertaken by nonAPEC entities such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development;
share that knowledge and understanding through the broader regulatory community by
developing the materials from, and the conclusions of the workshop into training tools,
such as webinars, technical documents, fact sheets and case studies.
Synopsis of the Workshop
Taking knowledge of/expertise in basic risk assessment as a pre-requisite, this interactive
Workshop will document and discuss approaches to meeting specific challenges in the risk
assessment of metals and metal compounds. In plenary mode, the Workshop will first examine
the unique properties of metals and metal compounds that pose challenges to traditional
approaches to human and environmental risk assessment. Then, taking nine such challenges
as determined by you during a pre-registration process, participants will be introduced during
plenary sessions to some of the key concepts and their current application to chemicals risk
assessment for metals and metal compounds. This will include a demonstration of some of the
most recent tools and models during two break-out sessions (each session will comprise two or
three groups running in parallel), and examples of their application will be worked through with
participants.
The last session of the Workshop will consider the need for on-going training tools. You are
encouraged to think about how the learnings from the event can best be delivered to your
colleagues in the regulatory community through 2016 and beyond, such as via the Workshop
materials, or the creation of technical guidance documents, webinars etc. Based on your
thinking, the APEC project on the Risk Assessment Training on Metals and Metal Compounds
aims to design some key, on-going training tools between September and December 2015.
1
http://www.apec.org/Groups/Committee-on-Trade-and-Investment/Chemical-Dialogue.aspx
2
A near-final Workshop Agenda is at Attachment B – the Planning Group requests you to
nominate which of the break-out groups you will attend, by completing the Workshop
Registration form at Attachment A.
To assist you prepare for the Workshop, the Planning Committee will provide you with workshop
materials around two weeks ahead of the event. Please nominate how you prefer to receive
these materials when completing the Registration form.
Participant profile
In order to maximise the capacity-building of this project, participants in the Workshop:

are drawn from people associated with the regulation of metals and metal
compounds – for example, government regulators, regulatory affairs staff from the
mining and metals sector, and research scientists engaged in academic and regulatory
activities;

have a knowledge of basic risk assessment methodologies – the Workshop
provides intermediate-advanced level training in the specific area of the risk assessment
of metals and metal compounds by workshopping key issues of concern. Knowledge of
basic risk assessment concepts applied to chemicals generally (typically organic
chemicals) is a prerequisite – the workshop will NOT provide training in basic level risk
assessment;

have a technical regulatory background – in keeping with the concept of a workshop,
this training event will provide maximum interaction between presenters and participants
through various hands-on break-out groups, combined with plenaries presenting risk
assessment theory.

are in a position to influence on-going capacity building in their organisation – in
order to ensure the sustainability of the project in delivering capacity building, it is crucial
that capacity building extend beyond the participants in the workshop to their colleagues
who do not attend.
Registration with APEC
The Workshop is an official APEC event held under the APEC Chemical Dialogue as part of the
APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM3) and Related Meetings. These meetings run from
22 August to 6 September 2015. The Philippines Government, as Host of APEC 2015, provides
all the logistics for the meetings.
Given these meetings are high profile, they are held under strict security. Separate to registering
with the Workshop, in order to attend the event, you also need to be registered with the on-line
3
APEC meetings system. You need to register with APEC in order to obtain an electronic APEC
ID badge, which provides you with access to the Workshop venue.
You can register with APEC:


as a guest or member of your economy’s official APEC delegation in the first instance –
contact your economy’s official APEC delegate (see Attachment C for a list of contacts),
if registration through your delegation is NOT appropriate, you need to register as a
Guest of the APEC Secretariat by contacting the Project Overseer, Dr Matthew Gredley
(matthew.gredley@nicnas.gov.au) before 24 July and providing a short biography.
These processes are explained in more detail at Sections 6 and 7 of the APEC 2015
Administrative Circular No. 05 at Attachment D.
