As part of a plan to reform the nation’s regulation of toxic chemicals, the Obama administration tonight announced it would conduct a new review of the health effects of perfluorinated chemicals including PFOA, or C8.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that PFCs are among six chemicals being considered for development of “Existing Chemical Action Plans” as part of the administration’s “comprehensive approach” to improve EPA’s policing of toxic chemicals.
There is tons of information from EPA about this program here, and some solid news coverage elsewhere from Elizabeth Weise at USA Today and Jane Kay at Environmental Health News.
Here’s what EPA said about these Existing Chemical Action Plans:
These action plans will be based on EPA’s review of available hazard, exposure, and use information, and will outline the risks that each chemical may present and what specific steps the Agency will take to address those concerns. Those steps may include initiating regulatory action to label, restrict, or ban a chemical, or to require the submission of additional data needed to determine the risk. If EPA determines that a chemical doesn’t present a need for action, EPA will make that information available.
EPA is currently evaluating an initial set of chemicals for action plan development, including:
- Benzidine dyes and pigments
- Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Penta, octa, and decabromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in products
- Perfluorinated chemicals
- Phthalates
- Short-chain chlorinated paraffins
In December 2009, EPA will post the action plans on the first four chemicals to this website.
EPA will also initiate a public dialogue on its continued efforts to prioritize additional chemicals for assessment, and plans to post action plans on those chemicals on a quarterly basis.
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DuPont’s evasive and secretive Management has never come clean with respect to their vilely toxic Teflon chemical PFOA, a likely human carcinogen as adjudged by the EPA’s own Science Advisory Panel. Millions of Americans are concerned and fearful over what DuPont is putting into their bodies.
Kudos to a re-invigorated EPA and the power of the people.
…funfundvierzig..
[...] chemicals such as PFOA. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson had promised these action plans back in late September, when she announced her agency was stepping up efforts to address the dangers of toxic chemicals [...]