EPA’s Actions to Restrict PFOA and Similar Chemicals Yield Significant Human Health and Environmental Benefits
Due to the agency’s efforts, the CDC
finds a 41 percent reduction in human blood-levels
WASHINGTON – To further agency
and industry achievements, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today
proposed measures to ensure that perfluorinated chemicals that have been phased
out do not re-enter the marketplace without review.
”Through our environmental stewardship
program, eight companies have helped us make real progress to reduce these
chemicals as evidenced in the CDC findings” said Jim Jones, assistant
administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “We
will continue that progress now that all importers and other domestic
manufacturers will be required to give EPA an opportunity to review and
restrict uses of these perfluorinated chemicals.”
Today’s action builds on several EPA has
taken since 2006, when reaching an agreement with companies to phase-out the
chemicals by the end of 2015. Participating companies are on track to
phase-out the chemicals by the end of 2015 and have successfully developed over
150 alternatives. EPA is also releasing the 2013 and 2104 companies’ progress
in meeting the 2015 phase-out goal.
These chemicals are used in a wide range of
industrial applications and consumer goods, including cleaners, textiles,
carpet, leather, paper and paints, fire-fighting foams, and wire insulation.
These chemicals are toxic, persist in the environment worldwide, and can
accumulate in people and animals.
EPA is proposing this Significant New Use
Rule (SNUR) for Long-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylate chemicals in part in
anticipation of this 2015 phase-out deadline. In 2013, EPA issued a final
Significant New Use Rule for use of perfluorinated chemicals in carpets and
carpet aftercare products. EPA has also issued other Significant New Use Rules
on perfluorinated chemicals, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and
perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFAS) that were voluntarily phased-out of
production.
This proposal requires that anyone who intends to import these perfluorinated chemicals, including in products, or domestically produce or process these chemicals for any new use submit a notification to EPA at least 90 days before beginning the activity. This notice will provide the agency with an opportunity to evaluate the new use and, if necessary, take action to prohibit or limit the activity.
This proposal requires that anyone who intends to import these perfluorinated chemicals, including in products, or domestically produce or process these chemicals for any new use submit a notification to EPA at least 90 days before beginning the activity. This notice will provide the agency with an opportunity to evaluate the new use and, if necessary, take action to prohibit or limit the activity.
Information on today’s proposed rule and
other actions EPA has taken on long-chain perfluorinated chemicals can be found
at: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/actionplans/pfcs.html
Information on progress on the 2010-2015 PFOA
Stewardship Program can be found at: http://epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/stewardship/index.html