The new section 6(h) of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which greatly expanded the reach of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), requires that within 3 years of the June 22, 2016, date of enactment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must propose rules to reduce risks (by reducing exposure) to chemicals in commerce, which are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT).
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Because PBT chemicals present particularly problematic dangers to public health, section 6(h) provided that the EPA could regulate these substances in an expedited manner. The Agency has now announced the five chemicals that will be subject to the expedited rulemaking.