What does the hazard rating system developed by EWG measure?

• A. It reflects known and suspected hazards of ingredients, with scores ranging from 0 (low concern) to 10 (high concern).
• B. It estimates the economic cost of exposure to ingredients.
• C. It assesses only acute toxicity data in humans.
• D. It assigns hazard grades based on fragrance intensity alone.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the hazard rating measures the potential harm an ingredient could pose based on toxicology data. It pulls together known hazards and suspected hazards from publicly available sources—regulatory assessments, peer‑reviewed studies, and other scientific data across multiple endpoints (such as carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, skin irritation and sensitization, and organ toxicity). The score ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 indicating low concern and 10 indicating high concern. This reflects hazard potential, not how likely you are to be exposed or the economic or fragrance aspects of a product. Data gaps or suggestive evidence can lead to a higher rating even if the hazard isn’t conclusively proven, helping readers compare ingredients by potential harm rather than by scent or cost.