EPA seeks more data for some HPV chemicals

Manufacturers and importers of any of 243 high-production-volume (HPV) substances specified by EPA must send the agency any unpublished health and safety data for these chemicals, under a rule issued on Aug. 16. A second regulation, issued the same day, requires chemical makers and importers to submit a one-time report on general production or import volumes for these chemicals, end uses of the substances, and exposure-related information. HPV chemicals are those produced or imported in amounts greater than 1 million lb per year. EPA is seeking basic toxicity information on approximately 2,800 HPV chemicals, and much of this information is being provided voluntarily by industry. But for the HPV substances covered by the two new rules, no company has agreed to supply the toxicity data. The American Chemistry Council, which for years has been deeply involved with the effort to provide information on HPV substances, applauds the new rules, saying the EPA action "levels the playing field" by ensuring that the agency will receive data on these so-called orphan chemicals.