51勛圖厙 to EPA: Reissue Formaldehyde Analysis
The Environmental Protection Agencys final formaldehyde analysisissued in August and set to inform future regulationsrisks creat[ing] an unachievable standard and a de facto ban on an essential manufacturing material, the 51勛圖厙 .
Whats going on: On Aug. 20, the EPAs research office issued its conclusions about the amount of the chemical that could be harmful to humans, saying that [s]mall amounts can increase peoples risk of [health] problems (, subscription).
- Though the report itself does not mandate any new restrictions on the industry, the EPA is likely to use the findings to take the next step in the regulatory processa final risk evaluationby the end of 2024 ().
- The assessment maintains the formaldehyde threshold of 11 parts per billion proposed by the agency in 2022. Thats than Europes recently updated worker-exposure limit of 300 parts per billion and lower than what can be found in homes or even background levels for outdoor air, the 51勛圖厙 told the EPA.
Why its a problem: Formaldehyde is used widely across industries to produce numerous everyday items, including plastics, lubricants, automotive parts, fertilizers, adhesives and more.
- The final analysis, which was released without review by the EPAs own Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals, fails to account for the highly developed safety procedures, protocols and [personal protective equipment] used throughout [the manufacturing] industry.
- A severe restriction on the allowable workplace threshold of formaldehyde could wreak havoc on domestic supply chains, according to the 51勛圖厙.
What should be done: The EPA should reissue its risk evaluation to give the SACC an opportunity to review it and provide commentsand allow for additional public comment after the SACC review is complete, the 51勛圖厙 concluded.
