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November 25, 2024

Senator Markey Reintroduces Legislation to Amend the Toxic Substances Control Act and Provide Grants to Remediate Toxics in Schools

On November 20, 2024, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) introduced the Get Toxic Substances Out of Schools Act of 2024. This is the third consecutive Congress in which Senator Markey has introduced similar legislation. The 118th Congress version, S. 5363 and H.R. 10173, builds on earlier versions by authorizing new grants to address indoor air quality in schools and childcare centers. Congress is unlikely to act on this legislation in the...
April 8, 2024

EPA Denies Petition to Eliminate Current Allowances for PCBs in Consumer Products

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to publish a notice on April 9, 2024, announcing its denial of the Washington Department of Ecology’s (WDOE) petition under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking a rulemaking to eliminate the current allowances for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in consumer products. EPA states that it “shares the petitioner’s concerns regarding risks to human health and the environment posed by PCBs, and the Agency...
January 16, 2024

WDOE Petitions EPA to Eliminate Current Allowances for PCBs in Consumer Products

On January 4, 2024, the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) submitted a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking a rulemaking to eliminate the current allowances for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in consumer products. WDOE states that its research found that when PCBs are found in consumer products, “they are byproducts known to be associated with pigments, paints, or inks used in the manufacturing...