As part of Environmental Protection Agency comprehensive approach to enhance the Agency’s existing chemicals management program the EPA identified a work plan of 83 chemicals for further assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in March 2012.
The EPA has identified seven of these chemicals for risk assessment in 2012.
On June 1, 2012, EPA identified 18 more of these chemicals for assessment in 2013 and 2014.
The EPA intends to use the TSCA Work Plan Chemicals (PDF) (11 pp, 454 kb) to help focus and direct the activities of the Existing Chemicals Program over the next several years.
The EPA identified these chemicals at this time for a variety of reasons; similar to those it used to identify the seven Work Plan chemicals to assess in 2012.
The 18 chemicals span the range of the Work Plan screening criteria, including some chemicals associated with specific hazards such as potential carcinogenicity or reproductive or developmental toxicity; chemicals presenting persistent, bio accumulative, and toxic potential; and chemicals found in bio monitoring or reported in consumer products.
Some of these chemicals, such as the five chlorinated hydrocarbons, the three flame retardants, and the four fragrance chemicals, may present an effective opportunity to assess groups of related chemicals together.
EPA conducted an online discussion forum and webinar in 2011 to gather stakeholder input on proposed criteria and data sources to be used for identifying chemicals for further assessment.
The process EPA adopted emphasized focusing on chemicals that meet one or more of the following factors:
Potentially of concern to children’s health (for example, because of reproductive or developmental effects)
Neurotoxic effects
Persistent, Bio accumulative, and Toxic (PBT)
Probable or known carcinogens
Used in children’s products
Detected in bio monitoring programs
To read more on the TSCA click here
To read more about the EPA work plan click here
To view what is happening in your neighborhood, click here.