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Congress is taking a run at passing a bill that will allow greater control over chemical content of products by the EPA.
Senators David Vitter (R-La.) and the late Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced S. 1009, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), in May 2013. The CSIA provides a new approach to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform that, to date, has met with broad stakeholder approval. Highlights of the draftbill are below.
Key provisions
The CSIA establishes a new safety standard: "no unreasonable risk of harm to human health or the environment will result from exposure to the chemical substance." All assessments, determinations, or other analyses are whether a chemical meets this safety standard "under its intended conditions of use."
Chemical assessment framework
EPA is required to use a risk-based evaluative framework for decision-making that employs the best available science and risk assessment principles. CSIA specifies data and information quality requirements and ensures that EPA considers data and information submitted by the public.
Chemical prioritization screening process
EPA...