Final Health Assessment For Tetrachloroethylene (Perc) Released

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the final health assessment for tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene, or perc) to EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. The assessment replaces the 1988 IRIS assessment for perc and for the first time includes a hazard characterization for cancer effects. Perc is a chemical solvent widely used in the dry cleaning industry. It is also used in the cleaning of metal machinery and to manufacture some consumer products and other chemicals. The final assessment characterizes perc as a “likely human carcinogen.” The assessment provides estimates for both cancer and non-cancer effects associated with exposure to perc over a lifetime.

EPA did not believe that wearing clothes dry cleaned with perc will result in exposures which pose a risk of concern. EPA has already taken several actions to reduce exposure to perc. EPA has clean air standards for dry cleaners that use perc, including requirements that will phase-out the use of perc by dry cleaners in residential buildings by December 21, 2020. EPA also set limits for perc allowed in drinking water and levels for cleaning up perc at Superfund sites throughout the country, which will be updated in light of the final IRIS assessment.

In the future, the toxicity values reported in the perc IRIS assessment will be considered in:

• Establishing cleanup levels at Superfund sites where perc is a contaminant,
• Revising EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for perc in drinking water, and
• Evaluating whether to propose additional limits on air emissions of perc.

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New Contaminants Proposed For SDWA Monitoring

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing 30 currently unregulated contaminants for monitoring in water systems. Under the authority Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), EPA currently regulates more than 90 contaminants in drinking water. The SDWA requires that EPA identify up to 30 unregulated contaminants for monitoring every five years. This current proposal is the third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation and includes requirements to monitor for two viruses and 28 chemical contaminants that could be present in drinking water and do not currently have health-based standards.

EPA is requesting public comment on the proposed list of 30 contaminants until May 2, 2011. Following the comment period, EPA will consider input and finalize the list in 2012, with sampling to be conducted from 2013 to 2015. Sampling will take place at all systems serving more than 10,000 people and at a representative sampling of systems serving less than 10,000 people.

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Additional Potential Endocrine Disruptors Identified For Screening

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified a list of 134 chemicals that will be screened for their potential to disrupt the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and possibly disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by the human or animal endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction.

The list includes chemicals that have been identified as priorities under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and may be found in sources of drinking water. The list also includes pesticide active ingredients that are being evaluated under EPA’s registration review program to ensure they meet current scientific and regulatory standards. The data generated from the screens will provide information to help EPA identify whether additional testing is necessary, or whether other steps are necessary to address potential endocrine disrupting chemicals.

The chemicals listed include those used in products such as solvents, gasoline, plastics, personal care products, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, including benzene, perchlorate, urethane, ethylene glycol, and erythromycin.

EPA also released draft policies and procedures that EPA will follow to order testing, minimize duplicative testing, promote equitable cost-sharing, and to address issues that are unique to chemicals regulated under the SDWA.

After public comment and review, EPA will issue test orders to pesticide registrants and the manufacturers of these chemicals requiring them to generate data to determine whether their chemicals may disrupt the estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways of the endocrine system.

EPA is already screening an initial group of 67 pesticide chemicals. In October 2009, the agency issued orders to companies requiring endocrine disruptor screening program data for these chemicals. EPA will begin issuing orders for this second group of 134 chemicals beginning in 2011.

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