"150 Chemicals Are No Longer Incognito"

"This month the Environmental Protection Agency made public the names of 150 chemicals that were investigated in health and safety studies but whose identities were withheld as confidential business information.

The release of the information, which identified chemicals researched in 104 studies, reflects a slow but determined effort by the E.P.A. to reform what it views as a flawed system for regulating toxic substances. It is the second disclosure of its kind this year, after the release of 40 chemicals' names in March.

The agency is working to remedy what it views as the abuse of so called C.B.I. privileges, which prevent the public from learning that a specific chemical may pose risks."

Joanna M. Foster reports for the New York Times' Green blog June 13, 2011.