EPA Holding Virtual Preparatory Meeting for SACC Review of Draft Documents Related to Cumulative Risk Assessment Under TSCA

On April 24, 2023, EPA will hold a virtual public preparatory meeting for the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) members, ad hoc reviewers, and the public to comment on and ask questions regarding the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions to be used for the May 8-11, 2023, review of two draft documents related to cumulative risk assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Earlier this year, EPA released for public comment and peer review a set of principles for evaluating cumulative risks under TSCA and an approach for applying those principles to the evaluation of the cumulative risk posed by certain phthalate chemicals undergoing TSCA section 6 risk evaluation.

• Draft Proposed Principles of Cumulative Risk Assessment Under the Toxic Substances Control Act: This document discusses what cumulative risk assessment is and how it could be used in the scientific and regulatory context of TSCA. A cumulative risk assessment will not always be the best approach, or possible to complete in the statutory timeframes provided for TSCA risk evaluations. But when chemicals are sufficiently similar toxicologically and are found to present co-exposures--meaning people are at exposed to multiple chemicals at the same time--a cumulative risk assessment may be appropriate.
• Draft Proposed Approach for Cumulative Risk Assessment of High-Priority Phthalates and a Manufacturer Requested Phthalate Under the Toxic Substance Control Act: This document describes a proposed methodology for evaluating cumulative risk for the phthalate chemicals currently under review. EPA proposes in its approach submitted for public comment and peer review that DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP, DCHP and DINP (but not DIDP) are toxicologically similar (and pose an additive hazard) and that the U.S. population is co-exposed to these phthalates. Therefore, EPA is proposing to group these phthalates for cumulative risk assessment under TSCA as described in the “Draft Proposed Approach” document. This proposed approach is not itself a cumulative risk assessment nor does it make a finding of risk, but rather is a methodology that EPA proposes to use and seeks public input about and peer review on. 

Register for the virtual preparatory meeting. After registering, you will receive the webcast meeting link and audio teleconference information for this public meeting. You may register and participate as a listen-only attendee at any time up to the end of the meeting. Requests to make brief (up to five minutes) oral comments to the SACC during the preparatory meeting can be submitted when registering and will be accepted until Friday April 21, 2023.

The two draft documents, draft charge questions, and other supporting materials are available at www.regulations.gov in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2021-0918. EPA is also accepting written comments on these documents until April 28, 2023, via the docket.

For additional information, visit the SACC website, view the February 28, 2023, Federal Register notice or contact the Designated Federal Official, Alaa Kamel at kamel.alaa@epa.gov or (202) 564-5336.