EPA to Host TSCA Reform Meetings in DC Next Month

US EPA will host two public meetings, on December 6 and 11, to update interested parties about the Agency’s progress toward implementing changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) made in 2016.

Congress amended TSCA with the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act, also called LCSA, in 2016. The updated TSCA orders EPA to evaluate new and existing chemicals and restrict or regulate those chemicals when necessary.

Last month, we explored how far EPA has come in the first year since Congress passed the LCSA.

TSCA New Chemicals Review Program

The first meeting on December 6 will focus on the New Chemicals Review Program. Under TSCA, businesses must notify EPA when they plan to manufacture or import a new chemical substance or find a new use for an existing chemical.

At that time, EPA must evaluate the risk posed by the new chemical or new use, and—if the risk is deemed unreasonable—restrict or prohibit the use of the chemical. Some of the restrictions may include things like requiring hazard labeling of the chemical, requiring employees to use PPE when handling the chemical, TSCA reporting or recordkeeping requirements, etc.

Read more about the meeting, and see the materials in advance, at EPA’s website.

TSCA Chemical Prioritization for Risk Evaluation

Another new element of TSCA, as amended in 2016, is EPA’s mandate to review all chemicals on the TSCA inventory—about 85,000 of them—and evaluate their potential risks. At the meeting on December 11, EPA will discuss approaches for identifying chemicals that warrant priority for risk evaluation.

To tackle this task, EPA has begun prioritizing the chemicals for review—the Agency announced the first 10 chemicals up for risk review in December last year.

To read more about the new TSCA chemical review process, check out our post EPA Ready to Start TSCA Chemical Evaluations.

Both meetings will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Horizon Ballroom, at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington D.C. Registration is open and remote access via the internet will be available. Learn more here.

TSCA Regulations Online Course

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is complex and enforcement is stringent, making a comprehensive understanding of the rules critical for compliance.  The law has broad applicability, subjecting all companies that “manufacture, use, process, distribute, import, or export chemical products” to complex reporting and management requirements.
 
Be confident you’re meeting your TSCA chemical management and reporting responsibilities! Sign up now for the interactive TSCA Regulations Online Course or call 888-546-6511 to speak with a Lion regulatory expert.
 

Tags: chemicals, EPA, new rules, reporting and recordkeeping, TSCA