The EPA recently issued a report covering progress made in the first year since the implementation of its PFAS Strategic Roadmap. Released in October 2021 with a goal of improving protection against contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the roadmap was designed to establish…
A final revised risk determination for methylene chloride was recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This revision reflects changes made relative to the initial risk evaluation released for the chemical in June 2020. In this blog post, we review methylene chloride and…
Significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) have recently been proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a group of chemicals that are the subject of premanufacture notices. Here we present a brief overview of SNURs and look at…
The Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently released its report on a pilot project that looked at recovered substances that are exempted from REACH registration requirements. In this blog post, we review several of the key project…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its Final Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) on November 14, 2022. In this blog post, we review the CCL and take a look at the chemicals and other substances on the list’s most recent version. The presence…
The Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) is a key health assessment program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Originating in 1985, IRIS is focused on providing a source of information related to effects on health from environmental contaminant exposure. The IRIS Program Outlook…
A draft revision to the risk determination for carbon tetrachloride was recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With this, the Agency is proposing to find that the chemical presents unreasonable risks to human health under its conditions of use. Carbon tetrachloride is…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently initiated a proposal focused on removing several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the approved list of inert chemical ingredients used in pesticide products. This proposal aligns with the Agency’s mission and ongoing efforts to protect human health…
A final revised risk determination for Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) has been issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this blog post, we take a look at PV29 and review key aspects of the revision. PV29 is an odorless, dark violet (purple), organic…
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has released its latest report on the National Emerging Contaminants Research Initiative (NECRI). The report considers the issue of contaminants of emerging concern in drinking water. It reviews a strategy for addressing research gaps relative to detecting…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing the designation of two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), are two of the most extensively…
Finalized amendments were recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for regulations covering Significant New Use Rules (SNURs). Here we present a brief overview of SNURs and look at several of the most significant updates associated with the amendments. SNURs are used to…
A new supplemental rule was recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), proposing the addition of a diisononyl phthalate (DINP) category to the list of chemical substances subject to the reporting requirements of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) (under the Emergency Planning and…
In August 2022, 22 chemical substances were added to the Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Intended to facilitate the use of safer chemical alternatives in products, the list has grown steadily over the last several years. In this…
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the establishment of new health advisories for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on June 15, 2022. The advisories convey the maximum level of lifetime consumption deemed safe by the EPA for these substances. They represent some of…
Draft revisions to the risk determinations for four chemical substances were recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Here we take a brief look at these chemicals (methylene chloride, N-methylpyrrolidone, perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene) and the associated revisions. The chemical substances for which draft…
The Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) identifies chemical substances that are designated to be evaluated by Member States of the European Union (EU) over a three-year period. In this blog post, we take a look at the CoRAP for the years 2022 - 2024 and…
In late June 2022, the final revision to the risk determination for the cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster (HBCD) risk evaluation was made available by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This aligns with and is part of the Agency’s ongoing efforts to help protect human…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released the fourth annual report from its Integrated Regulatory Strategy, entitled “Faster Action on Groups of Harmful Chemicals”. This report illustrates the progress that has been achieved in improving substance of concern regulatory action identification. The ECHA developed its…
Concerns over N-(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide's carcinogenic and mutagenic effects led to its being proposed for identification as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) earlier this year. On June 10, 2022, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded its growing Candidate List with the addition of this chemical.
