In 2012, EPA will continue to require manufacturers and processors of existing chemicals to test their chemicals for health and environmental effects and submit the data to the Agency. Chemicals produced in annual volumes above 1 million pounds are considered High Production Volume or “HPV” chemicals. This subset of HPV chemicals is the main focus of EPA’s existing chemicals testing activities.
In addition, EPA will continue to review confidentiality claims for chemical identity in health and safety studies. EPA is moving to declassify many chemical identities so they are no longer secret. More chemical names connected with health and safety studies will be released in the future. The Agency plans to deny confidentiality claims for chemical identity in health and safety studies provided to the Agency under TSCA unless the chemical identity contains process or mixture information that is expressly protected by the law.