ToxServices LLC.
ToxServices LLC is the leading global provider of science-based consulting services designed to protect and improve upon the health of humans and the environment. ToxServices is a Scientific Consulting Firm Providing Expert, Professional Services to Industrial, Commercial, and Public Sector Clients
Company details
Find locations served, office locations
- Business Type:
- Consulting firm
- Industry Type:
- Health and Safety
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
- Year Founded:
- 2001
About Us
ToxServices is a Scientific Consulting Firm Providing Expert, Professional Services to Industrial, Commercial, and Public Sector Clients
The scientists at ToxServices offer more than a decade of expertise in toxicology, risk assessment, comparative hazard assessment, and the application of science to promote human health and environmental sustainability.
ToxServices provides services as an approved third party profiler for the USEPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Formulator Program, Green Blue's CleanGredients database, and Clean Production Action's GreenScreen.
History
ToxServices LLC is a woman owned and operated small business focused on toxicological and risk assessment consultancy. The company was founded in 2003 by Dr. Margaret H. Whittaker, who now operates as ToxServices' Managing Director and Chief Toxicologist. Since its inception, the Washington, D.C.-headquartered company has grown in size and expertise, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Ann Arbor, Michigan and professionals located across North America and the United Kingdom.
Clients located across the U.S., Europe, India, and Asia.
Mission Statement
To benefit our clients by resolving complex human health and environmental issues through the application of sound science, risk assessment and the principles of environmental sustainability and to continue to evolve and expand services as environmental and human health needs require.
Experience
The scientists at ToxServices hold PhD, MPH and MS degrees in toxicology, environmental science, public health, biotechnology, and environmental chemistry.
ToxServices' senior employees alone have over 100 years of experience between them in toxicological risk assessment.
The professionals at ToxServices' serve on national standards committees, including those related to NSF International Drinking Water Standards, and ASTM Sustainability Standards. Dr. Margaret Whittaker also currently serves on the NRC Water Reuse Committee.
Staff have multiple publications concerning toxicological reviews, carbon footprinting, green products, REACH, derivation of drinking water action levels, human health risk assessments, advances in chemical mixtures risk assessment and technology, water sanitation and Threshold of Toxicological Concern.
Corporate Social Responsibility
ToxServices is continuously looking for new ways to become more sustainable economically, socially and environmentally while also promoting and growing our current business investments, activities and logistics.
In support of this policy, our aims are to:
- Integrate environmental considerations into our activities, operations and decision-making processes.
- Use materials, where possible, from sustainable sources through suppliers conforming to ISO:14001 or similar programs.
- Minimize the use of resources (materials and energy) and ensure waste is reduced, reused, or recycled, if possible, and disposed of appropriately if not.
- Ensure all employees and contractors are aware of this policy and supply training so our employees can take personal responsibility for the impact their actions may have on the environment.
- Meet, or exceed where possible, the requirements of relevant regulations ensuring our practice and the advice offered to our clients is in accordance with the latest and most up-to-date information.
ToxServices Staff
Dr. Margaret H. Whittaker has over twenty years of experience in both the performance and management of toxicology and human health hazard and risk assessment-related projects. She is currently the Managing Director and Chief Toxicologist of ToxServices LLC, where she serves as the project manager and technical lead of ToxServices projects for the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment (DfE) Program, Clean Production Action's GreenScreen®, international certification organizations, testing laboratories, and consumer products companies that manufacture and test products such as food additives, food contact materials, cleaning chemicals, fragrance agents, electronics, cosmetics, dietary supplements, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and drinking water additives. As project manager and technical lead for contracts with these organizations, Dr. Whittaker has contributed to and/or managed the development of hundreds of human health risk assessments, chemical hazard assessments, exposure assessments, as well as hundreds of product-specific toxicology evaluations.
Dr. Whittaker is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology who earned a Ph.D. in Toxicology from The University of Maryland, Baltimore and an M.P.H. in Environmental Health from The University of Michigan. Dr. Whittaker is a U.K./Eurotox Registered Toxicologist, as well as a Chartered Biologist and Fellow of the U.K. Society of Biology. Dr. Whittaker has built her career on a foundation grounded in leadership and adherence to details and timelines. One of her first career awards (1992) was a United States Coast Guard Commandant's Award for Outstanding Civilian Service, where her 'alacrity and tenacity' displayed while working on projects associated with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 were officially recognized.
In addition to her extensive program management experience, Dr. Whittaker has extensive technical experience in hazard identification and non-cancer and cancer dose-response assessment, including quantitative risk assessment (e.g., benchmark dose modeling for both carcinogens and non-carcinogens). She specializes in conducting chemical hazard assessments and chemical alternatives assessments. Prior to creating ToxServices in 2003, she worked at two of the country's leading toxicology and risk assessment consulting firms (The ENVIRON Corporation and The Weinberg Group).