In May of this year, five key per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were added to a list of risk-based values by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Agency utilizes such values to ascertain the extent to which response or remediation measures may be necessary…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently put into effect an amendment modifying the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). A principal provision of this modification was the addition of 1-bromopropane to CERCLA’s hazardous substance list. Here we review the focus of CERCLA…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a rule in May 2022 focused on the assertion and maintenance of claims of confidential business information (CBI). Updated requirements contained within the rule are intended to improve review and reporting methods, and also to maintain consistency with…
A new group of test orders was recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the purpose of acquiring more information on eight of the initial 20 high-priority chemicals undergoing risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In this blog post,…
The European Commission has announced several forthcoming changes to information requirements under REACH. Updates focus on making such requirements more clear for businesses that submit REACH registration dossiers. The announced changes to information requirements for registration of chemical substances under REACH include the following: Information…
The addition of five substances of very high concern (SVHCs) to the REACH Authorization List was recently announced by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This addition brings the total number of substances on the list to 59. According to the ECHA, SVHCs must exhibit the…
ToxPlanet has reached a significant milestone in its evolution with the addition of PubMed® to its suite of solutions. This development greatly expands ToxPlanet's scope of coverage and enhances its relevance for a larger user base. In this blog post, we take a look at…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has established a goal to complete, by 2027, a determination of whether registered chemical substances are a low priority for additional regulatory action, a priority for regulatory risk management, or a priority for data generation. This applies to all substances…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of the final scope of the risk evaluation for octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane on March 7, 2022. The document describes the Agency's risk evaluation plans for octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, examining factors such as relevant exposures, potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations, and…
On March 4, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of the most up-to-date version of its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory. Here we review the origins of TSCA and the TSCA Inventory, and we look at changes in…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a proposed rule focused on steps necessary for submitting information subject to claims of business confidentiality under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In this blog post, we review both the topic of confidential business information (CBI)…
The use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetic products has long been an issue of public debate and concern. Bills have been introduced in several states with the goal of enacting a ban on their inclusion. Two notable recent examples are California’s Assembly…
The toxicology industry’s largest and most significant event of its kind is right around the corner! From March 27-31, 2022, the Society of Toxicology’s 61st Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will be held in San Diego, California. As always, ToxPlanet will be in attendance and exhibiting.
The addition of four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list was recently announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These were added in conjunction with Section 7321(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which establishes a framework…
In January of this year, a plan for a PFAS Superfund designation was proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Submitted to the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the plan follows the Agency's objective to categorize PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS…
The Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) List was amended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on January 5, 2022 with the addition of 1-bromopropane. The Agency is required, under the Clean Air Act, to monitor and regulate hazardous air pollutant emissions. This marks the first…
On January 17, 2022, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) further expanded its growing Candidate List with the addition of four new substances of very high concern (SVHCs): This addition brings the total number of substances on the list to 223. Within the European Union, the…
The Enforcement Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently released a report on its 8th REACH-EN-FORCE (REF) project. Conducted from January through December of 2020, the project was focused on evaluating the compliance of certain BPR, CLP, and…
The scope of reporting requirements of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is being expanded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In particular, this incorporates the addition of 29 contract sterilization facilities not previously reporting on releases of ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol. Here we…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently updated its New Approach Methods (NAMs) Work Plan. Initially published in 2020, the Plan is designed to help focus the EPA’s efforts to decrease the use of animals in the testing of chemical substances. In this blog post,…
A draft systematic review protocol for chemical substances has been released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This protocol details the procedures used by the Agency for the identification, evaluation, and integration of hazard and exposure information for risk evaluations under TSCA. Here we…
On December 21, 2021, the long-awaited 15th Report on Carcinogens was released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its release, which comes five years after its predecessor, includes the addition of eight new carcinogenic substances. In this blog post, we take a…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a petition earlier this year requesting that it take several steps to help protect against the inclusion of hazardous chemical substances in cosmetics. Following its review over three months, the Agency recently issued a response to the petition…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued its final toxicity assessment for GenX chemicals. A follow up to the public draft version released by the Agency in 2018, this assessment includes a diverse range of information (e.g., dose-response, hazard identification, reference doses (RfDs)) for…
The European Commission (EC) recently expanded its list of substances to be banned under its Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. As of March 1, 2022, 23 additional chemical substances (designated as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic) will be prohibited in line with Article 15 of the Regulation. Here…
The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) recently released its evaluations roadmap. This roadmap outlines Australia's approach to assessing the risks posed to the environment and human health when industrial chemicals are used there. In this blog post, we review the focus of AICIS, discuss…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced major updates relative to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory in terms of confidential business information status. In removing the confidential status for 377 substances, their chemical identities will be made available to the general public.
