Researchers, policymakers, regulators, public health experts and industry partners gathered in Bath on 21-22 September, for this year's European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) UK Science Day, hosted at the historic Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI).
PARC is one of Europe's largest research and innovation initiatives in chemical safety. Established under Horizon Europe, the seven-year partnership brings together around 200 organisations from across Europe, including regulatory agencies, research institutions, universities and public health bodies, with the aim of developing the next generation of chemical risk assessment to better protect both human health and the environment.
The UK PARC community is making significant contributions across a range of themes, including exposure science, environmental monitoring, human biomonitoring, chemical risk assessment, policy translation, and the development of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). Discussions throughout the day highlighted advances in science-to-policy translation and the growing role of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex environmental and public health challenges.
A particular area of growing interest is the application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a complementary tool for chemical exposure assessment and environmental health surveillance. By providing near real-time insights into population-level exposure to chemicals and other environmental stressors, WBE offers new opportunities to strengthen exposure monitoring, support public health interventions, identify emerging risks, and contribute to next-generation risk assessment frameworks. Its integration with environmental monitoring, human biomonitoring, and regulatory science represents an exciting opportunity for the future of chemical safety assessment.
Commenting on the event, Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Director of the Centre of Excellence in Water-Based Early Warning Systems for Health Protection at the University of Bath and co-lead of a PARC project exploring wastewater-based epidemiology as a complementary tool for chemical exposure assessment and environmental health surveillance, said: "The success of PARC lies not only in the excellence of the science, but also in its ability to bring together diverse expertise to tackle complex challenges. Through strong partnerships across Europe, PARC is generating the knowledge and evidence needed to inform regulation, advance sustainable chemicals management, and strengthen the protection of both people and the environment. Events such as UK Science Day are invaluable in fostering collaboration and ensuring that research is translated into real-world impact."
She added: "I am particularly pleased to see the growing recognition of wastewater-based epidemiology within PARC as a powerful complement to traditional exposure assessment approaches. By providing population-scale, near real-time data on chemical exposures and health determinants, WBE has the potential to strengthen environmental health surveillance, support regulatory decision-making, and contribute to a more proactive and preventive approach to protecting both public and environmental health."
The discussions in Bath showcased not only the progress achieved to date but also the ambition of the partnership to continue delivering innovative science that supports safer chemicals management, healthier populations, and a more sustainable future across Europe.