Table of Milestones under the Amended Toxic Substances Control Act

The following table shows major milestones and events since the passage of the Lautenberg Act amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

View an interactive timeline of these milestones.

Year	Month	Milestone	Description
2020	June	Stopping Use of Certain PFAS in Products	EPA issued a final rule giving the agency the authority to review an expansive list of products containing PFAS before they could be manufactured, sold, or imported in the U.S. As part of the agency's review, EPA can also place restrictions on these products to protect public health. More about PFAS actions under TSCA.
2020	June	First Final Risk Evaluation Released	EPA released the final risk evaluation for methylene chloride, the first risk evaluation to be completed under amended TSCA. Releasing the agency's final risk findings on this chemical after reviewing input from the public and peer reviewers completes the risk evaluation process required by TSCA. More about chemicals undergoing risk evaluation.
2020	May	Updated Small Manufacturer Definition	EPA updated the definition of small manufacturers used to determine reporting and recordkeeping requirements under amended TSCA. The updated definition reduces reporting burdens on chemical manufacturers and small governments while maintaining the agency's ability to receive the information it needs to understand exposure to chemical substances manufactured in the U.S. More about the updated definition.
2020	April	Draft Scope Documents for Next 20 Chemicals	EPA released the draft scope documents for the next group of chemicals undergoing risk evaluation under amended TSCA. More about the draft scope documents.
2020	March	Chemical Data Reporting Rule Amendments	EPA finalized amendments to the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule that reduce the burden for certain CDR reporters, improve the quality of CDR data collected, and align reporting requirements with amended TSCA. More about CDR rule amendments.
2020	March	2020 Mercury Inventory Report	EPA published the 2020 Mercury Inventory Report on the supply, use, and trade of mercury in the U.S. This report is the first inventory published after finalizing the mercury inventory reporting rule. Information in the report comes directly from the companies that are using, manufacturing, or importing mercury, providing EPA and the public with more reliable and complete information. More about the 2020 report.
2020	February	New Requirements for Making CBI Claims	EPA released the final process companies must follow to make certain CBI claims and the agency's plan for reviewing those claims. This final rule laying out these new requirements creates an efficient process for fulfilling the CBI requirements under amended TSCA and provides clarity for affected stakeholders. More about TSCA CBI.
2020	February	Final List of Low-Priority Chemicals	EPA published a list of 20 chemicals identified as low priority for risk evaluations under amended TSCA. A final designation as 'low-priority' means that risk evaluations are not warranted at this time. More about low-priority chemicals.
2019	December	First Two Manufacturer Requested Risk Evaluations Granted	EPA granted the first two manufacturer requests for risk evaluations for DIDP and DINP, two chemicals commonly used in the production of plastic and plastic coating to increase flexibility. More about manufacturer requested risk evaluations.
2019	December	Updated List of Alternative Test Methods	EPA updated its list of alternative test methods or strategies that do not require new vertebrate animal testing. This furthers the agency's work under amended TSCA to reduce and replace, to the extent practicable and scientifically justified, the use of vertebrate animals in the testing of chemicals. More about reducing animal testing under TSCA.
2019	December	Information on Completed CBI Reviews Available Online	EPA published a new webpage detailing cases with completed TSCA CBI determinations. The new CBI webpage includes a table of all the final CBI determinations under amended TSCA. More about TSCA CBI reviews.
2019	December	First Annual Conference on New Approach Methods	On December 17, 2019, EPA held the first annual conference to discuss alternative test methods and strategies to reduce animal testing. EPA's conference brought together some of the leading voices in environmental and health research to discuss efforts to reduce testing on mammals. More about December conference.
2019	December	Next 20 Chemicals for Risk Evaluation	EPA announced the next 20 chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under amended TSCA. Finalizing this list of high-priority chemicals for risk evaluation was the final step in the prioritization process outlined in TSCA. More about chemicals undergoing risk evaluation.
2019	November	Additional Information on New Chemicals Available Online	EPA published new, easily searchable webpages containing information on new chemicals cases. These webpages increase transparency by providing information such as the date the notice was received by EPA, case number, and chemical substance identity. More about new chemicals notices received by EPA.
2019	November	Methylene Chloride Ban Goes into Effect	After November 22, 2019, all persons are prohibited from manufacturing (including importing), processing, and distributing in commerce, including distribution to and by retailers, methylene chloride for consumer paint and coating removal. More about the methylene chloride ban.
2019	September	TSCA Inventory Updated with Unique Identifiers	EPA posted the first public TSCA Inventory to include unique identifier (UID) information. The UID is a numerical identifier assigned to a chemical substance when EPA approves a CBI claim for specific chemical identity. More about the TSCA Inventory.
2019	August	New Chemicals Status Tracker	EPA released an updated version of its new chemicals status tracker, continuing the agency's commitment to transparency by making additional information about new chemical notices available to the public on the agency's website. Visitors to the updated tracker can view and search monthly updates for any active new chemicals case. More about the new chemicals status tracker.
2019	June	Proposed Rule on PBT Chemicals	EPA proposed a rule to reduce exposures to certain chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT). These chemicals build up in the environment over time and can therefore have potential risks for exposed populations including the general population, consumer and commercial uses, and susceptible subpopulations (such as workers, subsistence fishers, tribes and children). More about PBT chemicals.
2019	June	First SACC Meeting	EPA held the first meeting of the SACC to peer review the draft risk evaluation for PV29. More about the SACC.
2019	Apirl	Strengthening Regulations on Asbestos	EPA issued a final rule that strengthens the agency's ability to rigorously review an expansive list of asbestos products that are no longer on the market before they could be sold again in the United States. More about EPA actions to protect the public from asbestos.
