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Many thousands of chemicals and their compounds are developed each year with unknown toxic or dangerous characteristics. To prevent tragic consequences resulting from the handling of these substances, Congress signed the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) into law in October 1976. TSCA was created to:
TSCA authorizes EPA to establish and regulate chemical substances under 40 CFR 700 through 799. TSCA requires that any chemical that reaches the consumer marketplace be tested for possible toxic effects prior to commercial manufacture. Any existing chemical that poses health and environmental hazards is tracked and reported under TSCA. Procedures also are authorized for corrective action under TSCA in cases of cleanup of toxic materials contamination. TSCA supplements other federal statutes, including the Clean Air Act and the Toxic Release Inventory under the Emergency Planning and Community Right To Know Act (EPCRA).
TSCA also covers asbestos abatement and asbestos-containing products, as well as lead-based paint abatement.
The purpose of TSCA is to develop information on toxic substances and regulate those which present an unreasonable risk. This is done through the four subchapters of the Act, each of which is summarized below.
Subchapter I—Toxic substances
Subchapter II—Asbestos
Subchapter III—Radon
Subchapter IV—Lead