Question: How does toxicology relate to our everyday life?

Lauren Laing answered on 9 Mar 2016:

Good question! Toxicology and the testing of chemicals is important to ensure things we need such as good air quality, clean water supplies, safe foods and medicines are maintained.

Toxicologists try to understand the adverse or bad effects of chemicals on living organisms. Hopefully this information will help decision makers in parliament to make new policies which will regulate chemicals. It is important that chemicals which can cause harm are regulated to manage how both humans and wildlife are exposed to them, but also that chemicals which are safe alternatives are made available for farmers and industries such as the pharmaceutical industry. This is because we cannot live without some chemicals, like important medicines, and fertilizers used to make sure we can produce enough food to eat!