From staff reports The Environmental Protection Agency is strengthening regulations to ensure newly introduced chemicals, including dangerous polyfluoroalkyl substances and bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals, are tested for human health effects and environmental safety.
The amendments to control these substances were finalized under the Toxic Substances Control Act on Dec. 4. Under the TSCA, the EPA plays the important role of reviewing new chemicals for risk factors before they can enter into U.S.
commerce, and sometimes the EPA places safeguards on the chemicals to protect both human health and the environment.
“EPA’s review of new chemicals should encourage innovation, while also making sure that new chemistries can be used safely before they are allowed to enter commerce,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Today, we’ve modernized our chemical reviews and continued to protect people from unsafe new PFAS.”
The EPA reports, 'scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health In January 2023, the Department of Defense 'issued a performance specification for firefighting foam in the military,' the USFA website states. 'These foams must be able to effectively extinguish class B hydrocarbon liquid fuel fires without containing PFAS.'
The EPA’s final rule eliminates exemptions for new PFAS and PBT chemicals, ensuring they must undergo safety reviews before manufacturers can make them. The decision aligns with the Biden administration’s commitment to addressing PFA risks and protecting communities from severe health impacts. In April 2021, the EPA announced that new PFAs would no longer qualify for exemptions due to chemical complexity, potential health effects, and environmental lingering.
This rule aligns with the 2016 TSCA amendments that require the EPA to make safety decisions on 100% of new chemical submissions. The rule updates regulations to specify actions required for premanufacture notices, significant new use notices, and microbial commercial activity notices, ensuring consistency and transparency in the review process.
Additionally, the rule introduces efficiencies in the review process, including clarifying submission details, updating procedures for incomplete submissions, and offering a streamlined process for suspension requests. The rule will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.