Construction of emerging contaminants risk governance system

Emerging contaminants pose considerable risks to the ecological environment, human health, and social safety. The establishment of an emerging contaminants risk governance system constitutes a crucial component of the national ecological security strategy and the ecological civilization framework in the new era. When examined through the lens of the holistic view of national ecological security and guided by the ecological civilization philosophy of the new era, China’s current efforts in managing emerging contaminants reveal several shortcomings—including a fragmented and incomplete risk management system, as well as preliminary stages in chemical environmental management policies and related technologies. Therefore, grounded in national conditions and drawing appropriately on the chemical substance control policies, environmental risk screening, and assessment technologies from the United States and the European Union, it is essential to construct a “four-in-one” integrated governance system for emerging contaminants, encompassing data and information, risk screening, risk assessment, and risk regulation. This will effectively advance the categorization, scientific rigor, and forward-looking capacity of emerging contaminant risk governance.