All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) announced on April 11, 2024, that a coalition of public health groups filed a petition under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking to stop immediately the manufacture and distribution of “hundreds of millions of plastic containers with dangerous levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that leach from these containers into household products and the environment.” The petition “demands that the...

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...

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...

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) announced on November 14, 2023, that it will partner with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on a research project “to assess and refine methods of evaluating potential alternatives to [N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD)] for use in tires.” As reported in our November 3, 2023, blog item, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted a petition filed under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)...

On November 2, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it granted a petition filed under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address the use of the chemical N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) in tires. As reported in our August 9, 2023, blog item, on August 1, 2023, Earthjustice filed a citizen petition asking EPA to establish regulations prohibiting the manufacturing, processing, use, and distribution of 6PPD for and in...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 27, 2023, that it denied a January 26, 2023, petition from Blueland, Plastic Pollution Coalition, and partners, including Beyond Plastics, Plastic Oceans International, The Shaw Institute, Lonely Whale, 5 Gyres, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Oceanic Global Foundation, The Last Beach Cleanup, Rio Grande International Study Center, Inland Ocean Coalition, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, Turtle Island...

On November 15, 2022, a coalition petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require human and environmental health and safety testing for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/PVOH) as it is used in consumer-packaged goods, “with particular attention to the use of PVA in laundry and dishwasher detergent pods and sheets.” The petitioners request that until such testing is completed, EPA remove PVA/PVOH from its Safer...

As reported in our July 18, 2022, blog item, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a petition on June 16, 2022, under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) from Daniel M. Galpern on behalf of Donn J. Viviani, John Birks, Richard Heede, Lise Van Susteren, James E. Hansen, Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions, and Climate Protection and Restoration Initiative. The petition requests EPA “to phase out the anthropogenic manufacture, processing, distribution,...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a petition on June 16, 2022, under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) from Daniel M. Galpern on behalf of Donn J. Viviani, John Birks, Richard Heede, Lise Van Susteren, James E. Hansen, Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions, and Climate Protection and Restoration Initiative. The petition requests EPA “to phase out the anthropogenic manufacture, processing, distribution, use, and disposal of greenhouse gas (GHG)...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 28, 2021, it is granting a petition from six North Carolina public health and environmental justice organizations filed under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to compel companies to conduct testing of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The previous Administration denied the petition on January 22, 2021. 86 Fed. Reg. 6602. The petition sought issuance of a rule or order under TSCA...