As one of the most commonly encountered occupational hazards, skin sensitization is an issue of key concern for businesses everywhere. These include businesses that manufacture, process, and handle chemical substances, as well as a host of others. While biologically a relatively simple process, skin sensitization…
The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the undertaking of several steps designed, in large part, to enhance and improve chemical safety reviews. These efforts are intended to make sure that such reviews align…
In October of this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its PFAS Strategic Roadmap for 2021-2024. With a focus on protection against contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the roadmap was designed to establish timeframes in which the Agency plans to implement…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released the findings of its initial survey on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Focusing on the presence of these chemicals in a wide range of foods, the survey is based on information from the Administration’s Total Diet…
In September 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released new guidance information with a focus on titanium dioxide. Following the chemical's classification as carcinogenic if inhaled, this guidance is intended to assist businesses and other relevant parties in knowing how titanium dioxide-containing mixtures must be…
Following its release almost one year ago, the SCIP (Substances of Concern In articles or complex objects (Products)) database now features more than four million article notifications from approximately 6,000 European Union (EU) companies. Consumers and professionals are able to use this valuable resource to…
The use of harmful chemicals in cosmetic products has long been an issue of concern and debate. Researchers from the University of Notre Dame recently conducted a study designed to evaluate the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetics, and the potential risks…
Several targeted amendments are currently being proposed in Australia to the Industrial Chemicals (General Rules) 2019. These rules establish the framework for regulating the manufacture and import of industrial chemicals under the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). Here we review the focus of the…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a final rule effectively initiating a ban on the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food. Intended to improve protection of human health, this effort is likely to yield particular benefits for farmworkers and children. In this…
A targeted consultation is being conducted by the European Commission (EC) with a focus on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). It is intended to obtain information regarding the potential inclusion of information requirements for EDCs in several REACH Annexes, and the costs and benefits associated with…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals indicating that risk management rulemaking for 1,4-dioxane could not be initiated until a review of the final risk evaluation is closer to being concluded. This action is part of…
In late July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take major steps for the regulation of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Originally introduced in April of this year, the House recently passed this legislation by…
On August 2, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an interim decision indicating that the herbicide paraquat may remain on the market in the United States. This follows the Agency's earlier proposal, during the previous presidential administration, to ban its aerial spraying. In…
In late June 2021, a final rule was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This rule mandates the submission of unpublished studies of health and safety to the Agency by manufacturers of a group of 50 high-priority chemicals and organohalogen flame retardants. In…
The Draft Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on July 19, 2021. Here we review the CCL and take a look at the chemicals and other substances on the most recent version. The presence of harmful substances…
On July 8, 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded its Candidate List by adding eight substances of very high concern (SVHCs): This addition brings the total number of substances on the list to 219. SVHC use within the European Union has been recommended to…
In June 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced key changes in policy related to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluations, particularly those issued during the previous presidential administration. The Agency also announced a plan for moving forward for the first 10 chemicals…
As one of the most ubiquitous classes of chemicals, we encounter phthalates every day. Found frequently in household products, personal care products, and a wide range of industrial materials, these substances have been linked to adverse health effects, both in animals and humans. In this…
The use of harmful chemicals in cosmetic products has long been an issue of concern and debate. Researchers from the University of Notre Dame recently conducted a study designed to evaluate the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetics, and the potential risks…
On June 15, 2021, the Assessment Group on Glyphosate (AGG) submitted a draft Renewal Assessment Report on glyphosate to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In this blog post, we consider the AGG’s report and take a closer look…
One of the toxicology discipline’s leading international events is fast approaching! From July 7-9, 2021, the Japanese Society of Toxicology’s 48th Annual Meeting will be held in Kobe, Japan. Infocom will be in attendance and exhibiting through their online booth. The annual meeting of the…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently unveiled an action plan, known as "Closer to Zero", aimed at significantly decreasing toxic element exposure (including to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) from foods consumed by children and babies. This effort highlights one of the principal…
In May 2021, the registry of classification and labelling (CLH) intentions until outcome was updated with the addition of eight chemical substances. In this blog post, we take a look at the registry and discuss the most recently added chemicals. The registry of classification and…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is dedicated to ensuring that scientific integrity is at the forefront of its efforts. In light of this, the Agency recently released a revised toxicity assessment for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). In this blog post, we take a look…
In late April 2021, a list of several hundred chemical substances was released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The list encompasses chemicals whose confidential status is expected to be lifted. Here we review the topic of confidential business information (CBI) and consider this…
Certain low-volume chemicals, particularly ones manufactured in quantities less than 10,000 kg/year, are exempt from full premanufacture notice (PMN) review under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In late April 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a statement essentially excluding PFAS (per- and…
In April 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued a recommendation for the addition of seven new substances to Annex XIV to REACH (REACH Authorization List). Here we review the list and authorization process, and we consider the chemicals recommended for inclusion. The REACH Authorization…
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently issued guidance information focused on the selection of safer alternative chemicals. This information was compiled to facilitate an understanding of the minimum requirements needed for determining the safety of chemical alternatives. Here we take a look…
ToxPlanet has reached an important milestone in its evolution with the incorporation of the full collection of PubChem compound records into the ToxPlanet suite of solutions. In this blog post, we take a look at this major development and the associated enhancements. ToxPlanet is the…
