‘ regulations ’

Regulations are legally enforceable rules issued by a government authority—typically through executive or administrative agencies—to implement, interpret, or enforce statutes enacted by legislatures. They are a central instrument of governance, shaping the behavior of individuals, businesses, and institutions in areas such as health, safety, the environment, trade, and financial systems.

Unlike statutes, which are broad laws passed by legislative bodies, regulations provide the detailed requirements necessary to operationalize those laws. They often include specific limits, procedures, standards, reporting obligations, and enforcement mechanisms. In many jurisdictions, regulations must be published for public comment prior to enactment, as part of a rulemaking process designed to ensure transparency and accountability.

Context

For example, a legislature may pass a law requiring environmental protection, but it is the environmental regulatory agency that issues regulations specifying emission limits for industrial facilities or permissible levels of contaminants in drinking water.

At Risk Sciences International (RSI), regulations are frequently the operational context for risk assessments. RSI works with regulators and regulated entities to ensure that decisions are grounded in scientific evidence and that regulatory requirements appropriately reflect risk tolerability, uncertainty, and stakeholder concerns.