US EPA discloses names of 150 previously confidential chemicals

08 June 2011 21:10  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (ICIS)--US environmental officials on Wednesday said they are disclosing the identities of more than 150 chemicals that previously had been claimed as confidential information by producers.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the substances were covered by 104 industry-generated health and safety studies.

US chemicals manufacturers provide product-specific health and safety studies to the EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Producers may request and sometimes are granted anonymity for those substances as confidential business information (CBI).

Beginning in February, however, the agency began notifying companies that some of their claims for confidentiality were not justified and that the EPA would begin making the chemical names public.

EPA assistant administrator Steve Owens said that the agency would continue to disclose the names of chemicals listed as confidential in health studies if it is determined that those CBI claims were no longer necessary or valid.

“A health and safety study with the chemical name kept secret is completely useless to the public,” Owens said.

The disclosure of 150 chemical substance identities was the second such action by the agency. In March this year it released an initial batch of chemical names from 42 declassified health studies.

The substances made available for public information include chemicals used in such consumer products as air fresheners, non-stick and stain-resistant materials, fire retardants and others, the agency said.

By: Joe Kamalick
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly