EPA Calls for Comments on Candidates for Peer Review of Two Phthalates
Released April 24, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for public comments on candidates under consideration to serve as ad hoc reviewers assisting the Agency’s Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) in the peer review of the draft risk evaluation for Di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and the hazard analysis supporting the draft risk evaluation for Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP).
EPA is conducting risk evaluations for DIDP and DINP under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) at the manufacturers’ request. Under TSCA, manufacturers can request that EPA conduct risk evaluations on chemicals they manufacture. EPA decided in 2019 to conduct the risk evaluations concurrently because of the many similarities the two chemicals share. DIDP and DINP are both phthalates, and therefore have similar physical properties and exposure to humans and the environment. Both DIDP and DINP are primarily used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in consumer, commercial, and industrial applications.
Biographies for all candidates are available via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2024-0073 and through the SACC website. Comments should be submitted to the docket on regulations.gov. Comments are due May 9. When providing comments, do not submit any information you consider to be confidential business information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Members of the public should also be aware that personal contact information, if included in any written comments, may be posted on the internet.
This call for comments follows the Agency’s February 2024 call for nominations of prospective candidates. During the nomination and selection process, peer reviewer candidates are asked to submit confidential financial information. This confidential financial information must fully disclose, among other financial interests, the candidate's employment, stocks and bonds, and where applicable, sources of research support. EPA evaluates the candidates' financial disclosure forms to assess whether there are financial conflicts of interest, appearance of a loss of impartiality, or any prior involvement with the development of the documents under consideration (including previous scientific peer review) before the candidates are considered further.
The SACC peer review will take place during a virtual public meeting at the end of July 2024. Registration information will be provided in early summer. EPA is specifically seeking the SACC’s feedback on novel approaches, unique exposure analyses and other calculations, and selection of key hazard endpoints. The SACC’s peer review will inform the Agency’s final risk evaluations and risk management decisions under TSCA.
The SACC serves as a scientific peer review mechanism of EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. It provides independent scientific advice and recommendations to EPA on the scientific basis for risk assessments, methodologies and pollution prevention measures and approaches for chemicals regulated under TSCA.
For more information, contact the Designated Federal Official, Dr. Alaa Kamel, kamel.alaa@epa.gov.