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PA EPA AMENDS PROPOSED TEST RULE FOR 21 HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS

Release Date: 01/09/98
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FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1998


EPA AMENDS PROPOSED TEST RULE FOR
21 HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS

EPA has amended a previously published proposal requiring major sources of air pollution to test for the residual risks of 21 hazardous air pollutants or “HAPs”. Data from this test rule will be used under the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990 for determining residual risk after the imposition of Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) to reduce human exposure to these chemicals. The data will also assist other federal agencies (e.g., ATSDR, NIOSH, OSHA, CPSC) in assessing chemical risks and in taking appropriate action within their programs. The amended proposal includes several adjustments. Under the amendments, the HAP chemicals are to be tested using a set of OPPTS harmonized guidelines published earlier this year (Series 870 --Health Effects Test Guidelines, 40 CFR 799). The guidelines were developed to help determine adverse health effects associated with both acute and chronic exposures to the HAP chemicals, including their carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive, developmental and other effects. In addition, the revised proposal provides that producers and manufacturers that generate large quantities of HAP chemicals as byproducts or impurities are subject to the Agency’s proposed testing program. The amended proposal also announces an opportunity for industry to submit proposals to enter into enforceable consent agreements with the Agency for HAPs testing programs that may or may not include pharmacokinetics testing. The amendment also contains certain export notification requirements and requires the use of Good Laboratory Practice Standards, among other changes. The deadline for submitting comment on the amended proposal is Feb. 9, 1998.


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