EPA Releases Peer Review Comments on White Paper for Asbestos Part 2 Risk Evaluation under TSCA
Released December 28, 2023
Today, EPA released comments from the letter peer review for its 2023 white paper presenting the Agency’s quantitative approach for the human health risk assessment for part 2 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation for asbestos, which will include all fiber types and legacy uses.
Under the previous Administration, EPA narrowed the scope of the TSCA risk evaluation for asbestos by only reviewing ongoing uses and excluding legacy uses and disposals. Because only chrysotile asbestos has ongoing uses, other fiber types were not considered. However, in 2019, a court ruled that the Agency unlawfully excluded “legacy uses” and “associated disposal” from TSCA’s definition of “conditions of use,” resulting in the need to supplement the agency’s initial review of asbestos (“part 1”) with a “part 2” risk evaluation, which focuses on legacy uses and associated disposals. Part 2 also includes other types of asbestos fibers in addition to chrysotile (crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite) as well as asbestos-containing talc.
Exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other serious health effects. In order to evaluate the risks of asbestos in the manner required under the law, EPA needs to quantify these hazards. In August 2023, EPA released a white paper for public comment and letter peer review identifying existing hazard values for asbestos and describing how the Agency proposes to use them in the risk evaluation. EPA also described its systematic review approach to identify and evaluate relevant scientific studies for the quantification of asbestos hazards and to make decisions about which are most relevant for part 2 of the risk evaluation in a fit-for-purpose manner.
Consistent with EPA and OMB guidance on peer review of scientific and technical work products, EPA requested a letter peer review by independent experts of the quantitative approach to the human health assessment to be used in part 2 of the risk evaluation. The Agency submitted this white paper, rather than the full draft risk evaluation, for peer review to focus on key technical aspects of the forthcoming risk evaluation and to make the most efficient use of the experts’ time.
The peer review comments are available in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0309 and through the Agency’s TSCA Scientific Peer Review Committee’s website. The peer review comments will help shape the asbestos part 2 risk evaluation which the Agency plans to release for public comment early in 2024.
For additional information, contact Tamue L. Gibson, MS, Peer Review Leader at gibson.tamue@epa.gov.