On July 3, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published the Trump Administration’s 2026 Unified Agenda. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Unified Agenda includes the following rulemakings under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster (HBCD); Regulation under TSCA: According to EPA, this rulemaking will address the unreasonable risk of injury to health presented by HBCD. EPA states that TSCA Section 6(a) requires that EPA, when it...
Archives
June 17, 2026
EPA Draft Risk Evaluation for TBBPA Identifies Unreasonable Risk to Workers and to the Environment
On June 12, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft risk evaluation for 4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis[2, 6-dibromophenol] (TBBPA) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA states in its press release that “[u]sing gold standard science -- including real-world monitoring data and modeling -- the draft identifies unreasonable risk to workers from inhalation exposure (three conditions of use [COU]) and unreasonable risk to the environment from releases to...
April 21, 2026
EPA Releases Draft Risk Evaluations, Draft Hazard Assessments, and Supporting Documents for Four Chemicals
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 10, 2026, that it is advancing its review of four chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) -- 1,3,4,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta [g]-2-benzopyran (HHCB), phthalic anhydride, o-dichlorobenzene (oDCB), and p-dichlorobenzene (pDCB) -- by releasing draft documents related to the review of these chemicals and convening a Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) peer review meeting. According to...
January 15, 2026
EPA Completes Risk Evaluation for Five Phthalates, Intends to Regulate “Dozens” of COUs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 6, 2026, the availability of the final risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP). 91 Fed. Reg. 373. EPA states that it “used the best available science to prepare these final risk evaluations, and determined, based on the weight of scientific evidence,...
January 7, 2026
EPA Publishes Final Risk Evaluation for 1,3-Butadiene, Intends to Regulate 11 COUs to Protect Workers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 5, 2026, the availability of the final risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,3-butadiene. 91 Fed. Reg. 264. EPA states in its December 31, 2025, press release that it found “potential unreasonable health risks for workers who breathe in this chemical at their jobs in 11 specific industrial settings.” As required by TSCA, EPA will now develop a risk management rule to protect workers from the...
December 8, 2025
EPA Begins Public Comment Period on Updated Draft Risk Calculation Memorandum for Formaldehyde
On December 3, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and solicited public comment on an Updated Draft Risk Calculation Memorandum (Draft Memorandum) to inform a revised draft risk evaluation for formaldehyde under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 90 Fed. Reg. 55726. EPA states that after further consideration of comments raised during the scientific peer review process, it is reconsidering the use of certain hazard values in the formaldehyde...
November 20, 2025
EPA Preliminarily Determines that 1,2-Dichloroethane Poses Unreasonable Risk to Human Health and the Environment
On November 19, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and requested comment on a draft risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,2-dichloroethane (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number® (CAS RN®) 107-06-2, also known as ethylene dichloride or EDC). 90 Fed. Reg. 52054. EPA notes that the purpose of risk evaluations under TSCA is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health...
November 13, 2025
EPA Reschedules November 18, 2025, SACC Preparatory Meeting for D4 Risk Evaluation and Extends Comment Period
On November 10, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is rescheduling the November 18, 2025, preparatory meeting for the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). The meeting to consider the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions for SACC’s peer review of EPA’s draft risk evaluation for octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) will now be held virtually on December 1, 2025. Registration for the meeting is open. To present oral comments during the...
As the federal government endures another prolonged shutdown, uncertainty is rippling through every agency, with the impact clearly visible at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With only a fraction of staff on duty and most routine operations halted, the chemical and pesticide regulatory landscape faces a new round of challenges in both the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) and the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP). EPA’s September 29, 2025, contingency plan...
October 14, 2025
Lynn L. Bergeson, “Defining Risk: EPA Seeks Major TSCA Chemical Evaluation Reforms,” Chemical Processing, October 13, 2025.
On Sept. 23, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed highly anticipated amendments to the procedural framework rule for conducting existing chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). When conducting a TSCA existing chemical risk evaluation, EPA must determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without considering costs or non-risk factors under the conditions of use (COU). As...