EPA Announces Environmental Justice Consultations on Risk Management Rulemakings for HBCD and Carbon Tetrachloride
For Release: January 7, 2021
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding webinars to consult with environmental justice communities on risk management for the cyclic aliphatic bromide cluster (HBCD) and carbon tetrachloride. The webinars are open to the public and will focus on the environmental justice impacts of the agency’s development of proposed rules to address the unreasonable risks identified in the final TSCA risk evaluations for these chemicals.
EPA is holding two identical consultation webinars, one on February 2, 2021 and the other on February 18, 2021. Both sessions will address HBCD and carbon tetrachloride. EPA is offering these repeated sessions to increase opportunities for participation. Both sessions will provide an overview of the TSCA risk management requirements, the findings from the final risk evaluations, the tools available to manage the unreasonable risks from HBCD and carbon tetrachloride, and discussion of environmental justice concerns. In addition to being open to the public, EPA is inviting national, local and non-governmental organizations, communities, and other interested stakeholders to participate.
In addition to environmental justice consultations, EPA is executing a robust outreach effort on risk management that includes formal consultations with small businesses, state and local governments, and tribes. There will also be an open public comment period on the proposed risk management regulations.
Find registration information for the consultation webinars.Exit
Learn more about EPA’s risk management outreach.
Background
Under TSCA, EPA is required to evaluate the risks associated with existing chemicals in commerce using the best available science before taking action to address any unreasonable risks. The agency has issued two final risk evaluations, HBCD in September 2020 and carbon tetrachloride in November 2020. The final risk evaluation for HBCD shows unreasonable risks to workers and the environment, and the final risk evaluation for carbon tetrachloride shows unreasonable risk to workers and occupational non-users under certain conditions of use. EPA is now moving to risk management for these chemicals, the next step in the process required by TSCA.
Learn more about the risk evaluation process required by TSCA.