CEA was established in 2001 as a research and consultancy group within ADAS, offering higher-tier risk assessment expertise to commercial and governmental organisations. Founding staff members were recruited from the agrochemical manufacturing industry and were supported by specialist ADAS staff.
CEA initially focused on the environmental fate of plant protection products and specialised in regulatory modelling and exposure assessments. With new additions and by expanding our original remit, we acquired more diverse clients and skills. By 2005, our staff of ten specialists ran two offices across the UK. This success enabled CEA to widen its high-quality environmental risk assessments and regulatory support to include veterinary medicines, human pharmaceuticals, biocidal products and general chemicals. We added expertise in geographic information systems (GIS)/spatial modelling, further enhancing our capabilities in landscape-based risk characterisation. A field fate team in Gleadthorpe (Nottinghamshire) engages in wide-ranging field-based investigations and monitoring studies.
CEA’s consultancy service facilitates companies seeking compliance under registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) regulations. We have concentrated on consolidating component expert groups (REACH support, ecotoxicology, regulatory risk assessment and modelling, field fate and stewardship) and have enhanced our ecotoxicology skill base (aquatic and terrestrial), including new mesocosm/microcosm facilities at our Cambridgeshire site.
CEA has also expanded into toxicology, set up a company in Ireland and grown its teams who are located around the UK (either office or home-based), with active recruitment in several areas ongoing.
In 2016, CEA (as part of ADAS) was purchased by RSK Group.
In 2021, CEA celebrated its 20th anniversary and expects to continue its growth and successful collaborations.
Our experts pride themselves on their ability to think through complex problems and formulate solutions. We have refined this process over more than 20 years for our diverse client base. Some clients approach us with a problem and have a clear idea of how they want to proceed. Others know they have a problem but have no idea how to resolve it. In both cases, we have the expertise and knowledge to move forward. We may apply one method to resolve an issue or combine approaches across different technical disciplines, involving generating new data and/or desk-based approaches.
Our specialists work together to develop multidisciplinary solutions across environmental fate and behaviour, field-fate studies and stewardship, exposure and spatial modelling, aquatic ecotoxicity testing (laboratory and mesocosm studies), ecotoxicology and risk assessment, toxicology and human health assessment and regulatory affairs. Together, we can help you find the right solution that addresses your problem, considering your timeline, budget, regulatory framework and chances of regulatory success. If you have a problem and are unsure about a resolution, contact us to discuss your options.