White House Asked To Release Chemicals List

The White House is under pressure from two Democratic senators to release a list of chemicals EPA says could endanger human health or the environment. This so-called chemicals of concern list would include eight phthalates, polybrominated diphen­yl ethers, and bisphenol A. The chemical industry has attempted to block release of EPA’s proposed list over the past year. Now, Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are calling on the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) to finish its regulatory review of the EPA list, which it began in May 2010. In proposing the list, EPA would not impose controls on the chemicals, but the move would technically be a regulation. OMB records show that representatives of the chemical industry met with White House officials about the proposed list seven times since June 2010. Industry has argued to OMB that placing substances—especially phthalates, a class of compounds widely used in plastics—on the chemicals of concern list would hurt business, contribute nothing to public health, decrease exports, and kill jobs.