EPA Publishes Draft Risk Evaluation for Trichloroethylene; Announces Public Peer Review Meetings

On February 26, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a draft risk evaluation for trichloroethylene (TCE).  Under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), EPA is required to conduct risk evaluations to determine whether existing chemicals present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the conditions of use.  TCE is used in a wide variety of consumer and commercial products such as a degreasing solvent and in industry as an intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals.  In the draft risk evaluation, EPA preliminary found unreasonable risk of injury to human health for various conditions of use to workers, occupational non-users, consumers and bystanders.  EPA, however, did not present any preliminary unreasonable risk findings to the environment for any of the evaluated conditions of use.  A final determination that a condition of use presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment will move the uses into the risk management phase under TSCA.  This means that the agency will have to regulate those risks, which can include use-restrictions or bans. 

EPA has submitted this evaluation for peer review through its Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals.  The 2-day peer review in-person meeting is scheduled for March 24-25, 2020.  You can find more information and register for the meeting here.

• Comments on the draft risk evaluation are due on April 27, 2020.  
• Read the draft risk evaluation and other supporting documents here and submit comments here.
• Advocacy contact: Tabby Zeb at (202) 205-6790 or email at tayyaba.zeb@sba.gov.