EPA to 'Reset' TSCA Inventory Based on Chemicals in Use
As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chemical Assessment and Management Program (ChAMP), the agency on Sept. 24 announced its intent to update the 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 in commerce and are based on stakeholder feedback.
The agency 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 inorganic HPV 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 HPV chemicals, but not inorganic ones. HPV chemicals account for more than 90 percent of the production volume on the 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. The agency recently 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, visit epa.gov/champ/.