PROTECTING ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

RTKnet: Chemical Evaluations

EPA Proposes New Expansions to the Toxics Release Inventory Program (OMB Watch)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced its plans to expand the industry sectors required to report to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program and to require electronic reporting for all TRI data. These steps are part of EPA's ongoing efforts to improve and reinvigorate the TRI program.

(18 Jul 2011)

EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals (EPA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making it easier to find data about chemicals. EPA is releasing two databases — the Toxicity Forecaster database (ToxCastDB) and a database of chemical exposure studies (ExpoCastDB) — that scientists and the public can use to access chemical toxicity and exposure data.

(16 Jun 2011)

EPA's Right-to-Know Effort Discloses Chemicals in 42 Health and Safety Studies (Environmental Defense Fund)

EDF reports: "EPA has just released today the full versions — showing the identities of the chemicals in question — of 41 'substantial risk' notices of health and safety studies it had previously received from companies that had denied the public's right to know those identities by claiming them to be confidential business information (CBI)."

(25 Mar 2011)

EPA Making Good on Chemical Transparency, But More Is Needed (OMB Watch)

The EPA is disclosing more information about hazardous chemicals while challenging industry claims that information should be concealed as trade secrets. With major reforms of the nation's chemical law held up in Congress, public health advocates are pushing EPA to take more aggressive action to make chemical health and safety information available to the public.

(24 Feb 2011)

EPA Seeks to Enhance Public Access to Chemical Data (OMB Watch)

The EPA has proposed several changes to its regulation of chemicals that should improve the public's access to crucial information. The improved data collected under the proposed rule will help the agency and the public identify potential chemical risks and take action to manage those risks.

(20 Aug 2010)

BPA Linked to Decreased Sperm Quantity and Quality (Environment News Service)

Researchers have found a connection between urinary concentrations of Bisphenol A, or BPA, and decreased sperm quality and quantity. The results of the study show that the sperm concentrations of men with the highest concentrations of BPA were 23 percent lower on average with a 10 percent increase in sperm DNA damage. According to the study's lead author, "Much of the focus for BPA is on the exposures in utero or in early life...but this suggests exposure may also be a concern for adults."

(04 Aug 2010)

TAKE ACTION - Tell Congress to Support Research on Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange)

A growing pandemic of endocrine-related disorders, such as ADHD, Parkinsons, Alzheimers, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, early puberty, infertility and other reproductive disorders, and childhood and adult cancers, is seriously undermining the health and wealth of our nation. TAKE ACTION and demand greater research to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals and determine their safety.

(03 Aug 2010)

EPA Releases Second Phase of Toxicity Testing Data for Oil Dispersants (EPA)

The EPA released peer-reviewed results from the second phase of its independent toxicity testing on the mixture of eight oil dispersants with Louisiana Sweet Crude Oil. EPA has concluded that the eight dispersants have similar toxicities to one another and to Corexit 9500 based on the mixtures' impacts on juvenile shrimp and small fish. Administrator Lisa P. Jackson asserted, "EPA has committed to following the science at every stage of this response."

(02 Aug 2010)

NRDC Sues FDA for 30 Year Delay in Regulating Antimicrobials (NRDC)

The NRDC sued the FDA because the agency failed to finalize a 32 year old document that would regulate the use of triclosan and triclocarban, which are widely used and unregulated despite potential health risks, in hand soaps and body washes. The FDA revealed that these chemicals are minimally effective and data from laboratory animal studies shows that the chemicals interfere with hormones necessary for development and reproduction.

(28 Jul 2010)

Disputed Chemical Bisphenol-A Found in Paper Receipts (The Washington Post)

The EWG reported that researchers found Bisphenol-A on 40 percent of receipts collected from automated teller machines, supermarkets, gas stations, and chain stores, which could explain why the chemical can be detected in approximately 93 percent of Americans' urine. According to the EWG, "We've come across potentially major sources of BPA in our daily lives...you could be getting all kinds of exposure and not realize it."

(27 Jul 2010)