The european system of standardized legal tests for assessing the biodegradability of chemicals

A brief overview is given of the approach to biodegradation testing adopted by the European Economic Community (EEC) as part of the legislation on new chemicals. The tiered system of screening and simulation tests is outlined and the various tests are discussed briefly. It is concluded that the test strategy is logical and cost-effective, but that ongoing work to further harmonize and revise screening tests for ready biodegradability must be completed before these tests perform satisfactorily. The principles governing simulation tests should be further developed, and, in particular, the importance of the applied concentration of test chemical should be addressed.