EPA Announces First Ten Chemicals for Risk Evaluations under TSCA

On Wednesday November 30, 2016, the EPA announced the first ten chemicals that will undergo risk evaluations under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act, which amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Within 6 months of the law’s passing date (June 22, 2016), the agency was required to choose ten workplan chemicals on which to begin risk evaluations. The chemicals chosen are the following:

• 1,4-dioxane;
• 1-bromopropane (1-BP);
• asbestos;
• carbon tetrachloride;
• cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster (HBCD);
• methylene chloride;
• n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP);
• pigment violet 29;
• tetrachloroethylene (perc); and
• trichloroethylene (TCE).

Within three years, the EPA must complete risk evaluations on all ten of these chemicals to determine if the chemicals present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. On December 7^th, EPA proposed a ban on certain uses of TCE for aerosol degreasing and for spot cleaning in dry cleaning facilities. Comments on the proposed rule must be received no later than 60 days after publication in the federal register. The agency must start risk evaluations on the other nine chemicals listed and within 6 months release a document detailing the scope of the evaluations for each chemical. These includes hazard exposure information, conditions of use, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations the Agency plans to consider for the evaluation. SGIA continues to monitor the implementation of this important piece of legislation. Sign up to receive the most up-to-date regulatory and legislative information about specialty imaging.