In a news release published on January 13, 2017 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informs about three proposed rules for prioritizing and evaluating chemicals under the country’s new chemicals law, the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act (LCSA). In June 2016, LCSA was enacted to amend the U.S.’ primary chemicals regulation, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (FPF reported). The inventory rule “will require manufacturers, including importers, to notify EPA and the public on the number of chemicals still being produced.” Currently, there are more than 85,000 chemicals in EPA’s inventory, many of which “are no longer actively produced,” the agency explains. The prioritization rule defines “a risk-based screening process and criteria to identify whether a particular chemical is either high or low priority.” High-priority chemicals must undergo evaluation; low-priority chemicals are not required to undergo evaluation. The risk evaluation rule describes “steps for the risk evaluation process, including publishing the scope of the assessment” and “outlines how the agency intends to seek public comment on chemical evaluations.” The EPA notes that comments on the proposed rules can be submitted within 60 days after the publication in the Federal Register.
The industry group American Chemistry Council (ACC) welcomes EPA’s inventory rule and states that the prioritization and risk evaluation rules “must ensure objective and transparent implementation of the statute using the best available and highest quality science to draw conclusions about a chemical’s safety.”
Read more
EPA (January 13, 2017). “For the first time in 40 years EPA to put in place a process to evaluate chemicals that may pose risk.”
ACC (January 13, 2017). “ACC comments on EPA proposed rule for inventory reset under Lautenberg Act.”
ACC (January 13, 2017). “ACC comments on EPA proposed rules for prioritization and risk evaluation under Lautenberg Act.”
Britt Erickson (January 17, 2017). “Chemical regulation: EPA cranks out toxics rules during Obama’s last days in office.” Chemical & Engineering News
Reference
Federal Register (January 13, 2017). “TSCA inventory notification (active-inactive) requirements.”
