EPA publishes list of 40 chemicals, triggering the new chemical review process under TSCA

USA: On March 20, 2019, The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a list of 40 chemicals, triggering the first step in a new process of reviewing chemicals currently in commerce under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). As part of this process, which will conclude by December 2019, EPA will designate 20 chemicals as ‘high priority’ for subsequent risk evaluation and 20 chemicals as ‘low priority,’ meaning that risk evaluation is not warranted at this time.

The 20 high-priority candidate chemicals include seven chlorinated solvents, six phthalates, four flame retardants, formaldehyde, a fragrance additive, and a polymer precursor.

The 20 low-priority candidate chemicals have been selected from EPA’s Safer Chemicals Ingredients List, which includes chemicals that have been evaluated and determined to meet EPA's safer choice criteria.

Publication of the list also starts a 90-day comment period, providing the public with an opportunity to submit relevant information such as the uses, hazards and exposure for these chemicals.

Once EPA has prioritized the list, chemicals designated as high priority will begin a three-year risk evaluation process to determine if the chemical, under the conditions of use, presents an unreasonable risk to human health and the environment.

The list of 40 chemicals can be found here: List of Chemicals Undergoing Prioritization

The full press release can be found here: Reaching Another TSCA milestone, EPA Identifies 40 Chemicals to Prioritize for Risk Evaluation