Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Today’s workplace uses thousands of chemicals, many of which are hazardous. The resources in this section will help guide you in the safe and legal identification, storage, transport, and use of these chemicals, and in making sure that your employees right to know how to be safe around such substances is provided, as required by law.
In March 2024, the EPA issued its final Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention Rule (SCCAP rule), which became effective on May 10, 2024. The SCCAP rule amends the Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations that were established to prevent the accidental release of toxic and explosive substances, reduce the severity of any accidents that may […]
On episode 205 of EHS On Tap, Jerome Marinkovic of Chemwatch talks about the need for sustainability in chemical management. This episode is sponsored by Chemwatch.
On May 20, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule updating the agency’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard (29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1910.1200) to incorporate updates to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The updated rule takes effect July 19 (89 Fed. Reg. 44144). The […]
Last month, the EPA announced a final rule designating two polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA): PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that are also referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their resistance to breaking down in the environment over time. They’ve […]
On April 9, 2024, the EPA announced it issued a final rule titled “New Source Performance Standards for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and Group I & II Polymers and Resins Industry.” This marks the first rule issued by […]
With the EPA finalizing the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the next obvious question becomes: Who is legally liable for both the consequences of their presence and the cost of removing these chemicals from drinking water? The U.S. Senate Committee on […]
On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced it issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to […]
On March 21, 2024, a federal appeals court ruled the EPA overstepped its authority in ordering Inhance Technologies, LLC, to stop producing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during the fluorination of plastic containers. Background On December 1, 2023, the EPA issued orders to Inhance, a Houston-based plastics treatment company, directing it not to produce PFAS […]
The EPA recently released the draft risk evaluation for formaldehyde under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for public comment and peer review. Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas at room temperature and has a strong odor. It’s also found nearly everywhere. People and animals produce and release formaldehyde, and it’s produced when organic materials […]
On March 21, 2024, the EPA announced the release of its 2022 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis showing that environmental releases of TRI chemicals from facilities covered by the program were 21% lower in 2022 compared with 2013, which included a 26% decrease in air releases. The data shows releases from manufacturing facilities decreased […]