Focused largely on making certain that the proper information is present and accessible for chemicals made available in the European Union, the evaluation process is a key component of REACH. Here we present a brief overview of the evaluation process for dossiers and substances. As…
A draft version of the Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) for the years 2021 - 2023 was submitted to the European Union (EU) Member State Committee (MSC) in November 2020. Based on the MSC's corresponding opinion, an updated final version was published on the European…
In late March 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is reviewing the policies of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) new chemicals program. The goal of this review is to make sure proper coordination exists with corresponding policies and initiatives of…
In March 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of a final guidance document aimed at providing information on the potential for increased data waiver issuance for acute dermal toxicity studies. This follows and builds upon the Agency's issuance of guidance in…
In February 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released a report evaluating the impact of REACH restrictions. With particular focus on the period between 2016 and 2020, the report provides an overview of the costs and benefits of these restrictions. This blog post reviews the…
With its recent completion, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has issued a review of the SVHC 2020 Roadmap. In this blog post, we take a look at substances of very high concern (SVHCs) and several of the roadmap’s principal achievements. The SVHC 2020 Roadmap was…
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced a proposed rule designed to update the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). The aim of this proposed rule is to help improve the safety of workers by protecting against the dangers of workplace hazardous chemicals. This blog…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently published a report of its evaluation of the socioeconomic impacts of REACH authorization. This blog post reviews the authorization process and looks at several of the report’s principal findings. As outlined by the ECHA, the authorization process for chemicals…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis for 2019. Covering toxic chemical releases and waste management actions during that year, the TRI National Analysis is an important component of the Agency’s pollution prevention efforts. This blog post…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released interim guidance related to the disposal and destruction of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and PFAS-containing materials. The issuance of this guidance is representative of the Agency’s ongoing efforts to protect human health and the environment. In…
Businesses that place products containing SVHCs (substances of very high concern) on the European Union market have been required to submit information on these chemicals of concern to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) since January 5, 2021. In this brief period of time, the Agency…
On January 19, 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded its Candidate List by adding two substances of very high concern (SVHCs): The use of SVHCs within the European Union has been recommended to be subject to authorization under the REACH Regulation. According to the…
In late December 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final rules for five persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals. Released under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a principal focus of these rules is to facilitate exposure reduction to the corresponding chemical substances…
In December 2020, a final risk evaluation for n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) was released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The issuance of this evaluation is part of the Agency’s continued efforts to protect human health and the environment. In this blog post, we review NMP…
A final risk evaluation for perchloroethylene was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December 2020. Completed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), it includes conclusive determinations on conditions of use found to pose unreasonable human health risks or risks to the…
In 2020, Annex II to REACH was amended via EU Commission Regulation 2020/878. Covering requirements for safety data sheet (SDS) composition, the changes to Annex II yield corresponding new requirements in effect as of January 1, 2021. This blog post reviews these changes and their…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently released its report of the first harmonized enforcement project on treated articles. The project was designed to evaluate awareness and compliance among parties involved in treated article availability in the European Union. In this blog post, we present a…
On November 25, 2020, a draft biological evaluation for glyphosate was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this blog post, we take a look at this controversial chemical. We also review several of the evaluation’s findings. Glyphosate is an organophosphorus compound possessing…
A final risk evaluation for trichloroethylene was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on November 23, 2020. In this blog post, we discuss this evaluation and several of the principal findings associated with it. Trichloroethylene is a colorless, liquid, volatile organic compound (VOC)…
In November 2020, a final risk evaluation for carbon tetrachloride was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This evaluation is part of the Agency’s ongoing efforts to help protect the environment and human health. In this blog post, we discuss the evaluation and…
As one of the most extensively researched types of environmental contaminants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a topic of ongoing scientific focus. These environmentally persistent chemical substances have been shown to yield adverse health effects, both in animals and humans. In this blog post, we discuss…
Under the revised European Union (EU) Waste Framework Directive, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) developed and recently launched the SCIP database containing information on Substances of Concern In articles or complex objects (Products). In this blog post, we take a look at the SCIP database…
Since its initial release earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) List N has served as a highly useful resource, providing access to a directory of disinfectant products considered effective against SARS-CoV-2. Growing steadily since then, the list has increased in size several…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the issuance of a revised risk evaluation for Pigment Violet 29 (PV29). The findings of this recent evaluation are significantly in contrast to the findings from the PV29 assessment the Agency released two years ago. Here we…
In late 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put forth a directive with the goal of substantially reducing the use of animal testing. The Agency recently made additional progress in these efforts by making new draft guidance available with a focus on preventing the…
The European Commission (EC) recently released a draft regulation designed to clarify deadline requirements for the updating of registration dossiers. In this blog post, we take a closer look at this deadline information and how it applies in different circumstances. A key REACH requirement stipulates…
The European Commission (EC) has proposed a fourth revised version of its Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive. The release of this most recent proposal is part of the EC's ongoing commitment to combatting cancer. In this blog post, we discuss the Directive and look at the…
The European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) recently adopted its final opinion on a proposal by France and Sweden focused on skin sensitizing chemical restriction. In this blog post, we review the skin sensitization process and discuss the adoption of this opinion.
