This paper presents a summary of biological and ecological responses to metals, and discuss the role of descriptive and predictive methods used to characterize effects of metals in risk assessment. We also examine differences in the mandates and scopes of various regulatory programs that pertain to metals in the environment and suggest language for the Framework document that will rely in part on this and other companion papers.

• Issue Paper on the Ecological Effects of Metals (PDF)(74 pp, 937 K, August 19, 2004 )