Regulation Of Toxic Chemicals Studied

Chemicals that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate, and are toxic—called PBTs—have the attention of regulators around the world. A new study by international experts examines how governments identify and manage these substances. It finds that the U.S., Canada, the European Union, and Japan differ in how they determine which chemicals are PBTs and how they regulate these chemicals. The report estimates that between 100 and 1,000 chemicals in use around the world are PBTs. “The number of PBTs is small relative to the total number of chemicals in commerce but large enough to put substantial burdens on regulatory agencies,” says Todd V. Royer, a professor at the Indiana University School of Public & Environmental Affairs and one of the report’s authors.