Being able to control exposure to hazardous chemicals and ensure workplace safety is a critically important responsibility for businesses. To manage this effectively, a hierarchy of controls is often applied. In this blog post, we discuss the hierarchy of hazard controls and look at its…
On September 24, 2020, a final risk evaluation for cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster was released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This evaluation is part of the Agency’s ongoing efforts to help protect the environment and human health. In this blog post, we discuss…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published a list outlining manufacturers and importers that are subject to risk evaluation fees based on Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In this blog post, we consider this list and the chemical substances it…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice on September 4, 2020 announcing final scope document availability for 20 chemicals. These represent the first group of substances deemed, in December 2019, as being high priority for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act…
Disturbances in hormonal production and regulation by chemical agents can negatively impact a variety of critically important physiological processes. In this blog post, we take a look at endocrine disrupting chemicals and review some key examples and effects. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are chemicals that have…
In August 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report focused on the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) recent review to assess the extent to which the Agency met key deadlines established by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century…
On August 11, 2020, a final risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this blog post, we discuss this evaluation and several of the key findings associated with it. Also known as n-propyl bromide, 1-bromopropane is a volatile…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released relevant guidance information on electrostatic spraying for disinfectant products. This is a part of the Agency’s continued efforts to promote the safety of Americans and ensure that they are able to disinfect their indoor surroundings and better…
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a frequently produced industrial chemical substance, yet it is one for which controversy and significant debate exist regarding its safety. In this blog post, we take a look at BPA and review some of the concerns surrounding it. First synthesized more…
In September of last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a directive aimed at decreasing the use of animal testing and prioritizing efforts to achieve this goal. In the past month, the Agency made additional progress in this regard by releasing new guidance…
Proper design and implementation of chemical hygiene plans are essential to helping decrease the risk of worker illness and injury associated with exposure to chemicals in the laboratory. In this blog post, we take a look at chemical hygiene plans and discuss their components and…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued finalized amendments to significant new use rules (SNURs) for long-chain perfluroalkyl carboxylate chemical substances (LCPFACs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates. In this blog post, we present a brief overview of SNURs and discuss the key reasons for amending the…
On June 19, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its final risk evaluation for methylene chloride. In this blog post, we discuss this evaluation and its significance. Also known as dichloromethane, methylene chloride is a volatile organic liquid with strong solvent properties. Used…
In June 2020, Safe Work Australia announced the decision to delay the start of the transition to the seventh edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). This was due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects,…
ToxPlanet, the world’s leading and most comprehensive content-as-a-service provider focused on supporting the toxicology and chemical hazard information needs of a broad spectrum of professionals, has released GHSClassify™. GHSClassify is a rules-based solution designed to automate the classification process for chemical compounds and mixtures. In…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed a new rule designed to create uniform guidelines for the development and release of guidance documents. This was done in an effort to help improve the level of transparency in the guidance information the Agency makes available.
The governmental authorities of five European States recently made a joint commitment to develop a new REACH restriction proposal. This was done with the goal of trying to help limit the risks posed by PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to human health and the environment.
