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Assessing and Managing Chemicals under TSCA

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TSCA Work Plan Chemicals

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Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan

As part of EPA’s chemical safety program, EPA has identified a work plan of chemicals for further assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA's TSCA Work Plan helps focus and direct the activities of its Existing Chemicals Program. EPA's TSCA Work Plan helps focus and direct the activities of its Existing Chemicals Program. 

Originally released in March 2012, EPA's TSCA Work Plan helps focus and direct the activities of its Existing Chemicals Program. The Work Plan was updated in October 2014 (PDF). The changes to the TSCA Work Plan reflect updated data submitted to EPA by chemical companies on chemical releases and potential exposures.

2014 update to the TSCA Work Plan

In October 2014, EPA issued the TSCA Work Plan for Chemical Assessments: 2014 Update to reflect updated data submitted to EPA by the chemical industry on chemical releases and potential exposures. The updated TSCA Work Plan contains 90 chemicals. This was the first update to the TSCA Work Plan.

Read the TSCA Work Plan for Chemical Assessments: 2014 Update for the current TSCA Work Plan and more information on why chemicals were deleted or added.

The new data was submitted in 2012 under TSCA's Chemical Data Reporting or in 2011 as part of the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory reporting. These data were used to update the exposure rankings for the chemicals initially screened as part of the Work Plan. These data were also used to screen ten Action Plan chemicals and two additional chemicals identified by the Agency during EPA’s assessment of flame retardants. The exposure ranking is part of the screening methodology used to develop the Work Plan in 2012 and is described in detail in the Work Plan Methods Document.

In the 2014 update, the following chemicals were added:

  • 1,3-Butadiene - Consumer uses have changed, leading to a higher exposure score
  • 2,5-Furandione - Consumer uses have changed, leading to a higher exposure score
  • 2-Dimethylaminoethanol - Consumer uses have changed, leading to a higher exposure score
  • 2-Hydroxy-4-(octyloxy)benzophenone - Commercial and consumer uses have changed, leading to a higher exposure score
  • 3,3’-Dichloro-benzidine - Reported releases to TRI increased, leading to a higher exposure score
  • 4,4'-(1-Methylethylidene)bis[2,6-dibromophenol] (TBBPA) - Reported releases to TRI increased, leading to a higher exposure score
  • Barium carbonate - Commercial and consumer uses have changed, leading to a higher exposure score
  • Dicyclohexyl phthalate - Production volume increased and types of consumer uses have changed, leading to a higher exposure score
  • Isopropylated phenol, phosphate (iPTPP) - Hazard, exposure, and persistence/bioaccumulation rankings are high
  • Molybdenum and Molybdenum Compounds – Increased production volume and consumer and industrial uses, leading to a higher exposure score
  • Pentachlorothiophenol - Increased production volume and industrial uses, leading to a higher exposure score
  • Triphenyl phosphate (TPP) - Hazard exposure rankings are high

In the 2014 update, the following Action Plan chemicals were added:

  • Bisphenol A (BPA) - Hazard and exposure rankings are high
  • Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) - Hazard, exposure, and persistence/bioaccumulation rankings are high
  • Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) - Hazard, exposure, and persistence/bioaccumulation rankings are high
  • Nonylphenols and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NP/NPE) - Hazard and exposure rankings are high
  • Group of phthalates (dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) - Hazard and exposure rankings are high

In the 2014 update, one chemical, benzo[a]pyrene is no longer  on the list as a separate assessment candidate. It will be evaluated as part of EPA's assessment for creosote.

In the 2014 update, the following chemicals were removed:

  • 1,2,4,5-Tetrachloro-benzene – No longer in commerce
  • 4-Chloro-2-methylaniline (p-Chloro-o-toluidine) – No longer in commerce
  • Benz(a)anthracene – No longer in commerce
  • Dibenz(a,h)anthracene – No longer in commerce
  • Dibromochloromethane – No longer in commerce
  • Dichloroacetic acid – No longer in commerce
  • Hexabromobiphenyl – No longer in commerce
  • Hexachlorocyclohexane – No longer in commerce
  • Mercury and mercury compounds – Hazards already well-characterized and risk reduction efforts are in place
  • N-Nitroso-ethylamine – No longer in commerce
  • N-Nitrosodimethylamine – No longer in commerce
  • Quartz – Potential exposures are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • Pentabromophenol – No longer in commerce
  • Polychlorinated naphthalenes – No longer in commerce
  • Tris(2,3-di bromopropyl) phosphate (TBP) – No longer in commerce

How were the TSCA Work Plan chemicals selected?

After gathering input from stakeholders, EPA developed criteria used for identifying chemicals for further assessment. The criteria focused on chemicals that meet one or more of the following factors:

  • Potentially of concern to children’s health (for example, because of reproductive or developmental effects)
  • Neurotoxic effects
  • Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT)
  • Probable or known carcinogens
  • Used in children’s products
  • Detected in biomonitoring programs

Using this process, EPA in 2012 identified  chemicals in the TSCA Work Plan as candidates for assessment over the next several years, as they all scored high in this screening process based on their combined hazard, exposure, and persistence and bioaccumulation characteristics. In 2014, using new information submitted to the Agency, EPA updated the TSCA Work Plan.

Read the TSCA Work Plan Chemicals Methods Document for a detailed explanation of the approach the Agency used to identify these chemicals.

Will EPA consider chemicals not on the TSCA Work Plan?

Identification of chemicals as Work Plan Chemicals does not mean that EPA would not consider other chemicals for risk assessment and potential risk management action under TSCA and other statutes. EPA will consider other chemicals if warranted by available information.

EPA will also continue to use its TSCA information collection, testing, and subpoena authorities, including sections 4, 8, and 11(c) of TSCA, to develop needed information on additional chemicals that currently have less robust hazard or exposure data.