Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (HSAC)

The HSAC provides expert, objective advice on the science behind hazardous chemicals.

The Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (HSAC) provides expert advice on how to protect the environment, and human health via the environment, from potentially hazardous substances and articles, including nanomaterials.

HSAC is the successor body to the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (ACHS). ACHS was abolished on 22 July 2012, with the coming into force of the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (Abolition) Order 2012 (Statutory Instrument No 2012/1923).

Terms of reference

Terms of reference (last updated November 2020)

PDF, 131 KB, 3 pages

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Membership

Members of the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee

MS Word Document, 61.3 KB

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Code of practice

Code of practice

PDF, 192 KB, 10 pages

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Meetings

An agenda and papers for the meeting will be published here a few days before each meeting.

Next meetings:

• 45th HSAC Meeting Thursday 20 March 2025 - 1:30pm to 5pm
• 46th HSAC Meeting Tuesday 3 June 2025 - 10am to 5pm

Minutes and papers

• HSAC 44th meeting: 3 December 2024 (ZIP, 252 KB)
• HSAC 43rd meeting 22 October 2024 (ZIP, 260 KB)
• HSAC 42nd meeting 5 July 2024 (ZIP, 539 KB)

For minutes of previous meetings including for ACHS and other documents, please see The National Archives webpages.

Publications

• Hazardous Substances Advisory Council Biannual Review (PDF, 190 KB, 10 pages)
• Recommendations for the adoption of new approach methodologies (NAMs) in UK chemicals regulation (PDF, 295 KB, 20 pages)
• HSAC recommendations for the prioritisation and early warning system 2021 (PDF, 263 KB, 15 pages)
• Twenty-fifth meeting: workshop agenda (10 February 2020) (PDF, 88 KB, 1 page)
• Review of oxo-degradable plastics (PDF, 304 KB, 20 pages)
• HSAC paper on definition of lifecycle/value chain in relation to nanomaterials and other manufactured substances (PDF, 246 KB, 5 pages)
• HSAC working paper: guidance - characterising pharmaceutical of concern in the environment (PDF, 633 KB, 8 pages)
• HSAC paper on key research questions in ecotoxicology (PDF, 315 KB, 4 pages)
• HSAC view on the risk to the marine environment of microplastic in leave-on cosmetic and domestic cleaning products (PDF, 189 KB, 10 pages)

For earlier publications, please see The National Archives webpages.

Contact details

chemicals@defra.gov.uk