The NORMAN network Special view on biocides as emerging substances

Abstract : In the field of emerging environmental contaminants, the NORMAN network (www.normannetwork.net) has been active since 2005 as an independent forum of more than 60 leading organisations, facilitating the exchange of information, debate and research collaboration both at the global level and with the European Commission's in-house science services. NORMAN promotes the use of innovative monitoring and assessment tools for identifying the substances of emerging concern most in need of future regulation. The network maintains various databases (e.g. EMPODAT) and has developed a prioritisation scheme specifically designed to deal with “problematic” substances for which knowledge gaps are identified. These tools have been significantly improved in recent years (expansion of EMPODAT database from 1 million to more than 6 million records; a new “ecotox“ module to allow systematic collection of ecotoxicity test data from online databases worldwide, plus existing regulatory EQS/PNEC values).