CHEMICAL REGULATION
Debate heats up over prioritizing substances for risk evaluation For chemicals that are already on the market, EPA faces a December 2019 deadline under the revised law to evaluate the potential risks of 10 substances that were selected by the agency in late 2016. If EPA finds any risks associated with use of the substances, it must take steps to minimize the risk within two years of completing the evaluation. When EPA completes an evaluation, it must begin another one for a different chemical. By the end of 2019, the agency must have at least another 20 chemical risk assessments ongoing. Under the Obama adminisChemicals EPA is evaluating under the revised Toxic Substances Control Act tration, EPA proposed to ban certain uses of three of the CHEMICAL(S) INDUSTRIAL USES HEALTH CONCERNS 10 substances—trichloroethAsbestos Chlorine production; formerly Mesothelioma, lung cancer ylene, methylene chloride, and fireproofing and insulation N-methylpyrrolidone. But the Trump administration put those proposals on hold in December 2017. The agency now considers 1-Bromopropane Degreasing, dry cleaning, adhesion Developmental toxicity, Br the proposed bans “long-term lung cancer actions,” and has given no indiCarbon tetrachloride Synthesis of fluorinated and Liver and kidney toxicity, cation as to when they will be chlorinated compounds, also found liver cancer Cl finalized. The chemical industry in degreasing and cleaning agents, Cl adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, is urging EPA to reevaluate the Cl Cl rubber, cement, and asphalt risks of the chemicals under the formulations new TSCA. Liver, nasal, lung, and 1,4-Dioxane Byproduct of ethoxylation to The agency is also likely O breast cancer produce surfactants found in to change its procedures for O cosmetics and household cleaners prioritizing chemicals for evalMethylene chloride Paint and coating removal Reduced breathing, heart Cl uation going forward. EPA is rate, and brain activity; liver considering various approaches, H Cl toxicity; neurotoxicity H including grouping chemicals by their function to quickly weed N-Methylpyrrolidone Substitute for chlorinated solvents, Liver, kidney, immune CH3 out large numbers of low-priorpaint removal system, reproductive, N O developmental, and central ity chemicals with similar uses. nervous system toxicity Environmental groups, however, would prefer EPA to focus on Tetrachloroethylene Synthesis of fluorinated compounds, Liver, kidney, reproductive, Cl Cl high-priority chemicals and seek dry cleaning, degreasing developmental, and central nervous system toxicity missing toxicity data now in orCl Cl der to meet statutory deadlines Trichloroethylene Dry cleaning, degreasing Kidney, liver, and lymphoid Cl Cl down the road. For their part, tissue cancer chemical manufacturers are Cl H expected to continue pushing 1,2,5,6,9,10Flame retardants Liver, immune back on EPA requests for toxicBr Hexabromocyclododecane system, reproductive, ity data. Br and mixed isomers developmental, central Additionally, in 2018 EPA is nervous system, and Br expected to finalize a rule to thyroid toxicity collect fees from chemical manuBr Br facturers to help pay for chemical Br risk evaluations. Environmental groups are hoping the agency will Pigment Violet 29 Pigment in paints, coatings, plasOral and inhalation acute O tics, rubbers, and inks toxicity, eye and skin also meet a requirement under NH irritation, reproductive and the revised TSCA to make clear developmental toxicity how it evaluates requests to keep O proprietary information confiO Note: EPA released documents for each of the 10 substances in June 2017, dential, which effectively keeps identifying what uses will be evaluated and how the evaluations will be performed. HN chemical identities from the pubEPA plans to refine the scope of those evaluations in 2018 with input from lic.—BRITT ERICKSON stakeholders. O Implementation of the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) will continue to be a top priority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2018. The law was overhauled in 2016, giving EPA new authorities to ensure the safety of chemicals in the U.S. market. But under the Trump administration, EPA is setting a course to ignore those authorities, allowing new chemicals to enter the market with little or no toxicity data.
24
C&EN | CEN.ACS.ORG | JANUARY 15, 2018
C R E D I T: S H UT T E RSTO CK
First 10