ACGIH - Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs) ACGIH - Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs) - Notice of Intended Changes ACGIH - Biologically Derived Agents Under Study ACGIH - Chemical Substances and Other Issues Under Study (BEI®) ACGIH - Chemical Substances and Other Issues Under Study (TLV®-CS) ACGIH…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released additional draft scope documents for seven chemicals. These represent the remainder of the 20 chemicals classified in December 2019 under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as high-priority for risk evaluation. In this blog post, we take…
On July 1, 2020, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) will be replaced by the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). In this blog post, we review several of the key aspects of AICIS. With its origins stemming from the Industrial Chemicals…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule. This is part of the Agency's ongoing efforts to help promote chemical safety and to better coordinate reporting with the amended TSCA (via the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety…
We are very pleased to announce that we have released a fully functional Preview of our new product interface. This release follows more than a year of research, preparation, and work geared toward improving our users’ experience. Among the improvements and additions to the new…
On January 16, 2020, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) further expanded its growing Candidate List with the addition of four new substances of very high concern (SVHCs): This latest addition brings the total number of substances on the list to 205. The use of SVHCs…
Between late 2017 and the end of 2018, the Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement conducted a pilot project aimed at controlling substances of very high concern (SVHC) in products sold in the European market. Recent review of the project’s results indicates the presence…
ToxPlanet Announces Availability of Free Resource for Accessing TOXNET Database Information ~ New Solution Enables Access to Important Toxicology, Hazardous Chemical, and Environmental Health Information Collections ~ WILMINGTON, NC – January 6, 2020 – ToxInfo.io, a new solution designed to help toxicology professionals access vital…
Federated search technology is an essential factor underlying the effectiveness of information portals and similar solutions that deliver content from many different sources. In this blog post we review the concept of federated search, examine a few of the key benefits associated with it, and…
Exposure to ototoxic chemicals is a serious issue, and one of increasing concern, in many workplace environments. Given this significance, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a Safety and Health Information Bulletin focused on chemical ototoxicity and its prevention. In this blog…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing final significant new use rules (SNURs) for 145 chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This group represents the largest collection to be introduced since the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act…
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), amended and updated in 2016 via the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must determine if a new chemical poses an unreasonable risk to human health or the…
On August 1, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has updated its online chemical review status tracker. The Agency has committed itself to increasing transparency in both its information and its endeavors, and this update represents an important step in its…
Health Canada (HC), the governmental department focused on improving the health and wellbeing of individuals throughout Canada, is currently seeking public feedback on a proposed strategy for protecting its country’s workforce from dangerous chemical exposures. To aid in this process, it has produced a consultation…
During the month of July 2019, Safe Work Australia sought feedback and consultation on the prospect of adopting the seventh revision of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Here we review this system and take a brief look at its…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently provided its recommendation to the European Commission (EC) to modify the REACH Authorization List with the incorporation of endocrine disrupting property information for four phthalate chemicals. Here we present a brief review of endocrine disruptors and discuss the addition…
On July 16, 2019, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded its Candidate List by adding four substances of very high concern (SVHCs): This addition brings the total number of substances on the list to 201. The use of SVHCs within the European Union has been…
In June 2019, the Council of the European Union (EU) adopted a number of significant new conclusions. Highlighting several needs in relation to the EU’s overall chemical policy strategy, these focus on a wide range of chemical topic areas. Among these areas are pharmaceuticals, REACH,…
The Member State Committee (MSC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently agreed to identify GenX chemicals as substances of very high concern (SVHCs). This decision represents a significant development as it is the first time that proposed SVHC status has been based on a…
As part of a combined action plan and effort between the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Commission (EC), the ECHA recently announced its intention to raise the number of REACH registration dossiers that it reviews. With a focus on increasing overall compliance, the…
In June 2019, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) published the 8th edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Here we review several of the key changes that accompany the latest revision. Revision of the GHS typically…
On July 1, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of draft risk evaluations for two substances that are among the initial chemicals for which risk evaluations are being conducted under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). With its amending via…
On June 21, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a new rule to decrease exposure to several persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals. Designed to restrict their manufacture, importing, processing, and distribution, the proposed ruling focuses on the chemicals decaBDE, PIP (3:1), 2,4,6-TTBP,…
An important focus of occupational exposure banding (OEB) is to successfully characterize chemical hazards so that appropriate risk management decisions can be made quickly and consistently. This process is vitally important in cases where chemical substances do not yet have established occupational exposure limits (OELs).
For professionals with a focus on chemicals and their biological and environmental effects, having access to reputable content is essential to inform decisions and support their efforts. Here we review a few key reasons why authoritative information is important for chemical safety professionals. Some of…
In conducting occupational risk assessments for chemicals or other dangerous substances, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) employs a wide range of information including data gathered via a fundamental multistep process. Here we review the steps of this process and discuss the…
Chemical safety professionals of all types require the right data to make the best possible informed decisions. This often means having to synthesize important information from multiple sources and content producers, including ones originating from outside the United States. Here we look at a few…
In May 2019, Israel published its implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Scheduled to go into force in August 2019, it will be followed by a 3-year transition period. The GHS is an internationally recognized means for standardizing…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has reported that it plans to quadruple the number of reviews it performs on registrations for thousands of chemicals used in the European Union (EU). This decision comes in response to findings that a relatively small percentage of dossiers contain…
Eurasian countries are proceeding with their efforts to implement the REACH-like chemical regulation, Eurasia REACH. This represents a significant chemical regulatory development for these countries. We present a brief review of the regulation and discuss some of its key provisions and implications. In 2010, Russia,…
The European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) has announced the development of a new risk assessment framework for polymers. Presented in the technical report entitled “The ECETOC Conceptual Framework for Polymer Risk Assessment (CF4Polymers)”, it includes a central multistep process. CF4Polymers represents…
A new methodology has been developed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the classification of chemical contaminant-related notifications from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), a tool for reporting food safety issues and related risks detected in the food chain.
