EPA Moves Quickly to Carry Out New Chemical Reform Legislation
The EPA is taking action to ensure that the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, signed June 22, delivers.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to ensure that the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, signed June 22, delivers on the promise of better protecting the environment and public health. This bipartisan bill to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) outlines a number of responsibilities for the EPA that must be completed within a specific timeframe.
In accordance with the TSCA, the EPA has:
• released a plan that outlines activities for the first year of implementing the new law;
• completed the first determinations on seven pre-manufacture notices under TSCA. The new law requires the agency to make affirmative determinations on new chemical substances before they can enter the marketplace. Additional determinations will be released as they are completed;
• held a series of public meetings in August to obtain comments and feedback from stakeholders on the processes that will be used to establish fees and prioritize and evaluate chemicals under the new law;
• and released a list of five mercury compounds that will be prohibited from export as of January 1, 2020. This action will prevent the ability to convert these compounds to elemental mercury after export from the U.S.
Additionally, the EPA is establishing the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) to provide independent advice and expert consultation on scientific and technical aspects on risk evaluations, methodologies, and pollution prevention measures or approaches. The call for nominations to serve on this committee was issued on August 26.
For more information, visit www.epa.gov.
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