"In light of just-passed federal legislation, a chemical industry group is asking the Environmental Protection Agency to change course on its assessment of the most potent form of dioxin, a pollutant that causes cancer and is linked to reproductive problems. Such a move by the agency could drag out completion of the assessment, which has been underway for 20 years."
"The American Chemistry Council, a trade association, asked EPA in a Dec. 20 letter to delay release of the hazard assessment for 2,3,7,8-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Before it issues the document, ACC says, the agency should explain how the document hews to recent recommendations by the National Research Council.
In April, NRC included a number of recommendations for EPA to improve its assessments of chemicals as part of a report criticizing the agency’s draft document on the hazards of formaldehyde. EPA began implementing those recommendations in July.
Now, language in the final fiscal 2012 appropriations spending measure (H.R. 2055) that Congress passed last week instructs EPA to document how the NRC recommendations have been implemented for each draft chemical assessment it releases in 2012. The legislation also requires the agency to provide an explanation for any recommendation it does not follow. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the spending measure into law soon."
Cheryl Hogue reports for Chemical & Engineering News December 21, 2011.
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