EPA Issues Draft Risk Assessment for Chemical used in Spray Adhesives, Dry Cleaning and Degreasing /Assessment indicates risks to workers and consumer

"Today, the U. S. Environmental protection Agency (EPA) released for public comment and peer review a draft risk assessment for 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) used in spray adhesives, dry cleaning (including spot cleaners) applications, and degreasing uses.

“This draft assessment will provide workers and consumers with critical information about the risks associated with using 1-BP in these applications,” said Jim Jones assistant administrator for the office of chemical safety and pollution prevention. “Public and scientific peer review is an integral piece to ensure we use the best available science in evaluating this chemical.” 

The draft assessment of 1-BP, also known as n-propyl bromide, was conducted as part of EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Work Plan assessment effort. The chemical showed acute risks to women of childbearing age from adverse developmental effects. Other non-cancer and cancer health risks were identified for workers with repeated and chronic exposures, including neurotoxicity, kidney, liver, and reproductive toxicity, and lung cancer..."
Spray adhesives

Crib mattress dangers

"Babies spend over 50 percent of their day sleeping.  The National Science Foundation (NSF) Nordic Research Opportunity-funded researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and VTT Technical Research Center of Finland have discovered that while infants sleep, they also breathe in high levels of chemicals released from crib mattresses.

The team analyzed the foam padding in 20 new and old crib mattresses and found they emit significant amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), potentially harmful chemicals also found in household cleaners and scented sprays..."
crib mattress dangers

Chemview

"To improve chemical safety and provide more streamlined access to information on chemicals, EPA has built and is populating a new database. This new database, named ChemView, greatly improves access to health and safety data on chemicals regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). It contains information EPA receives and develops about chemicals including those on EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredient List..."
Chemview

EPA Removes Confidentiality Claims for More Than 150 Chemicals
"In order to ensure the public has as much information as possible about the health and the environmental impacts of chemicals, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made public the identities of more than 150 chemicals contained in 104 health and safety studies that had been claimed confidential by industry. Today’s announcement is another in a series of unprecedented actions that EPA is taking to provide the public with greater access to information on the chemicals that are manufactured and used in the United States.
For full list see Increasing Transparency in TSCA

EPA Makes Chemical Information More Accessible to Public For the first time, TSCA chemical inventory free of charge online
"As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s strong commitment to increase information on chemicals, for the first time, EPA is providing web access, free of charge, to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory. This inventory contains a consolidated list of thousands of industrial chemicals maintained by the agency. EPA is also making this information available on Data.Gov, a website developed by the Obama Administration to provide public access to important government information. This action represents another step to increase the transparency of chemical information while continuing to push for legislative reform of the 30 year old TSCA law.

“Increasing the public’s access to information on chemicals is one of Administrator Jackson’s top priorities,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “The American people are entitled to easily accessible information on chemicals, and today’s action is part of a series of ongoing steps that EPA is taking to empower the public with this important information.”

Until now, the consolidated public portion of the TSCA Inventory has only been available by purchase from the National Technical Reports Library or other databases. By adding the consolidated TSCA Inventory to the Agency’s website and to Data.Gov, EPA is making this information readily available to the public at no cost..."
For access to the entire TSCA Inventory