Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
On July 24, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to designate five chemicals as High-Priority Substances for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This action aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to addressing environmental and toxic exposures, supporting the Cancer Moonshot mission, and advancing environmental justice.
The five chemicals proposed are Vinyl Chloride (CASRN 75-01-4), Acetaldehyde (CASRN 75-07-0), Acrylonitrile (CASRN 107-13-1), Benzenamine (CASRN 62-53-3), and MBOCA (CASRN 101-14-4).
“The Biden-Harris Administration continues to make significant progress in protecting workers and communities from exposure to harmful chemicals as we implement the 2016 TSCA amendments that strengthened EPA’s authority on chemical safety,” said Michal Freedhoff, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Studying the safety of these harmful chemicals – all five of which have been linked to cancer and are used to make plastic – would help lead to critical public health and environmental protections in communities across the country and would ensure that the public has access to more data on these chemicals sooner.”
These chemicals were selected from the 2014 TSCA Work Plan based on their hazards and potential for exposure. The EPA considered various factors including conditions of use, production volume changes over time, impacts on susceptible subpopulations like children and workers, bioaccumulation, environmental persistence, and proximity to drinking water sources.
Vinyl chloride is primarily used in manufacturing plastic materials such as PVC. It is a known human carcinogen linked to liver, brain, and lung cancer among exposed workers. Short-term exposure can cause dizziness, nausea, eye irritation, among other effects.
Acetaldehyde is used in adhesives, petrochemicals, plastics manufacturing. It is a probable human carcinogen associated with nasal and laryngeal tumors in animal studies. Short-term exposure can irritate respiratory systems.
Acrylonitrile is involved in making plastic materials and paints. It is a probable human carcinogen causing lung and brain cancer in workers with long-term exposure leading to reproductive issues.
Benzenamine finds use in dyes manufacturing. It is a probable human carcinogen causing bladder tumors among others; long-term exposure can affect breathing.
MBOCA is used in rubbers manufacturing; it too is a probable human carcinogen causing liver cancer according to animal studies.
The prioritization process by EPA aims at regulating existing market chemicals under TSCA conditions of use within 3–3.5 years if deemed risky post-evaluation.
EPA began prioritizing these five chemicals in December 2023 aiming at annual prioritizations henceforth using advanced software for better information review early on during prioritization phases improving systematic reviews recommended by Scientific Advisory Committee on Chemicals incorporating additional data sources increasing transparency via interactive literature inventory trees & evidence maps aiding public information availability earlier than previous cycles starting risk evaluations efficiently identifying relevant data ensuring fuller understanding than prior cycles
Public comments will be accepted for 90 days after publication via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0601 at Regulations.gov page upon Federal Register notice publication with supporting documents available therein.