Booking APEC Designated Hotels in Cebu
Section 8 of the APEC 2015 Administrative Circular No. 05 at Attachment D details the various
Designated Hotels in Cebu that have been reserved by APEC, and a map showing the locations
of these Hotels is at Annex B of the Circular. The Workshop is being held in the Nina Ballroom 1
of the Radisson Blu Cebu (Hotel #1 in Section 8, location C on the map). The APEC 2015 Host
provides shuttle bus services between the Designated Hotels and meeting venues.
The Circular strongly advises you to reserve your room before 10 August 2015, by contacting
the hotel of your choice directly and using the booking code APEC-SOM3CEBU. However,
some economies may prefer to organise a bulk reservation for all their delegates and guests.
Therefore, please first contact your economy’s official APEC delegation (see Attachment C
for a list of contacts), and book your accommodation as soon as possible.
Workshop logistics and travel information
The Planning Committee is still finalising detailed logistics for running the Workshop. However,
the arrangements to date include:
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lunch on 28 and 29 August is by own arrangement
the Environmental Management Bureau of the Philippines Department of Environment
and Natural Resources will host a Welcome Dinner for Workshop participants on
28 August 2015, 7pm
participants are responsible for arranging their own whispered interpreting – the
Workshop layout does not lend itself to simultaneous interpretation.
The APEC 2015 Administrative Circular No. 05 at Attachment D provides key travel information
on the Philippines.
4
Attachment A
WORKSHOP REGISTRATION FORM
(Please send this form to the Project Overseer, Dr Mathew Gredley
(matthew.gredley@nicnas.gov.au), cc the Industry Coordinator, Mr Ben Davies
(benjamin.davies@icmm.com2) no later than 24 July 2015)
If you have previously completed a Pre-Registration form, only fill in enough personal
information (such as Economy, Family Name, Organisation) to allow us to match this
form with your Pre-Registration form:
Personal details
Economy: _________________________________________
Government ❏
Mr. ❏ / Ms. ❏
/ Dr. ❏
Industry ❏
Academia ❏
/ Prof. ❏
First name:___________________________________________________________
Family name:_________________________________________________________
Position/Job title:______________________________________________________
Organization: Address:_________________________________________________
Phone:___________________________________________________________
E-mail:___________________________________________________________
Special dietary requirements (if not already completed in the Pre-Registration form):
❏ None / ❏ No beef / ❏ No pork / ❏ No seafood / ❏ Other:
2
See separate sheet introducing ICMM
i
Workshop logistics
Break-out sessions
Please indicate with a tick () which Break-out sessions you wish to attend:
28 August am:
Tick one
only
A: Soil bioavailability issues group (Dr. McLaughlin, CSIRO):case study on: Australian
guidance; normalization standards
OR
B: Aquatic Group (Dr. Huntsman-Mapila, NRCan): case studies: BLM water quality
calculation; transformation/dissolution protocol (T/DP)
AND
28 August pm:
Tick one
only
A: (Dr. Dourson, TERA): Human health: case studies: mercury exposure and essential
metals
OR
B (Ms Lowney, Exponent): Human health: case studies on lead uptake and arsenic plant risk
issues
OR
C (Dr. Oller, NIPERA and Dr. Wickramaratna, NICNAS) MECLAS (Metals Classification) tool
for complex metal materials and Using bioaccessibility data for grouping metal compounds
Receiving workshop materials
Workshop materials (pre-reading background material and workshop presentations) will be provided in
electronic format about two weeks before the event. Hard copy of workshop presentations will also be
available at the event. Please nominate below your preferred method of receiving electronic materials:
Tick one
only
By download from a webserver
OR
By receiving a USB stick posted to your registered address
Workshop Welcome Dinner
Will you be attending the Workshop Welcome Dinner on 28 August (details to be advised)
Yes/No
Signature: ______________________________________________________
Date: ________________________
ii
INFORMATION SHEET ON MINING AND METALS
INDUSTRY WORKSHOP SUPPPORT
The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is providing coordination of industry
resources for this self-funded APEC project.
