The use of Computational Methods for the Assessment of Chemicals in REACH

This article provides an overview of the use of computational methods in chemicals hazard and risk assessment under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation. The key aspects of the REACH guidance on the assessment of chemicals are discussed that treat the possible stepwise (tiered) approach combining multiple computational methods in assessing chemicals. Several publicly accessible software tools for the computer-based estimation of chemical hazard, developed by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), are described.