Valeurs sanitaires de référence (VR) de l'Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES)

To characterize the association between exposure to a chemical and occurrence of an observed adverse effect, several types of reference values exist and are developed by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) according to a scientific approach involving a validation by groups of scientific experts. Some RV produced and/or evaluated by ANSES are used in risk assessment processes for the oral or the respiratory route, others are proposed by ANSES and then used by the authorities to set regulatory values (IAQG, OEL, etc.). Finally, in the context of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), Biocides and Plant protection products regulations, some reference values are proposed by ANSES then discussed and validated at the European level. All the reference values from ANSES expert assessment work are established on health criteria sometimes accompanied by recommendations concerning the methods of measurement and sampling strategy and include no criteria of management.