The International Council on Mining and Metals is an industry body created by the leading
mining and metals companies to catalyze strong environmental and social performance in the
sector; and to enhance understanding of the benefits, costs, risks and responsibilities of mining
and metals in contemporary society. It works as a not-for-profit organization, engaging with all
parts of society and collaborating with 21 major mining and metals companies and 35 national
mining and commodity associations that are its members.
The benefits of implementing sound international and regional chemicals management policies
are clear and have beneficial consequences for all stakeholders in the value chain of minerals
and metals.
In 2009 ICMM launched Minerals and Metals Management 2020, an action plan for chemicals
management in the mining and metals sector. The plan, which forms a framework for our
sector’s activity, confirms ICMM’s commitment to the goals of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development and supports the overall objective of the UN’s Strategic Approach to International
Chemicals Management (SAICM). This is supported by extensive research to develop the most
appropriate hazard and risk assessment concepts for metals and collaboration with
governments around the world to incorporate these into regulatory systems.
ICMM and a number of its member associations with expertise in metals risk assessment and
specific links to APEC economies are contributing financial resources for this training project:
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Cobalt Development Institute
Consejo Minero de Chile
ICMM
International Aluminium Association
International Copper Association
International Manganese Institute
International Molybdenum Association
International Zinc Association
Nickel Institute
INFORMATION SHEET ON AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT TRAVEL SUPPORT FUND
The Australian Government has agreed to provide you with travel support 3 comprising a per diem of up
to USD179 per day for three days4 plus 75% of USD1795 as additional payment (a total maximum
reimbursement of USD671.25).
Travel support funding is coordinated by the Project Overseer, Dr Matthew Gredley
(matthew.gredley@nicnas.gov.au) of the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment
Scheme, Australian Department of Health. Payments will be made in Australian dollars as a
reimbursement based on the exchange rate at the time of reimbursements.
The Australian Department of Health needs to first register your organisation as a new vendor in its
financial management system, in order to pay reimbursements. Therefore, please complete the attached
Create Vendor Form and return to Dr Gredley at your earliest convenience.
NICNAS expects that your organisation will complete the form using their financial details – NICNAS will
NOT reimburse funds to personal accounts.
Reimbursement can only be made on provision of appropriate evidence of daily costs, and will be paid
AFTER the event. You must also declare any similar support you are receiving from other sources –
NICNAS reserves the right to reduce the level of Australian Government travel support so as to ensure
the total amount of support does not exceed your costs.
Therefore, please email to Dr Gredley:
 a copy of accommodation and meal costs as soon as possible after you have completed your
trip; and
 a statement declaring either no similar support from other sources is being received, OR if such
support is being received, the amount of that support..
Dr Gredley will also verify your attendance at the Workshop on the day.
3
This is modelled on the APEC Support Fund.
A per diem applies for DAY ONE (27 August) accommodation prior to the Workshop, DAY TWO attend workshop
on 28 August, and DAY THREE attend workshop on morning of 29 August.
5 Based on UN per diem rate accessed 5 November 2014 plus 20% extra for inflation
4
Attachment B
NEAR-FINAL WORKSHOP AGENDA
APEC Workshop on Metals Risk Assessment
Draft 10 July
Nina Ballroom 1, Radisson Blu Cebu Hotel, Cebu, Philippines on 2829th August 2015
August 28th
8:30
9:00
Welcome and overview of metals workshop: CD Co-Chair (TBC), APEC
Host 2015 (TBC), Dr. Gredley, NICNAS and Dr. Wentsel, Exponent)
Unique aspects of inorganic metals in environmental and human health
risk assessments (Dr. Wentsel, Exponent)
Key topics of talk: risk diagram, overview metals and inorganic metal
compounds risk issues, metal characteristics, environmental chemistry,
essentiality. metal background, hazard classification
Environmental Assessment
Metals in water
9:30
Fate, transport, and sampling of metals in aquatic systems (Dr. Adams,
Rio Tinto)
Key topics of talk: aquatic chemistry of metals, background, measuring
dissolved concentrations, sediment sampling for Acid Volatile Sulfide
(AVS); bioavailability, bioaccumulation; analytics for Biotic Ligand
Model (BLM).
