EPA requests input on draft risk evaluation for 1-Bromopropane

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comment on a draft risk evaluation that states the chemical substance 1-Bromopropane poses “unreasonable risks” to workers under certain conditions.

The request for comment was published in the Aug. 12 Federal Register.

Among the first 10 chemicals slated for evaluation for potential health and environmental risks under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, 1-BP is used as a solvent in consumer products. According to the draft, 1-BP poses unreasonable risks to workers and occupational nonusers involved in the following operations:

• Domestic manufacturing
• Importing
• Processing as a reactant
• Repackaging
• Recycling
• Use as a solvent for cleaning or degreasing

However, EPA has concluded that workers performing manufacturing, processing, disposal and distribution work involving 1-BP are not subject to unreasonable risk.

As required under the Toxic Substances Control Act, which was amended by the Lautenberg Act, the draft risk evaluation is scheduled to undergo an in-person peer review Sept. 10-12 during a meeting of the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals. EPA is slated to host a preparatory virtual meeting on Aug. 21 “to consider the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions for the peer reviews,” according to the notice.

“EPA will continue to keep the public updated as the agency moves through this process,” the draft states. “Following the comprehensive risk evaluation process required by TSCA ensures that EPA has confidence in our final conclusions about whether a chemical substance poses any unreasonable risks under the conditions of use, so the public can have confidence in the safety of chemicals on the market.”

EPA previously solicited comments on problem formation documents for the first 10 chemicals before releasing its first draft risk evaluation – for Pigment Violet 29 – in November. A Nov. 14 agency press release states that EPA planned to release draft risk evaluations for the remaining nine chemicals in the coming months, and intended to issue final risk evaluations for the first 10 chemicals by December 2019.

The agency on July 1 issued draft risk evaluations for Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster and 1,4-dioxane.

Written comments and requests to speak during the SACC peer review are due Aug. 30. Comments on the draft risk evaluation are due Oct. 11.