EPA Solicits Requests for Chemical Substance Nominations

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice on the Federal Register calling for public “nominations for substances to be considered for an assessment or reassessment in its IRIS Program”, similar to the request made by OSHA a couple of months ago (see: http://chemdaq.blogspot.com/2010/09/osha-recognizes-its-shortfalls.html). The EPA’s IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System, www.epa.gov/iris) Program collects data and evaluates risk information on effects that may result from exposure to environmental contaminants. The database itself contains searchable documents describing the health effects of exposure to more than 540 different chemical substances for which the EPA issues exposure level recommendations.

According to the EPA, nominations are evaluated on 5 factors:

(1) Potential public health impact
(2) EPA statutory, regulatory, or program-specific implementation needs
(3) Availability of new scientific information or methodology that might significantly change the current IRIS information
(4) Interest to other governmental agencies or the public
(5) Availability of other scientific assessment documents that could serve as a basis for an IRIS assessment

We are encouraging readers to submit nominations for Peracetic Acid (PAA) as well as Ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), which are both used in the sterilization and disinfection of medical instruments, and whose potential adverse health effects have been well-documented.

Nominations are being accepted via email (ORD.Docket@epa.gov) as well as online (http://regulations.gov/ , enter Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0744, and select “submit a comment”).

The notice on the Federal Register and complete instructions can be found here:
http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2010/10/18/2010-26159/integrated-risk-information-system-iris-request-for-chemical-substance-nominations-for-2011-program.