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EPA Launches New Chemical Assessment and Management Efforts

Release Date: 09/24/2008
Contact Information: (News media only) Dale Kemery, (202) 564-4355 / kemery.dale@epa.gov (Other inquiries) Priscilla Flattery, (202) 564-2718 / flattery.priscilla@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. - Sept. 24, 2008) As part of the EPA's Chemical Assessment and Management Program (ChAMP), EPA today announced its intent to update the current Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory of industrial chemicals by "resetting" it to more accurately reflect the chemicals in commerce. EPA also plans to develop a program to challenge the U.S. chemical industry to provide health and safety information on inorganic high-production volume (HPV) chemicals. These efforts will enhance the agency's efforts to assess and manage the chemicals presently in commerce and are based on feedback from a broad group of stakeholders.

"Chemicals are used every day in all types of settings - from science labs to our homes," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "The more we know about the chemicals we use today, the more we can ensure a healthier, safer tomorrow."

EPA will seek additional stakeholder and public input on specific plans for resetting the TSCA Inventory and for developing a phased, multi-year approach for challenging the chemical industry to provide EPA with health and safety information on high-production volume (HPV) inorganic chemicals. Of the more than 83,000 chemicals on the TSCA Inventory, many are no longer manufactured or imported. EPA has already collected information on 2,200 organic chemical HPV chemicals. HPV chemicals account for more than 90 percent of the production volume on the TSCA Inventory.

These new efforts are in addition to EPA's ongoing work to assess and manage 6,750 high and moderate volume chemicals. To date, EPA has posted assessments on more than 100 high production volume chemicals, which are manufactured or imported above one million pounds a year. Today the agency posted assessments on an initial set of moderate volume chemicals – those manufactured or imported between 25,000 and one million pounds a year.

For additional information on the ChAMP program, including the new assessments generated by EPA, plans for the TSCA Inventory reset and the Inorganic HPV program, visit: epa.gov/champ/