EPA Proposes Rule to Add New Category to TRI Toxic Chemicals List
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 Community Right-to-Know Act and the Pollution Prevention Act). Here we briefly review the TRI and consider the proposed update.
Toxics Release Inventory
The TRI is comprised of 770 chemicals and 33 chemical categories. It is used for tracking certain toxic chemical substances and their release into the environment from more than 21,000 facilities throughout the United States. Releases may include emissions into air or water, or disposal via landfill.
Chemicals selected for inclusion in the TRI include those that cause one or more of the following:
- Substantial harmful environmental effects
- Serious detrimental acute human health effects
- Serious detrimental chronic human health effects, or cancer
Within certain applicable industries, businesses (with 10 or more full-time employees) that use, produce, or process such chemicals at or over designated threshold amounts are required to report these quantities for inclusion in the TRI each year.
DINP
The EPA proposes diisononyl phthalate as a TRI category, defined to include branched alkyl di-esters of 1,2 benzenedicarboxylic acid (those in which alkyl ester moieties contain nine carbons). Based upon an updated hazard assessment, the Agency believes that the new category meets the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act criterion for toxicity.
The history behind the addition of DINP to the TRI dates back more than two decades, to the year 2000. In that year, the EPA was petitioned to add DINP to the list because of its nature as a dangerous phthalate ester and because of its potential for yielding serious toxic effects, including causing cancer. Earlier this year, the Agency agreed that it must finalize the rule adding the DINP category by next year, or it must withdraw the original proposal.
More detailed information regarding the addition of the DINP category may be found by reviewing the proposed rule itself.
Additional Toxic Chemical and Release Information
Containing release data on a diverse range of toxic chemical substances in the United States, the TRI is a vitally important tool for the management of chemical releases and the prevention of pollution. For accessing additional information on TRI substances, as well as a multitude of other chemicals, ToxPlanet offers a suite of invaluable resources.
Contact us to learn more about all of the valuable data that our solutions can provide, and to register for a Free Trial.
