EPA kicks chemical regulations down the road

Workers in chemical plants, along with communities near such facilities, will have to wait longer for regulations that aim to reduce cancer and other health risks associated with widely used solvents like trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and carbon tetrachloride, and common building block chemicals like formaldehyde and 1,3-butadiene. While attention has focused on President Donald J. Trump’s moves to gut the federal workforce and slash funding that doesn’t align with his priorities, the US Environmental Protection Agency has been quietly delaying restrictions on many hazardous substances, from asbestos to air pollutants. Environmental groups fear the delays are a first step toward weakening or even eliminating the restrictions. Many of the targeted chemicals fall under the jurisdiction of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). On March 10, the EPA announced that it will revisit how it conducts risk evaluations under that law, amid widespread disagreement over its current framework. The announcement is the