New products must be tested for environmental, safety and health risks before launching them on the market. VITO has a wide range of tests to measure the effects of chemical substances with which humans come into contact. Substances may come into contact with our skin, for example via cosmetics or hygiene products, we may inhale substances or may ingest them via food. We come into contact with chemical products through various consumer goods. This is why one needs to ensure the safety of substances which are released into the environment. VITO characterises substances based on the impact they may have on biological end points which are important to health, such as cell division, integrity of genetic material, hormonal effects and immunity.
