“When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In this context the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof. The process of applying the precautionary principle must be open, informed and democratic and must include potentially affected parties. It must also involve an examination of the full range of alternatives, including no action.”1

The Precautionary Principle has been a major tool for shaping environmental and public health policy in Europe (REACH, for example) and more recently in Canada. In the US, the Science and Health Foundation (SEH) has been its leading proponent. The SEH was founded in 1998, following the Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary Principle, where it was articulated by 32 scientists, policy makers and philosophers. In 2003, the City of San Francisco adopted it as the basis of all its environmental policies.

1 www.sehn.org/wing.html