EPA plans to assess the risks of five cancer-linked chemicals used to make plastics, which could lead to restrictions or bans limiting the widely used substances including vinyl chloride.
The agency will officially propose to designate the chemicals as “high priority” under the Toxic Substances Control Act, a designation that triggers a 3½-year review process to decide if each chemical poses unreasonable risks. If a chemical is found to be too risky, EPA would then have to regulate it.
Thursday’s publication of the proposed rule starts the clock on the 90-day public comment period and puts it on track to be finalized before President Joe Biden’s term ends.
The proposal comes eight months after EPA launched the prioritization process for the five chemicals: vinyl chloride, acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine and 4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA).
