⚗️TSCA Risk Evaluation Procedures Proposed Amendments by EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, "the Agency") is proposing to amend the procedural framework rule for conducting existing chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). When conducting an existing chemical risk evaluation under TSCA, EPA must determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without consideration of costs or non-risk factors, including unreasonable risk to a potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation identified as relevant to the risk evaluation, under the conditions of use. In this action, EPA proposes to rescind or revise certain 2024 amendments to the procedural framework rule to effectuate the best reading of the statute and ensure that the procedural framework rule does not impede the timely completion of risk evaluations or impair the effective and efficient protection of health and the environment.
Learn More🧪Draft NTP Report on 2-Hydroxy-4-Methoxybenzophenone Available for Comments
The NIH has announced a virtual peer review meeting regarding the Draft NTP Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity Technical Report on 2-Hydroxy-4-Methoxybenzophenone. Stakeholders are invited to provide public comments and engage in discussions on the report's findings and implications for public health. Meeting details, including registration and access information, are provided.
Learn More🧪EPA Notice on Draft Risk Evaluation for Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing that there will be two virtual public meetings of the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). On November 18, 2025, a preparatory meeting for the SACC to consider the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions for the peer review; and on December 2 through 5, 2025, a peer review meeting for the SACC to consider the octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) draft risk evaluation, technical support documents, and public comments. EPA is also announcing the availability of and soliciting public comment on the draft documents and charge questions that will be provided to the SACC for this peer review. The draft risk evaluation and technical support documents were prepared under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and will be submitted to the SACC for peer review.
Learn More⚗️EPA Draft Risk Evaluations for Phthalates and Business Implications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the availability of and seeking public comment on the draft risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP) (CARSN 85-68-7) and Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP) (CASRN 84-69-5). The purpose of risk evaluations under TSCA is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the conditions of use, including unreasonable risk to potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations identified as relevant to the risk evaluation by EPA, and without consideration of costs or non-risk factors. EPA used the best available science to prepare this draft risk evaluation and to preliminarily determine, based on the weight of scientific evidence, that BBP and DIBP pose unreasonable risk to health and the environment driven primarily by certain conditions of use analyzed in the draft risk evaluations.
Learn More🧪EPA Seeks Public Comment on PCE Regulations Under TSCA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is seeking public comment to inform its reconsideration of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulation for perchloroethylene (PCE). As promulgated in December 2024, the PCE risk management action addressed the unreasonable risk of injury to health presented by PCE under its conditions of use by requiring various workplace exposure controls, prohibiting certain industrial and commercial uses, and preventing consumer access to the chemical, among other provisions. This request for public comment follows the filing of several legal challenges to the rule in 2025, and EPA's subsequent determination that the PCE regulation under TSCA should be reconsidered through further rulemaking. EPA intends to consider information received in response to this public comment solicitation, and other reasonably available information, to inform the development of any proposed rule to amend the PCE regulation as appropriate.
Learn More🥽Amendments to OSHA Respiratory Protection Regulations Proposed
This proposed rule revises some substance-specific respirator requirements to allow different types of respirators to be used under OSHA's 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane standard and better aligns this standard with OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard.
Learn More💼OSHA Notice of Public Meeting on Chemical Classification and Labeling
This notice is to advise interested persons that OSHA will conduct a virtual public meeting on June 24, 2025, in advance of the 48th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held as an in-person meeting July 7-9, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) Coordinating Group, plans to consider the comments and information gathered at the June 24, 2025, public meeting when developing the U.S. Government positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting July 7-9, 2025.
Learn More🧪CSB Sunshine Act Meeting on Chemical Safety Hazards
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is holding a public meeting to review its progress on safety investigations and recommendations regarding chemical hazards. Stakeholders can attend virtually and provide public comments to contribute to safety improvements essential for regulatory compliance within various industries.
Learn More⚗️EPA's New Regulations on Significant Chemical Uses
EPA is issuing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for certain chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) and are also subject to an Order issued by EPA pursuant to TSCA. The SNURs require persons to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing the manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use in the SNUR. The required notification initiates EPA's evaluation of the conditions of that use for that chemical substance. In addition, the manufacture or processing for the significant new use may not commence until EPA has conducted a review of the required notification; made an appropriate determination regarding that notification; and taken such actions as required by that determination.
Learn More🔬EPA Announces Rescheduled Meetings on 1,3-Butadiene Risk Evaluation
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the rescheduled meeting dates of the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) that had been previously scheduled for February 2025 to consider and review the draft risk evaluation for 1,3- butadiene. The rescheduled preparatory meeting for the SACC to consider the scope and clarity of the revised draft charge questions for the peer review will now be held on March 25, 2025, and the rescheduled peer review meeting for the SACC to consider the draft documents and public comments will now be held on April 1 to 4, 2025. As previously announced, these meetings will be virtual public meetings of the SACC, with the public invited to comment on the scope and clarity of the revised draft charge questions for the peer review and the draft risk evaluation and related documents, including a new supplement of preliminarily refined risk estimates for 1,3-butadiene released from facilities in advance of and during the peer review meeting. The SACC will consider the comments during their discussions.
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