Step 6: Complete your categorisation

What's my introduction's category?

Your introduction is 1 of the following.

Exempted

The indicative risk of your introduction to both human health and the environment is 'very low'.

Reported

The highest indicative risk of your introduction to human health or the environment is 'low'. This means either low risk to both human health and the environment, or, low risk for one and very low risk for the other.

Assessed

The highest indicative risk of your introduction to human health or the environment is 'medium to high'. This means either medium to high risk to both human health and environment, or, medium to high risk for one and low or very low risk for the other.

Example: David has worked through step 4.5 and found that his introduction's indicative human health risk is low. He then worked through step 5.5 and found that the indicative risk to the environment is medium to high. The highest indicative risk for David's introduction is medium to high, therefore his introduction is categorised as assessed.

We have summarised this in our image below.

1. First, find the column that corresponds with your introduction's indicative human health risk, which is either 'very low', 'low' or 'medium to high'.
2. Next, move down the rows until you find your introduction's indicative environment risk, which is either 'very low', 'low' or 'medium to high'.
3. Where these intersect, you have your introduction category

Categorisation matrix

All risk combinations and outcomes:

• Indicative human health risk very low, indicative environment risk very low = exempted introduction
• Indicative human health risk very low, indicative environment risk low = reported introduction
• Indicative human health risk very low, indicative environment risk medium to high = assessed introduction (you must apply for an assessment certificate  type 'environment focus')
• Indicative human health risk low, indicative environment risk very low = reported introduction
• Indicative human health risk low, indicative environment risk low = reported introduction
• Indicative human health risk low, indicative environment risk medium to high = assessed introduction (you must apply for an assessment certificate  type 'environment focus')
• Indicative human health risk medium to high, indicative environment risk very low = assessed introduction (you must apply for an assessment certificate  type 'health focus')
• Indicative human health risk medium to high, indicative environment risk low = assessed introduction (you must apply for an assessment certificate  type 'health focus')
• Indicative human health risk medium to high, indicative environment risk medium to high = assessed introduction (you must apply for an assessment certificate  type 'health and environment focus')

Next steps

If your introduction is categorised as exempted, you can introduce your chemical without telling us first, if you are already registered with us.

If your introduction is categorised as reported, you must be registered with us and submit a pre-introduction report before you can introduce the chemical.

If your introduction is categorised as assessed, you must be registered with us and apply for an assessment certificate before you can introduce the chemical.

See your reporting and record-keeping obligations for each introduction category