Noteworthy chemicals regulated under TSCA
- Congress singled out six toxic chemicals for TSCA regulations.
When one thinks of toxic chemicals, certain substances come to mind, such as asbestos and lead. Congress singled out six chemicals for regulations — asbestos, formaldehyde, lead, mercury; persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals; and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Two other chemicals have also risen to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) attention (and regulation):
- Methylene chloride, and
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
All eight chemicals are worthy of further discussion and regulated as shown in the table:
| Toxic substance | Related CFR | Authorizing U.S. Code |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos | 40 CFR 704.180 | 15 U.S.C. 2607(a) |
| 40 CFR 763 | 15 U.S.C. 2605, 2607(c), 2643, and 2646 | |
| Formaldehyde | 40 CFR 770 | 15 U.S.C. 2697(d) |
| Lead | 40 CFR 745 | 15 U.S.C. 2605, 2607, 2681-2692 and 42 U.S.C. 4852d |
| Mercury | 40 CFR 713 | 15 U.S.C. 2607(b)(10)(D) |
| Methylene chloride | 40 CFR 751 Subpart B | 15 U.S.C. 2605 and 2625(l)(4) |
| PBT Chemicals | 40 CFR 751 Subpart E | 15 U.S.C. 2605 and 2625(l)(4) |
| PCBs | 40 CFR 761 | 15 U.S.C. 2605, 2607, 2611, 2614, and 2616 |
| PFAS | 40 CFR 705 | 15 U.S.C. 2607(a)(7) |
Note that EPA has other chemical-specific regulations under 40 CFR 700 to 799. However, whether flagged as a “noteworthy chemical” or not, facilities must determine if the chemicals or mixtures they manufacture, import, process, distribute, use, or dispose of are regulated and, if so, follow applicable regulations.