In 2016, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was amended and updated via the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. With this law (Lautenberg Act), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must determine if a new chemical poses an unreasonable risk…
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently announced that it will soon be releasing several new or updated versions of key resources. These are intended to assist industrial hygienists and other aligned professionals in chemical risk assessment and management efforts. On May…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it will start publishing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5 notices without the Agency’s own review. This represents a significant development and a prominent change for any individual or entity that submits such notices, and…
Toxicologists need the right data to make critical professional decisions. Of the factors that must be considered when selecting an appropriate toxicology information resource, quantity and quality of content are two of the most significant. Here we review the importance of these factors and look…
Busy chemical hazard professionals require information resources that provide the speed necessary to make important decisions quickly. ToxPlanet delivers solutions that enable fast access to vital information, allowing users to use it immediately. Here we review several ways in which ToxPlanet can help save you…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing several amendments to the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule, required under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). With these amendments, the EPA aims to better coordinate reporting with the amended TSCA (via the Frank…
Health Canada recently revised its Science Approach Document (SciAD) for Substances with Low Human Health Hazard Potential. This represents an updating of the original approach document, released in December 2017, in response to feedback received on it. With the updated SciAD, the goal is to…
Chemical safety in the workplace is a vitally important issue for all companies, and especially those that manufacture, process, or otherwise use hazardous chemicals. These substances must be managed effectively to help ensure the health and safety of workers, and there are numerous things companies…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released the first annual report from the Integrated Regulatory Strategy, entitled “Mapping the chemical universe to address substances of concern”. Presenting an overview of the various REACH and CLP processes underway on different chemicals, it discusses efforts to clarify…
Protective clothing is indispensable for safety in any environment where hazardous chemicals are present and handled. Here we review several factors that companies should consider when selecting chemical protective clothing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that there are several major chemical protective…
Researchers from Rutgers University and other leading academic institutions recently developed a unique algorithm that compares tested chemical compound fragments with those of untested compounds. In doing so, it enables the assessment of their differences and similarities to predict an untested chemical's toxicity. The results…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will mark a number of significant developments and encounter several important deadlines in 2019, many in relation to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Here is a timetable of some of the dates you should be aware of for…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently signed a rule to establish final significant new use rules (SNURs) for 13 chemical substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This final rule is particularly notable in that the chemical substances, which are the subject of…
The European Union (EU) has amended its Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation to align with the changes in the United Nations’ 6th and 7th biannual revision of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling (GHS). It has done so via publishing the 12th…
Chemical safety professionals require access to the right data to make the best possible informed decisions. Here we review several key things that professionals should look for when selecting an appropriate information solution. We also look at how ToxPlanet measures up in terms of these…
In April 2019, as part of its ongoing efforts to maintain information transparency, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided an updated outlook of its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program activities. This outlook designates assessments that are currently in development, as well as projected…
Inspections are currently in progress in two enforcement projects across the European Union (EU). Focused on identifying hazardous chemicals, these inspections are aimed at increasing safety for citizens of the EU by further protecting against these harmful substances. Although some similar issues exist between the…
ToxPlanet, the world’s leading provider of comprehensive and authoritative toxicology information resources, has released a beta version of its new solution - BotanyEXPERT™. Designed to deliver detailed, essential data on the chemical properties and toxic effects of plants, BotanyEXPERT supports the phytochemical information needs of…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published an updated version of the Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) for the years 2019 - 2021. With this update, EU Member State authorities will evaluate 100 chemical substances for risk assessment during the scheduled time period. The CoRAP…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the release of 24 studies on Pigment Violet 29 (PV29). These studies were used by the EPA to develop draft risk evaluation for the chemical substance. The release of the studies is part of the Agency’s ongoing…
On March 20, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a list of 40 chemicals scheduled to undergo prioritization for risk evaluation. This list has been released to allow the public the chance to submit feedback (related to uses, hazards, exposure, etc.) for these…
