Screening Ranking the potency of the chemical. The toxicological potency of a chemical is a measure of a chemical's potential to harm human health and the environment. Health effects include the potential to cause cancer, genetic damage, reproductive damage, or harm to the nervous system.
Environmental effects incorporate potential for damage to plants, animals, and fish.
Ranking the exposure of the chemical. Regardless of how toxic a chemical is, it can not do harm unless it has contact with the environment or a human being. Then it is important to define the route of the exposure. Finally the exposed population must be defined, as the more people exposed the higher the likelihood that health problems will occur. Ranking the potential risk of the chemical.