{"id":573,"date":"2016-12-14T03:30:18","date_gmt":"2016-12-14T08:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intranet.chemservice.com\/news\/2016\/12\/10-chemicals-are-under-inspection-by-the-epa\/"},"modified":"2016-12-14T03:30:18","modified_gmt":"2016-12-14T08:30:18","slug":"10-chemicals-are-under-inspection-by-the-epa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intranet.chemservice.com\/news\/10-chemicals-are-under-inspection-by-the-epa\/","title":{"rendered":"10 chemicals are under inspection by the EPA"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Earlier this year, President Obama signed into law the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act<\/a>. During the summer months, when the presidential race was still creating a polarized political climate, this bill was one of the few issues that representatives on both sides of the aisle could agree upon. Among its provisions, the bills gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the ability to test common chemicals already on the market.<\/p>\n

New law gives EPA much needed power<\/strong>
\nWhen the Toxic Substances Control Act was created in 1976, it gave the EPA some power to test chemicals before they came to market. There was only one flaw – chemicals already on the market and in everyday use throughout the country were grandfathered in, their safety presumed. According to Scientific American, only if the EPA was able to present an insurmountable amount of evidence<\/a> to the contrary would it be able to test chemicals already available on the market. The new law changes this, giving the agency the authority – and the responsibility – to test chemicals for safety.<\/p>\n

On Nov. 29, the EPA released a list of the first 10 chemicals it will test under the new law. Sam Lemonick, writing for Forbes Magazine, reported that the agency must have at least 20 chemicals under review<\/a> by the year 2019 and have as many reviews ongoing after that. And with tens of thousands of chemicals on the market, the EPA will surely have its hands full for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

The first 10 chemicals<\/strong>
\nThe EPA actually had until mid-December to publish its list of chemicals, but the agency finished ahead of schedule. Here are the first 10 chemicals<\/a> it plans on closely inspecting over the next three years:<\/p>\n

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  1. 1,4-dioxane:<\/strong> A possible human carcinogen, this chemical is used in consumer products and has been found in groundwater and indoor environments.<\/li>\n
  2. 1-bromopropane:<\/strong> The EPA estimates that this possible carcinogen has a high environmental release. It's also used in a number of consumer products.<\/li>\n
  3. Asbestos: <\/strong>Inhaling this chemical is known to lead to major health problems. It has been used in building materials and automobile parts.<\/li>\n
  4. Carbon tetrachloride:<\/strong> Present in groundwater, surface water and soil, this chemical is often used in industrial products.<\/li>\n
  5. Cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster:<\/strong> A flame retardant used in clothing and electronics. It may be toxic to aquatic animals.<\/li>\n
  6. Methylene chloride: <\/strong>This chemical is used in a number of consumer products. The EPA believes it is a probable carcinogen.<\/li>\n
  7. N-methylpyrrolidone:<\/strong> High releases of this chemical have been found in the environment. It could have negative effects on reproduction.<\/li>\n
  8. Pigment violet 29: <\/strong>This chemical could also cause damage to aquatic populations.<\/li>\n
  9. Trichloroethylene:<\/strong> This chemical has been found in drinking water as well as other areas in the environment.<\/li>\n
  10. Tetrachloroethylene:<\/strong> Used in the the dry cleaning process. It could be a human carcinogen.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If the EPA does find that any of these chemicals are overly harmful to humans, they will have two years to introduce new regulations concerning them. That could mean taking them out of the market completely.<\/p>\n