EPA Announces Initial 10 Chemicals to Review under TSCA

EPA has just announced the first list of ten chemicals it will evaluate under the newly revised Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  The TSCA risk evaluations must be completed within three years, with a scoping document produced in six months.  The scoping document will include the hazard(s), exposure(s), conditions of use, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation(s) the Agency plans to consider in the evaluation.  If EPA determines that there is an unreasonable risk, then they must take action within two years to mitigate the risk.  The initial chemical list is shown below.  Additional chemicals will be evaluated as this group is completed.

• 1,4-Dioxane
• 1-Bromopropane
• Asbestos
• Carbon Tetrachloride
• Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster
• Methylene Chloride
• N-methylpyrrolidone
• Pigment Violet 29
• Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene
• Trichloroethylene

Many of the chemicals on the list are significant because of their occurrence in groundwater sources or in finished drinking water.   Asbestos, carbon tetrachloride, and methylene chloride (dichloromethane) are already regulated in drinking water.  Tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene also have current MCLs but were identified in the second Six Year Review as candidates for revision.  1,4-Dioxane was a contaminant on UCMR3, and has been found above a reference level in 7% of water systems monitored under the rule.  Even the chemicals already regulated as drinking water contaminants could be impacted by decisions resulting from the TSCA risk assessment.  You can find more information on the TSCA review process and the chemical list here.