EPA health risk assessments are conducted for both specific sites (such as Superfund sites) and specific chemicals. In site assessments, a four-part process is used to estimate the chance that contact with chemicals from that site will harm people now or in the future. The first step of the process is data collection and evaluation, including sampling. The next step is exposure assessment, followed by toxicity assessment and then risk characterization to reveal which chemicals are posing risks and what the health risks are. Chemical-specific assessments use a similar procedure to gauge the health risks posed by particular substances.
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