9:50
Aquatic toxicity of metals (Dr. Adams, Rio Tinto)
Key topics: standard methods, applicability to Asia-Pacific region, use of
BLM, and AVS-SEM for aquatic criteria, environmental classification
10:10
BREAK
Metals in soil
10:30
Soil bioavailability issues (Dr. McLaughlin, CSIRO)
Key topics of talk: background, uptake in plants, biodilution, rare
biomagnification, which metals are of primary concern, criteria
NEAR-FINAL DRAFT 10 JULY 2015
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Breakout Groups A & B parallel
11:10
Soil bioavailability issues group (Dr. McLaughlin, CSIRO):case study
on: Australian guidance; normalization standards;
Aquatic Group (Dr. Huntsman-Mapila, NRCan): case studies: BLM
water quality calculation; transformation/dissolution protocol (T/DP)
12:00
LUNCH
Metals and Human Health
1:00
1:40
2:20
Risk assessment and hazard identification for metals (Dr. Dourson,
TERA)
Key topics of talk: comparison of hazard identification and doseresponse; key issues for metals in human health risk occupational
exposure; risk characterization
Key exposure pathways for metals (Dr. Krewski, Univ Ottawa)
Key topics of talk: overview of key human health pathways: ingestion,
inhalation, drinking water; metals specific issues, the use of dosimetry
models, ambient air aerosols.
Bioavailability of metals and toxicity (Dr. Oller, NIPERA)
Key topics of talk: Link between bioavailability and toxicity, general
bioelution principles, consideration of bioavailability in classifications,
precedents for use in regulations, advantages and limitations of
bioelution-based approaches
3:00
BREAK
3:20
Oral bioavailability of metals in soil to humans (Ms Lowney, Exponent)
Key topics of talk: soil ingestion process, invivo/invitro soil methods,
relative oral bioavailability
Breakout Groups A, B, & C parallel
3:50
5:00
Group A (Dr. Dourson, TERA): Human health: case studies: mercury
exposure and essential metals;
Group B (Ms Lowney, Exponent): Human health: case studies on lead
uptake and arsenic plant risk issues
Group C (Dr. Oller, NIPERA and Dr. Wickramaratna, NICNAS)
MECLAS (Metals Classification) tool for complex metal materials and
Using bioaccessibility data for grouping metal compounds
ADJOURN
NEAR-FINAL DRAFT 10 JULY 2015
II
August 29
Regulatory Issues for Metals
8:30
9:00
Regulatory issues for metals in the Philippines, Dr. Visitacion, East
Avenue Medical Center, Manila)
Key topics of talk: research program on lead
OECD role in international acceptance of data (Joop DeKnecht, OECD)
Key topics of talk: metals regulatory guidance, data quality and
availability, sources of data
Criteria and Standards for Metals
9:30
Regulation of metals in aquatic systems (Dr. Huntsman-Mapila, NRCan,
tentative)
Key topics of talk: Tiered approach for assessment (EU); Ecotox data and
criteria values: utility for tropical / Asian systems; how to implement –
case example, hazard classification (PBT)
10:00
BREAK
10:20
Regulation of metals in soils (Dr. McLaughlin, CSIRO)
Key topics of talk: Sources of metals; development of soil criteria and
applicability to APEC economies; wildlife toxicity and food chain effects
Human health criteria and standards (Dr. Dourson, TERA)
Key topics of talk: dose – response to criteria, soil and drinking water
standards/criteria; internet sources of risk assessment information,
consideration of dosimetry and particle size when setting occupational
exposure limits (OELs) or ambient air standards, livestock and food chain
issues
10:50
Closing Remarks
11:30
Discussion, next steps and complete survey on needs for further training
tools (Ms Lowney, Exponent)
12:00 Adjourn
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III