CARS Process

CARS Activities

CARS activities can be divided into three categories:

1. Core Project Activities: Plan, Inventory, Assess, Rank
2. Supplementary Activities: Set Goals, Improve, Report, Review
3. Additional Support Activities: MSDS Support, Set Specific Targets, Develop Tracking System, Research Alternatives, Purchasing Support, CARS Subscription Services

Core Project Activities

Meeting #	Roles	Task	Activities
Introductory Meeting	ZWA and Organization	Present	Present CARS overview
	Organization (ZWA support if desired)	Inventory	Develop a list of chemicals or products to be assessed Collect and compile Material Safety and Data Sheets for all relevant products (Each product may be made up of many ingredients or chemical components. CAS numbers for ingredients are listed on MSDSs.) Input product information data into input form for screening through CARS database
	ZWA	Assess	Screen the inventory through the database (Full screen plus rescreen if inventory or MSDSs change) to obtain output Prepare Interpretation Summary of chemicals of concern of the CARS output
Meeting 2	Organization and ZWA	Rank	Review and discuss CARS output and interpretation Use prioritization criteria worksheet to facilitate ranking Understand the organization's concerns and priorities regarding human / environmental health, etc. Collect additional inventory information such as amounts used, frequency of use, associated costs, method of disposal, etc. Perform preliminary ranking (based only on CARS output, interpretation, and organizational values) Perform final ranking (based on additional weighting factors) Prepare report to summarize project and document ranking results

Supplementary Activities

Meeting 3	Organization and ZWA	*Set Goals	Use ranking results in setting goals for establishing replacement or elimination projects where feasible
	Organization and ZWA	*Improve	Perform market research to identify potential alternatives Evaluate the potential alternatives via CARS database Implement change and monitor progress of replacement
	ZWA or Organization	*Report	Prepare final report summarizing process and results
Meeting 4	Organization and ZWA	*Review	Review report and discuss results Discuss feasibility of transferring results to other departments or companies if applicable

Additional Support Activities

		*MSDS Support	Interact with manufacturers to clarify MSDS data Obtain full disclosure of ingredients from manufacturers (under confidentiality agreement, if necessary)
		*Set Specific Targets	Assist with the identification of specific targets to support the achievement of the goals established above
		*Develop Tracking System	Establish a measuring system for tracking improvements (i.e., baseline indicators and measurements)
		*Research Alternatives	Assist with researching alternatives for specific products, as requested
		*Purchasing Support	Screen new products for health and ecological hazards prior to purchasing
		*CARS Subscription	CARS assessment and interpretation service Cost depends on number of chemicals and assessments

* ZWA can provide support with these activities if desired.
Download a PDF version of the CARS Project Work Flow

ZWA Support Services

ZWA offers three types of support:

• Full inventory, assessment and ranking: This option is recommended for first time users and includes lead project management and convening and facilitating meetings.
• Assessment and interpretation only (based on CAS numbers list): This option is designed for organizations that have prior experience with CARS or strong chemical capabilities.
• Optional support: ZWA offers assistance with goal setting, identification of alternate chemicals or products and a final report if requested.

These options are summarized in the following table.

Program	Inventory	Assess & Interpret	Rank	Summary Report	Set Goals	Improve	Report/Review
Full Ranking Support	X	X	X	X
Assess & Interpret Only		X
Optional Support					X	X	X

Input Form

Core data required to screen products is collected on the Input Form, as shown below. It includes the product name, ingredients (i.e., chemical components making up the product), associated Chemical Abstract Service number (CAS), and the percent composition, if available. Additional supplemental inventory information such as amount on-hand, frequency of use, cost of personal protective equipment, etc., may be collected at this time, but this information is not necessary to screen products in CARS.

Interpretation Summary

An Interpretation Summary highlights the output that results from the database screening process. The summary highlights the products that contain chemicals of concern and the categories in which they flagged as hazards. This interpretation concisely explains the results of the screening in a straightforward manner. Interpretation is necessary to check the database output for special situations where a flagged chemical may be unimportant or extremely important. For example, silica will flag as a carcinogen in the database output. This is important if the silica is in powder form and can be inhaled. When in paste form, however, silica is unimportant. The summary may also raise questions as to how chemicals are used, in what amounts, and how frequently. Additional inventory information may be needed to prepare for the prioritization that follows in the ranking process. Download an example of an Interpretation Summary

Prioritization Criteria Worksheet

The Prioritization Criteria Worksheet summarizes the results of the CARS database screen. Flags represent known hazards associated with each chemical component making up a product in the inventory. The Interpretation Summary is an important supporting document to the worksheet, as the flags have to be reviewed for accuracy. For example, silica as a product ingredient will flag as a carcinogen. However, this only applies to silica in powder form. If the product is a paste, then the silica does not represent the same hazards.

In the worksheet, the organization indicates their values and priorities by placing importance weights by hazard category. Supplemental inventory information may also be needed to determine additional weights that support the prioritization and ranking process. A final ranking aids the organization in their decision-making process as they set goals to improve their operations and chemical products management.