June 26, 2017
On June 22, 2017, EPA released three final TSCA “framework” rules, guidance on interested party risk evaluations, and scoping documents for 10 ongoing chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). These latest rules and guidance documents are part of the implement the Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (LCSA), which thoroughly updated TSCA in June 2016. Throughout this week, Gradient will be providing summaries and analyses of these major TSCA developments.
You can expect updates from Gradient on:
1. The Inventory Reset Reporting Rule, which requires chemical importers and manufacturers to report to EPA which chemicals on the TSCA inventory they manufactured and imported during the 10-year period prior to LCSA. This reporting will enable EPA to focus future chemical prioritization and risk evaluation on those chemicals recently active in commerce.
2. Chemical Prioritization and Risk Evaluation Rules, which establish the frameworks EPA will use to determine which chemicals will be the focus for EPA’s risk evaluation efforts, and how those multi-year risk evaluations will proceed.
3. Interested party risk evaluation guidance, which defines how “interested parties” can prepare and submit draft risk evaluations for EPA to consider as part of the chemical risk evaluation process.
4. Scoping documents on the first 10 chemical risk evaluations EPA is conducting under LCSA requirements, which are already in progress. EPA has also reopened the dockets for each of these 10 chemicals to request further input from stakeholders to more clearly define the “problem statements” of these risk assessments.
Gradient will provide a brief synopsis of each of these key developments, highlighting important opportunities for stakeholder involvement in EPA’s chemical inventory, prioritization, and risk evaluation processes. Please contact us if you have questions about how TSCA reform implementation may affect your business.
Ari S. Lewis, M.S., Principal
alewis@gradientcorp.com
Jessie M. Kneeland, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Chemist
jkneeland@gradientcorp.com
Lorenz R. Rhomberg, Ph.D., ATS, Principal
lrhomberg@gradientcorp.com
Lisa A. Bailey, Ph.D., Senior Toxicologist
lbailey@gradientcorp.com
About Gradient
Gradient is an environmental and risk sciences consulting firm renowned for our specialties in Toxicology, Epidemiology, Risk Assessment, Product Safety, Contaminant Fate and Transport, Industrial Hygiene, Geographic Information Systems, and Environmental/Forensic Chemistry. We employ sound science to assist national and global clients in resolving their complex problems relating to chemicals in the environment, in the workplace, and in consumer products. www.gradientcorp.com