[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 6775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1803]



[[Page 6775]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8029-5]


Guidance on Selecting Age Groups for Monitoring and Assessing 
Childhood Exposures to Environmental Contaminants

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Risk 
Assessment Forum (RAF) announces the availability of a final report, 
``Guidance on Selecting Age Groups for Monitoring and Assessing 
Childhood Exposures to Environmental Contaminants'' (EPA/630/P-03/003F, 
November 2005). The purpose of this document is to complement existing 
EPA guidance and experience to assist Agency risk assessors in 
improving the accuracy and consistency of children's exposure 
assessments. The document describes a set of age groupings that can be 
used and, when necessary, adapted for purposes of designing monitoring 
studies and conducting risk assessments focused on children.

ADDRESSES: The document is available electronically through the Risk 
Assessment Forum's Web site (http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/raf/recordisplay.cfm?deid=55887). A limited number of paper copies will be 
available from EPA's National Service Center for Environmental 
Publications (NSCEP), P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH 45242; telephone 
1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-8190; facsimile: 513-489-8695. Please provide 
your name and mailing address and the title and EPA number of the 
requested publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Bangs, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Risk 
Assessment Forum Staff, telephone 202-564-6667; facsimile 202-565-0062; 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides a set of early-life 
age groups for EPA scientists to consider when assessing children's 
exposure to environmental contaminants and the resultant potential 
dose. These recommended age groups are based on current understanding 
of differences in behavior and physiology which may impact exposures in 
children. A consistent set of early-life age groups, supported by an 
underlying scientific rationale, is expected to improve Agency exposure 
and risk assessments for children by increasing the consistency and 
comparability of risk assessments across the Agency; by improving 
accuracy and transparency in assessments for those cases where current 
practice might too broadly combine behaviorally and physiologically 
disparate age groups; and by fostering a consistent approach to future 
exposure surveys and data gathering efforts to generate improved 
exposure factors for children.
    An external review draft of the document was made available for 
public comment in September 2003, and a meeting, to which the public 
was invited as observers, was held in January 2004 to provide 
independent expert peer review on the draft document. The document was 
revised based on input received during the peer review process, and 
from public review and comment. See Federal Docket Management System 
docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2004-0001 on the Internet at 
www.regulations.gov.

    Dated: January 30, 2006.
Peter W. Preuss,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E6-1803 Filed 2-8-06; 8:45 am]
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