Trump narrows scope of safety reviews for some chemicals

The Trump administration is proposing to narrow the scope of safety reviews of chemicals that are already out on the market, it said Monday.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a proposed rule that when it assesses the safety of existing chemicals it would take a narrower approach.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in a written statement framed the move as finding a balance between environmental protection and support for industry.

“This work is yet another example of how we can and will protect human health and the environment while allowing manufacturing and industrial sectors to thrive,” he said.  

The proposed rule would undo Biden-era regulations that required EPA to consider every use of a chemical and every exposure route.

It is also proposing to add assumptions that workers will be using appropriate personal protective equipment in workplace settings, which the Biden administration argued could lead to an underestimation of worker exposure.

The chemicals that are undergoing such evaluations are a group that have been designated by the EPA as high-priority because of their potential health risks.

The move comes as the administration seeks to balance its deregulatory, pro-business agenda with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which is skeptical of chemical exposure. It has made several moves aimed at loosening restrictions on toxic chemicals. 

The chemical industry praised the move. 

“By revisiting provisions that created unnecessary complexity, confusion and uncertainty, EPA is taking steps to ensure that TSCA risk evaluations incorporate the best available and most recent science by adequately considering relevant exposures and condition of use information to inform decision-making,” American Chemistry Council vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs Kimberly Wise White said in a written statement.