TSCA new chemical reviews ‘top priority’ for EPA

The US EPA is pushing to complete 80% of its pre-manufacture notice (PMN) reviews within the 90-day window allotted by TSCA, attendees at a recent Chemical Watch event have heard. Speaking last week in Washington, DC, Alexandra Dunn, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, acknowledged the agency’s past challenges with completing its reviews within the statutorily permitted timeframe. But she said improving on this performance in most cases is a key goal. "Generally we are striving to hit 80% and if we can beat it, even better," Ms Dunn said on 4 November. "It is a top priority for us." Ms Dunn said that as of 1 October, the agency has completed over 2,300 new chemical reviews since the 2016 passage of the Lautenberg amendment to TSCA. And speaking later in the day on a TSCA panel, Intertek’s Rose Passarella said that she’s "extremely happy" that the 2019 reviews have been progressing "at a fairly robust rate – mostly under 90 days."