The Trump administration is looking to rewrite the way EPA evaluates dangerous existing chemicals, a move that jeopardizes the Biden administration’s efforts on formaldehyde and asbestos under the nation’s federal toxics law.
In an announcement Monday afternoon, the agency said it will initiate further rulemaking on multiple aspects of the chemical risk evaluation framework rule, finalized last year, including if assessors should determine whether a chemical as a whole poses unreasonable risks and if personal protective equipment should be considered when reviewing the risks of a chemical.
“Today’s announcement will allow EPA to develop a path forward to ensure a timely review of chemicals while bolstering our commitment to safeguard public health and the environment,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in the announcement.
The framework under the Toxic Substances Control Act has been a target for chemical industry groups, which have argued the Biden administration’s policy was overly broad. It’s the process regulators have followed when assessing the risks for approximately two dozen existing chemicals, including formaldehyde and legacy forms of asbestos.
