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Considering evidence: The approach taken by the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee in the UK
- Source :
- Environment International, Vol 92, Iss, Pp 565-568 (2016)
- Publication Year :
- 2016
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2016.
-
Abstract
- The Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (HSAC) provides expert advice to UK officials, Ministers and other relevant bodies on the protection of the environment, and human health via the environment, from potentially hazardous substances and articles. Hazardous substances are often the subject of controversy, on which individuals, and different groups in society, hold divergent views. This paper details the approach taken by HSAC when considering the evidence to provide advice on hazardous substances. Firstly HSAC reviews the range of evidence and determines its quality considering: transparency of aims, the methodology and results, completeness, independent review and accessibility. HSAC does not follow one explicit methodology as the wide range of hazardous substances we consider means they need to be addressed on a case by case basis. Most notably HSAC considers the evidence in the wider context, being aware of factors that influence individuals in their decision making when receiving a HSAC opinion e.g. trust in the source of the evidence, defensibility, conformity to a ‘world view’ and framing. HSACs also reflect on its own perspectives with the aim of addressing bias by the diversity of its membership. The Committee's intention, in adopting this rounded approach, is to reach opinions that are robust, relevant and defensible. Keywords: Quality of evidence, Hazardous substances, Environmental protection
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Operations research
media_common.quotation_subject
Expert advice
Advisory committee
Advisory Committees
Decision Making
Environment
010501 environmental sciences
Risk Assessment
01 natural sciences
Conformity
Hazardous Substances
03 medical and health sciences
Human health
Hazardous waste
Humans
environmental protection
lcsh:Environmental sciences
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
General Environmental Science
media_common
quality of evidence
lcsh:GE1-350
business.industry
Public relations
United Kingdom
Quality of evidence
030104 developmental biology
Framing (social sciences)
business
Environmental Sciences
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 01604120
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Environment International
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....50890e9b3c92122bd8d89c4b93b4e243