On August 23, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Federal Register notice proposing to designate 20 chemical substances as high-priority substances for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 84 Fed. Reg. 44300. The notice includes a summary of the approach used by EPA to support the proposed designations, the proposed designation for each of the chemical substances, and instructions on how to access the chemical-specific information,...
August 23, 2019
PEER Petitions EPA for TSCA Rule Prohibiting Oil Refineries from Using Hydrofluoric Acid in Manufacturing Processes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted an August 7, 2019, petition for rulemaking submitted by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). PEER asks that oil refineries be prohibited from using hydrofluoric acid in their manufacturing processes and that oil refineries be required to phase out the use of hydrofluoric acid within two years. According to PEER, TSCA and the Clean Air...
On August 20, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register final significant new use rules (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 145 chemical substances that are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN). 84 Fed. Reg. 43266. According to EPA, the chemical substances are subject to orders issued by EPA pursuant to TSCA Section 5(e). The final SNURs require persons who intend to manufacture (defined by...
August 17, 2019
EPA Begins Public Comment Period for Manufacturer Requests for Risk Evaluations of DIDP and DINP
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 16, 2019, that it is opening a public comment period for manufacturer requests for the risk evaluations of diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP), two chemicals used in plastic production. EPA notes that the manufacturer-requested risk evaluations “are among the first such evaluations of this kind to be requested” under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is also taking public...
August 15, 2019
EPA Names Dr. Lynn Dekleva as Associate Deputy Assistant Administrator for New Chemicals
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Dr. Lynn Dekleva as Associate Deputy Assistant Administrator for New Chemicals. Dr. Dekleva joined EPA in October 2018 as a Science Advisor, working to streamline and improve EPA’s processes and timeliness concerning the review of new chemicals under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. Dr. Dekleva is an environmental engineer with degrees in environmental microbiology, medical technology, and biology....
Section 5(g) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish a statement of its findings after its review of TSCA Section 5(a) notices when EPA makes a finding that a new chemical substance or significant new use is not likely to present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. On August 12, 2019, EPA published a statement of its findings for June 2019. 84...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on August 9, 2019, the draft risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane (1-BP), the fourth of the first ten chemicals undergoing risk evaluation under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA made the following initial determinations on risk: EPA states that these initial determinations may change as its evaluation becomes more refined through the public and peer review process. The draft risk evaluation, including...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 1, 2019, that it is making additional information about new chemical notices available on its website. The new web page, “Statistics for the New Chemicals Review Program under TSCA,” allows users to view and search monthly updates for any active Premanufacture Notice (PMN), Significant New Use Notice (SNUN) and Microbial Commercial Activity Notice (MCAN) of interest by case number. Users can also download a...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Federal Register notice on May 15, 2019, announcing the availability of a signed action identifying chemical substances for inactive designation according to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Requirements rule. 84 Fed. Reg. 21772. The signed action, dated May 6, 2019, initiated a 90-day period after which substances identified as inactive will be designated as inactive. Inactive...
On July 29, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register its proposed rule intended to reduce exposures to certain chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT). 84 Fed. Reg. 36728. EPA identified five chemicals pursuant to Section 6(h) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE); phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)), also known as tris(4-isopropylphenyl) phosphate;...