EPA Releasing Additional Data on the Ongoing Uses of Chrysotile Asbestos
On March 17, 2023, EPA released additional data for public comment related to the proposed risk management rule for chrysotile asbestos. The proposed rule, introduced in April 2022, aims to prohibit the ongoing use of the only known form of asbestos currently imported into the United States, chrysotile asbestos. The Agency claims that if implemented, […]
EPA Petition on Chemours PFAS
On October 14, 2020, EPA received a petition to require health and environmental testing under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) on certain PFAS manufactured by Chemours in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The petitioners consist of the Center for Environmental Health, the Cape Fear River Watch, Clean Cape Fear, Democracy Green, Toxic Free […]
EPA updates Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program plan.
Today, the EPA announced the update of its Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) Comprehensive Management Plan. The EDSP was established by EPA in 1998 under the authority of 1996 amendments to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and Safe Drinking Water Act with the mission to screen chemicals in pesticides, commercial chemicals, and environmental […]
U.S. retailer Target introduces sustainable product standard.
On October 7, 2013, Target announced a new Sustainable Product Standard that it will begin using this month to evaluate the sustainability and environmental impact of products sold in its stores. Target said that it will ask “vendors representing 7,500 products in household cleaners, personal care and beauty and baby care” to provide product ingredients […]
EPA Budget Would Increase Spending on Chemical Assessment and Control
EPA Budget/Chemical Control According to an EPA press release, today the Obama Administration proposed a FY 2013 budget of $8.344 billion for the agency. The budget is $105 million below the EPA’s enacted level for FY 2012, but it increases spending by $11 million, or approximately 16%, to “protect … Americans from harmful chemicals.” This increase for chemical […]
EPA Assistant Administrator Steve Owens Resigns
EPA Administration/Chemical Regulation: On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the resignation of Assistant Administrator Steve Owens. Readers will recall that President Obama appointed Mr. Owens the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), which is the office implementing the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal […]
EPA Issues Testing Rules and a Significant New Use Rule for HPV Chemicals
TSCA/HPV Chemical Testing: On October 21, 2011, utilizing its authority under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. §2601 et seq., EPA published two Federal Register notices announcing testing rules for certain high production volume (HPV) chemicals as well as significant new use rules (SNURs) for other HPV chemicals. HPV chemicals are those with a production/import volume […]
EPA to Identify Priority Chemicals for Review
Readers interested in EPA chemical risk management efforts may be interested in the Agency’s new initiative to identify priority chemicals for review and possible risk management action under TSCA. This initiative is part Agency efforts to enhance its chemical management program. The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics notes that strengthening EPA’s chemicals management and […]
EPA Awards Contracts to U.S. Companies to Screen Chemicals for Human Health Impacts
Chemical Screening: EPA continues in its laudable quest to screen thousands of chemicals. See press release below. +++++++++++ EPA Awards Contracts to U.S. Companies to Screen Chemicals for Human Health Impacts WASHINGTON— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ToxCast chemical screening program has awarded contracts to four United States-based companies to test up to 10,000 […]
EPA's Chemical Screening Gets a Big Boost – From a Robot!
Chemical Screening: On March 10, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officially launched a robust new tool for screening chemicals for health and environmental hazards. It’s a robot called the Tox21 Robotic Testing System, or “ToRTS” for readers preferring acronyms. Robots have been used previously for chemical testing, but ToRTs appears to be one of the […]