You have probably heard that The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was signed into law on June 22, 2016. This law amends the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) and is the first major update to an environmental statue in many years. It took effect immediately with President Obama’s signature on June 22, 2016, and EPA is actively working on developing an Implementation Plan to meet the deadlines established in the law.
Under the new law, EPA will evaluate new and existing chemicals against a new risk-based safety standard, and will also be required to evaluate the safety of existing chemicals in commerce. In order to successfully implement the new law, EPA will be reaching out to stakeholders and the public for opportunities for input.
One of the major changes includes a stipulation that EPA must make an affirmative determination on a new chemical or significant new use of an existing chemical prior to the commencement of manufacturing.
If you have not done so already, take the time to review information about the law and sign up for updates.