In March 2019, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report indicating that the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently had halted health risk assessments for nine chemicals. This report, requested by U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), focuses on the extent of the EPA’s…
For any chemical safety professional, having the right data is essential for making the best possible informed decisions. Correspondingly, one of the most critical aspects of any information resource is comprehensiveness. Here we focus on the issue of comprehensive content, review what makes it so…
Replacing hazardous substances with safer alternatives, known as informed substitution, is a key aspect of chemical management. It can be useful for many companies wishing to reduce the health and environmental impact of the chemicals they use. Here we explore the issue of informed substitution,…
Chemical substances can pose significant risks for any business that manufactures, stores, distributes, or otherwise uses them. Being able to identify and manage these risks effectively is essential to help protect it, its workforce, and the environment. Because of this, having well-designed and properly executed…
The Government of Australia recently announced that the introduction of its Industrial Chemicals Law will be pushed back by one year. This latest delay marks the third in a series of postponements for the law. Most recently scheduled for introduction on July 1, 2019, it…
Chemical safety professionals require fast, simple, and direct access to relevant information to make the best possible informed decisions. ToxPlanet and its suite of decision support solutions are designed to help manage, with optimal efficiency, the impact of chemicals in the workplace and on the…
With relevance across virtually every chemical subdiscipline, green chemistry is a philosophy centered on the reduction of hazardous chemical substance creation and use. It is also focused on the development of processes and products to facilitate this reduction. Here we explore the topic of green…
Every year, the results of millions of scientific studies are published throughout the world in tens of thousands of publications. These studies reflect new information and advancements in virtually every scientific discipline. For many years, this has been a universally accepted way of contributing knowledge…
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the availability of new skin notation profiles for 5 chemical substances - atrazine, catechol, chlorinated camphene, pentachlorophenol, and sodium fluoroacetate. This adds to a steadily…
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Commission (EC) recently signed a formal agreement in which ECHA commits to providing recommendations for occupational exposure limits (OELs) for chemical substances on a steady basis. This obligates ECHA to evaluate four to five substances each year,…
For chemical safety professionals and researchers of all types, data gaps are an all-too-common problem. Here we explore the issue of data gaps, review the reasons why they occur, and discuss some of the ways that ToxPlanet can help you manage them quickly and effectively.
By definition, research is systematic investigation designed to obtain information on a given subject area with the aim of answering questions and reaching conclusions. While several different means of categorizing research exist, one key distinction is “primary” vs. “secondary”. Here we take a general look…
On January 7, 2019, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) released its first public policy agenda. This represents a landmark event in AIHA’s ongoing efforts to help prevent unnecessary work-related illnesses and injuries. The agenda covers fifteen key issues: Let’s take a closer look at…
On January 15, 2019, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded its Candidate List by adding six substances of very high concern (SVHCs). These are 2,2-bis(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methylpentane, benzo[k]fluoranthene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and 1,7,7-trimethyl-3-(phenylmethylene)bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one. The addition brings the total number of substances on the list to 197. SVHCs…
It’s the beginning of a new year and with it comes a new set of industry events designed to allow the toxicology and chemical safety community to meet, exchange new information and ideas, present research findings, and advertise its products and services. Here is a…
EPA is announcing the release of the IRIS Program Outlook (December 2018) on the IRIS website. The document describes assessments that are currently in development and their projected public milestones. These assessments have been identified as high priority needs of the Agency for the fiscal…
The European Parliament and the Council have come to an agreement on the Commission's second proposal to broaden the list of recognized cancer-causing chemicals in the workplace. With this agreement, 8 additional cancer-causing chemicals will be covered by the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive, including diesel…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its food additive regulations in response to two food additive petitions, to no longer allow for the use of a total of 7 synthetic flavoring substances and flavor enhancers (adjuvants). The FDA determined that the data presented…
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is proposing regulatory changes concerning the averaging of concentrations of reproductive toxicants in food products and determining the average use of a consumer product for purposes of calculating exposures to listed reproductive toxicants. Public comments must be…
On September 28, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the general approaches that the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) may use to identify potential candidate chemicals for prioritization under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Read More
Despite increasing amounts of nanomaterials in products on the EU market, not enough is known about their hazards to adequately assess and control their risks. To bridge this knowledge gap, the REACH annexes that specify what information is required from companies placing chemicals on the market have been revised, legally obliging industry…
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