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Agency Offers Thesaurus of Terms Used in Microbial Risk Assessments

October 15, 2007

Federal and international agencies, private-sector organizations and academic institutions use terms and definitions differently in their microbial risk assessments.

On Oct. 9, EPA announced the availability of a thesaurus with risk assessment terms found in frameworks, methodologies and assessments. It provides insight into how various entities use specific microbial risk assessment terms in their activities and helps those responsible for such assessments both conduct and communicate about them more effectively.

Officials stated that no inference should be drawn by the inclusion or exclusion in this document of any term or definition. The definitions and any associated commentary are not binding and have no legal effect as a result of their inclusion in the document; they do not constitute an EPA statute or regulation and do not substitute for such authorities.

The entire document can accessed at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/humanhealth/microbial/#thesaurus. Users also can open a section at a time.