SETAC 2026
Join our chemical and environmental toxicity experts at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 36th Annual Meeting.
SETAC is dedicated to advancing environmental science and science-informed decision-making through collaboration, communication, education and leadership. We fulfil that purpose through events, publications, awards and education programs.
Participating in the below sessions
4.04 - Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment of UVCBs and Complex Mixtures: From Scientific Challenges to Regulatory Solutions
This session aims to bring together researchers, regulators, and industry experts to discuss strategies and innovations for assessing the environmental fate, hazard, and risk of UVCBs and other complex mixtures.
Contributions are invited that address:
- Advances in analytical characterization and grouping approaches (e.g., read-across, NAMs, whole-substance testing);
- Novel experimental designs and adapted protocols for UVCBs and difficult-to-test substances;
- Challenges in test preparation, exposure control, and analytical monitoring, including strategies to capture key constituents;
- Use and validation of alternative and non-animal methods (in vitro, in silico, omics-based tools) aligned with 3Rs principles;
- Approaches to address environmental fate, bioavailability, persistence, and other challenging endpoints (e.g., PBT, PMT, vPvB, vPvM);
- Testing and assessment strategies comparing whole-substance vs. constituent-based evaluations;
- Case studies illustrating regulatory applications under REACH, Biocidal Product Regulation, and other frameworks.
4.13 - Next Generation Environmental Risk Assessment: Incorporating NAMs, AI, and Big Data for Real World Decisions
This session will focus on this challenging interface of technology and regulation by highlighting the practical application of these technologies in the context of environmental risk assessment. While challenging, the successful implementation of NGeRA promises to deliver more predictive, transparent, and context-relevant environmental safety assessments across legacy and emerging chemical stressors around the globe.
Contributions related to this topic that go beyond pure method development and technology demonstrations and explore potential ways in which such tools can be leveraged in environmental risk assessment are welcomed. Examples include:
- hazard- and exposure-focused data resources;
- AI/ML models for hazard, exposure, and cross-species extrapolation;
- read-across and prioritization;
- high-throughput, in vitro, and omics-enabled NAMs aligned with AOP frameworks;
- real-world exposure modelling, mixture assessment, and probabilistic and systems-based approaches;
- a more open approach to evidence acquisition with the Targeted Risk Assessment of Environmental Chemicals (TRAEC) strategy;
- spatially explicit and landscape-level integration linking exposure, context, and population effects;
- case studies demonstrating regulatory applications, including submissions, waivers, or justifications of alternatives;
- perspectives on validation, standardization, and regulatory acceptance of new methodologies.
4.01 - Advancing the Environmental Risk Assessment and Management of Cosmetics, Sunscreens and Personal Care Products
The session will then explore the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), QSARs and novel ecotoxicity test endpoints for assessing environmental hazards and discuss how these approaches can be integrated into Next Generation Risk Assessment frameworks.
Submissions that address the critical issues of data quality, model transparency, and the utility of non-standard results in risk prediction are encouraged. The session will highlight forward-looking solutions and management strategies, including the development of prioritization frameworks, sustainable-by-design products, and source remediation efforts, ultimately aiming to transform how we assess and mitigate the environmental impact of these high-use chemicals.
3.33 - Bridging Science, Regulation, and Remediation on PFAS: Addressing Unknowns and Emerging Challenges
This session invites international experts from academia, industry, government, and civil society to share cutting-edge research and practical insights on PFASs, especially in areas historically overlooked or understudied. Contributions welcomed on:
- Emerging and overlooked PFASs, including analytical techniques, physicochemical and hazardous properties (e.g., persistence, bioaccumulation, (eco)toxicity, long-range transport), occurrence, exposure pathways, and risk assessment and management—from upstream regulation to downstream remediation.
- Challenges and solutions in environmental monitoring and analysis, particularly in response to tightening regulatory standards.
- Safe and sustainable PFAS alternatives, focusing on difficult use cases, non-chemical solutions, and innovative approaches across sectors.
- Novel remediation strategies for PFAS-contaminated media (e.g., freshwater, soil, wastewater).
- Case studies showing how science has informed regulation, including REACH, the Drinking Water Directive, the U.S. EPA’s PFAS Roadmap, Canada’s class-based approach, Australia’s NEMP, and emerging policies across Asia and Latin America.
The presenters
