Friday, May 13, 2011

Overhauling US Chemical Policy Will Create Jobs, Study Finds

Overhauling US Chemical Policy Will Create Jobs, Study Finds
http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2011/05/overhauling_us_chemical_law_wi.php

"For many years, the public health and environmental communities have been calling for reform of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which governs the use of chemicals in US commerce. Instead of requiring companies to demonstrate the safety of chemicals they intend to use or produce, TSCA puts the burden on EPA to request this data and justify their request based on anticipated hazards or substantial human exposures. EPA can only ban or restrict a chemical if it presents "an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment." Of the tens of thousands of chemicals now in use in this country, EPA only regulates five under TSCA. Of the 62,000 chemicals already used in commerce before implementation began in 1979, EPA has required testing for fewer than 200."

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