2019	March	Methylene Chloride Ban	EPA issued a final rule to prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution of methylene chloride in all paint removers for consumer use. EPA also required manufacturers, processors, and distributors to notify retailers and others in their supply chains of the prohibitions and to keep basic records. More about the methylene chloride ban.
2019	March	Prioritizing Chemicals for Risk Evaluation	EPA published a list of 40 chemicals to begin the prioritization process, which is the initial step in the process of reviewing chemicals currently in commerce under the amended TSCA. More about the TSCA prioritization process.
2019	February	First Major Update to TSCA Inventory in 40 Years	EPA released an update of the TSCA Inventory, including information on which chemicals are actively being manufactured, processed, and imported in the United States. More about the TSCA Inventory.
2018	November	First Draft Risk Evaluation Released	EPA released the draft risk evaluation for pigment violet 29 (PV29), one of the first ten chemicals undergoing risk evaluation under amended TSCA. More about chemicals undergoing risk evaluation.
2018	September	Final TSCA Fees Rule	EPA finalized a rule to collect fees from certain chemical manufacturers, including importers, to provide a sustainable source of funding to a portion of TSCA implementation costs. More about TSCA fees.
2018	June	Reducing Animal Testing	EPA finalized a strategy to promote the development and implementation of alternative test methods and strategies to reduce, refine or replace vertebrate animal testing. More about reducing animal testing under TSCA.
2018	June	Guidance on Accessing CBI	EPA finalized guidance outlining the circumstances under which amended TSCA allows the agency to disclose CBI and how state, tribal, and local governments; environmental, health, and medical professionals; and emergency responders can request disclosure. More about guidance on accessing CBI.
2018	June	Unique Identifiers for Chemicals	EPA issued a policy to better publicly track information on chemicals while protecting CBI. Assigning unique identifiers to chemicals allows the public to connect information related to the same substance, even while the specific identity is protected as confidential. More about unique identifiers.
2018	June	Generic Names Guidance	EPA issued guidance on developing structurally descriptive generic names for chemical identities being claimed as CBI. This guidance allows EPA to share more information with the public about the structure of substances while protecting the confidential elements of the substance's specific chemical identity. More about generic names.
2018	June	Problem Formulation Documents for First 10 Chemicals	EPA released problem formulation documents that refine the scope of the risk evaluations for the first 10 chemicals. More about chemicals undergoing risk evaluation.
2018	June	Systematic Review	EPA published a document setting out general principles to guide the agency's selection and review of studies for TSCA risk evaluations. The document also provides the public with continued transparency regarding how EPA plans to evaluate scientific information. More about systematic review.
2018	June	Final Mercury Reporting Rule	EPA finalized a rule to require reporting from persons who manufacture (including import) mercury or mercury-added products, or otherwise intentionally use mercury in a manufacturing process. The rule supports future, triennial publications of the mercury inventory. More about mercury reporting requirements.
2017	June	Final Prioritization Process Rule	EPA finalized a rule to establish the process and criteria for identifying high-priority chemicals for risk evaluation and low-priority chemicals for which risk evaluation is not warranted at this time. More about the TSCA prioritization process.
2017	June	Final Risk Evaluation Process Rule	EPA finalized a rule to establish the process for evaluating high-priority chemicals to determine whether or not they present an unreasonable risk to health or the environment. More about the TSCA risk evaluation process.
2017	June	Final Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Rule	EPA finalized a rule to require industry reporting of chemicals manufactured, imported, or processed in the U.S. over the past 10 years. This reporting is used to identify which chemical substances on the TSCA Inventory are active in U.S. commerce and helps inform the chemicals EPA prioritizes for risk evaluation. More about the active-inactive rule.
2017	June	Scope Documents for First 10 Chemicals	EPA released scope documents for the first 10 chemicals undergoing risk evaluation under amended TSCA. These documents identify which uses of the chemicals will be evaluated and how the evaluation will be conducted. More about chemicals undergoing risk evaluation.
2017	June	Risk Evaluation Guidance	EPA published guidance to assist interested persons in developing and submitting draft risk evaluations to EPA. The guidance describes the science standards, data quality considerations, and the steps of the risk evaluation process that external parties should follow when developing draft TSCA risk evaluations. More about the TSCA risk evaluation guidance.
2017	March	Initial Mercury Inventory	EPA issued an initial inventory of mercury supply, use, and trade in the United States. This inventory report was a compilation of publicly available data. Read the initial inventory report.
2017	January	Upfront Substantiation of CBI Claims	EPA began requiring that chemical manufacturers and other entities who submit information to EPA under amended TSCA provide support for non-exempt confidential business information (CBI) claims at the time the information claimed as CBI is submitted to EPA. More about TSCA CBI.
2016	November	First 10 Chemicals for Risk Evaluation	EPA selected the first 10 chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under amended TSCA. View the first 10 chemicals.
2016	August	Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals	EPA established the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) to provide scientific advice and recommendations to EPA on the scientific basis for risk assessments, methodologies, and pollution prevention measures and approaches for chemicals regulated under amended TSCA. More about the SACC.
2016	August	Mercury Export Ban Additions	EPA issued additions to the Mercury Export Ban, which is intended to reduce the availability of elemental (metallic) mercury in domestic and international markets. Read the Federal Register Notice on Mercury Export Prohibitions.
2016	June	Lautenberg Act Amendments to TSCA	On June 22, 2016, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was signed into law. The Lautenberg Act amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), our nation's primary chemicals management law. More about TSCA.