Megan Boylan, M.S. (Toxicologist)Ms. Megan B. Boylan is an Toxicologist who earned her M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Previous to working for ToxServices LLC, Ms. Boylan worked for The Geneva Foundation as a Laboratory Technician at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense. Since joining ToxServices, Ms. Boylan has developed human health risk assessments for chemicals being added directly and indirectly to drinking water. Ms. Boylan reviews and evaluates the formulations of drinking water system components, drinking water treatment units, drinking water treatment chemicals, personal care products, medical devices, and food equipment, and then determines compliance of these products with appropriate health-based standards. Ms. Boylan is an experienced auditor, and provides GMP and GLP auditing services to pharmaceutical, food additive, dietary supplement, and consumer product formulators. Ms. Boylan works on product evaluations for the U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program. Ms. Boylan has extensive laboratory experience in both in vivo and in vitro investigational techniques in the areas of inhalation toxicology and genotoxicity.
Emily Golden, M.F.S. (Toxicologist)Ms. Emily A. Golden is a Toxicologist who earned her M.F.S. in Forensic Toxicology from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Prior to working at ToxServices, she was employed by J.B. Laboratories in Holland, Michigan as a raw material chemist. Since joining ToxServices, her consultation experience involves the risk assessment of chemicals in products aimed at being designed for the environment, drinking water contaminants, dietary supplements, and cosmetic ingredients. Specifically, Ms. Golden has evaluated several chemical formulations for submission to the U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Products Labeling Program and performed chemical screens using Clean Production Action's GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals. In addition, she has been an instructor at several GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals' training courses. She has also assisted in the preparation of several Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value (PPRTV) documents for the U.S. EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment, as well as Health Effects Support Documents and Health Advisories for the U.S. EPA's Office of Water.
Jennifer G. Fleischer, M.H.S., Ph.D. (Senior Toxicologist)Dr. Jennifer G. Fleischer is a Senior Toxicologist and Risk Assessor who earned her Ph.D. in Toxicology and M.H.S. in Environmental Health Sciences from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Fleischer prepares quantitative human health risk assessments, product and ingredient safety assessments, and regulatory compliance evaluations for a diverse range of substances within a variety of national and international regulatory contexts, including food allergens, food additives, food contact materials, medical devices, consumer/household products, personal care products/cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and dietary supplements, among others. Recent work has focused on quantitative exposure assessments, particularly for Proposition 65-listed substances, nanomaterials, and impurities, often in response to actual or potential litigation. Dr. Fleischer advises clients on key technical issues, such as clinical and nonclinical testing strategies, study design, and monitoring; the scientific merit of test data provided by claimants; regulatory compliance requirements for U.S., EU, and other markets; and interpretation of test data and literature. She provides critical scientific support to inform her clients' risk management decisions (e.g., product recalls, product liability claims) in a transparent and scientifically-sound manner. Dr. Fleischer additionally prepares Safety Data Sheets (SDS), alternatives assessments, and comparative hazard assessments; compiles and reviews toxicological evaluations of chemicals considered for regulation under EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act; and performs hazard assessments and modeling of chemicals under EPA's ECOSAR, EPI Suite, and Benchmark Dose Software and OECD Toolbox software. Prior to joining ToxServices, Dr. Fleischer served as a consulting toxicologist for a private firm and as a project manager and toxicologist in in vivo and in vitro contract toxicology/pharmacology laboratories.
Zach Guerrette, Ph.D. (Toxicologist)Dr. Zach Guerrette is a Toxicologist with a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from the University of Washington and B.S.'s in Biochemistry and Zoology/Ecology, also from the University of Washington. Prior to earning his graduate degree, Dr. Guerrette worked at RIDOLFI, Inc., first as an intern and then as an environmental scientist, where he reviewed and evaluated documents pertaining to the release and toxicity of contaminants present on a Superfund hazardous waste site and contributed to the writing of a pre-assessment screen as part of a natural resource damage assessment (NRDA). While attending graduate school, Dr. Guerrette assessed the relationship between levels of pesticide exposure and biological impacts on apple orchard farm-workers and identified genetic markers of susceptibility for these effects. During his time at ToxServices, his consultation experience involves assessing the state of knowledge for the toxicity of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and cleaning products under the U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program and Clean Production Action's GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals, deriving no significant risk levels and performing quantitative exposure assessments for product compliance under the State of California's Proposition 65, and making recommendations as to the recommended occupational or environmental exposure levels for chemicals.
