Risk assessment is a scientific process that predicts the risk to humans, animals or plants if they are exposed to a contaminant such as a chemical or other pollutant in the environment. Researchers study the toxicity of the contaminant and assess effects that may occur over long-term exposure to it.

A community-based risk assessment such as the Flin Flon study uses an “exposure pathways” approach, measuring levels of contaminants in local soil, water, air, dust and food to estimate daily lifetime exposures to the contaminants under study and the potential to affect local community health.

The U.S. EPA defines “risk assessment” as

“A qualitative or quantitative evaluation of the environmental and/or health risk resulting from exposure to a chemical or physical agent (pollutant); combines exposure assessment results with toxicity assessment results to estimate risk.”