EPA Proposes New SNURs for PBDE, Benzidine, Chlorinated Parafins, HBCD, DnPP

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed that companies be required to report to EPA all new uses, including in domestic or imported products, of five groups of potentially harmful chemicals. Over the years, these chemicals have been used in a range of consumer products and industrial applications, including paints, printing inks, pigments and dyes in textiles, flame retardants in flexible foams, and plasticizers. This action is part of EPA’s work to ensure chemical safety in order to protect Americans’ health and the environment.

EPA Requires Testing of 19 Widely Used Chemicals

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a final rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requiring manufacturers of 19 high production volume (HPV) chemicals to test the health and environmental effects of the chemicals and submit the data to the agency. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has made assuring the safety of chemicals one of her top priorities. This rule is one of a series of actions that EPA is taking to ensure that the agency has the data it needs to adequately review priority chemicals. HPV chemicals are produced in or imported into the United States in quantities of 1 million pounds or more per year.

Should EPA Ban Phthalates Under TSCA

The concern over phthalates has been around since the inception of TSCA, as the regulatory commentary below shows.

"TSCA Interagency Testing Committee Actions Related to Phthalates"
Environmental Health Perspectives. 1982, Vol. 45, pp. 135-136.

Recently there has been an increasing debate on how much, if any, of this chemical should be allowed in household materials. Below are some recent articles discussing the hazards and occurrences of phthalates.