Bingxuan Wang, Ph.D. (Toxicologist)Dr. Bingxuan Wang is a Toxicologist who obtained her Ph.D. in Human Toxicology from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. She has extensive laboratory experience investigating the toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a class of persistent organic pollutants in the environment, as well as studying the mechanisms of water eutrophication. Since joining ToxServices, Dr. Wang has performed cancer and non-cancer risk assessments for chemicals to evaluate the human health and ecotoxicological safety of consumer products, industrial chemicals, dietary supplements and food additives for private sector clients. In addition, Dr. Wang has evaluated several chemical formulations for submission to the U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Products Labeling Program and performed chemical screens using Clean Production Action's GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals and has been a GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals training course instructor.
Jennifer Rutkiewicz, Ph.D. (Toxicologist)Dr. Jennifer Rutkiewicz earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan, where she studied the neurological impacts of mercury in birds, and her M.S. in Biological Sciences from Wright State University, where she studied the immunological impacts of organochlorine contaminants in birds. Prior to working at ToxServices, Dr. Rutkiewicz completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan and was involved in assessments of mercury exposure and impacts in wild caught Arctic marine mammals, evaluation of effects of flame retardants in captive birds, and development of high throughput neurochemical assays for toxicological screening studies. Since joining ToxServices, she has performed toxicological assessments of cosmetic and personal care products and human health risk assessments of chemicals extracting from medical devices and drinking water system components. Dr. Rutkiewicz has also evaluated product submissions and renewals for submission to U.S EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program and performed chemical hazard assessments under the DfE Safer Product Labeling Program, GreenBlue®'s CleanGredients®, Clean Production Action's GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals, and the Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Products Program.
Mouna Zachary, Ph.D. (Toxicologist)Dr. Mouna Zachary is a chemist who earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of York/ UK. Prior to working at ToxServices, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Hull, where she was involved in conducting PBT, endocrine disruptor, and mutagenicity screenings for chemicals of interest using Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) software. Dr. Zachary has expertise in both European and North American regulations pertaining to chemicals, and has conducted numerous workshops pertaining to REACH compliance and appropriate use of QSAR software. She also has experience in classification and labelling of chemicals according to CLP/GHS and REACH. Since joining ToxServices, she has prepared several Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value documents for the U.S. EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment, prepared safety data sheets in accordance with CLP/GHS and OSHA, and screened chemicals using Clean Production Action's GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals.
Sara Ciotti, Ph.D. (Toxicologist)Dr. Sara Ciotti is a Toxicologist who earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. During her Ph.D. she studied the effects of chronic exposure to low levels of methylmercury on neuronal calcium regulation and mitochondrial function in mice. Since joining ToxServices, she has performed toxicological assessments of cosmetic and personal care products for private sector clients.
Edward Pavia, M.S. (Environmental Engineer)Mr. Edward Pavia is an Environmental Engineer who earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Physics from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington and his Masters of Science degree in Appropriate Technology from Appalachian State University. Mr. Pavia served as Legislative Assistant and Science Advisor to Congressman Heath Shuler in 2012 where he worked to draft legislation focused on the issues of Technology, Energy and the Environment. Since joining ToxServices, Mr. Pavia has specialized in assessment programs such as the Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Products Program and Health Product Declarations™
Erica Harriman, B.S. (Certification and Recognition Coordinator)Ms. Erica Harriman is the Certification and Recognition Coordinator who earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Integrated Science and Technology with an Environmental concentration from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Since joining ToxServices, Ms. Harriman has served as a point of contact for clients seeking product recognition through the U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program and GreenBlue®'s CleanGredients®. Ms. Harriman manages DfE projects, creating a timeline for assessment, and keeps clients informed about the status of ToxServices' review.
Nikki Maple-Reynolds, M.S. (Toxicologist)Ms. Nikki Maple-Reynolds has more than 10 years of experience working as a toxicologist and environmental health scientist. She holds an M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Texas at El Paso with a concentration in Environmental Toxicology and a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry, from Converse College. Ms. Maples-Reynolds previously worked at ICF International for 10 years where she specialized in reviewing and analyzing public health studies, conducting toxicological risk assessments, and assessing environmental risks. Ms. Maples-Reynolds has extensive experience supporting many notable federal contracts, including those with NCEA, Office of Pesticide Program's Antimicrobials Division, and Office of Water. Ms. Maples-Reynolds has expertise in quantitative risk assessment, risk ranking, scientific writing, literature research and review, data gap analysis and toxicology project planning/management.
Toxicology and Chemical Risk Assessments Services