assessments conducted at waste sites. Also in
fiscal year 2001, ATSDR continued to expand
The research findings from
its SSARP by identifying priority data needs for
the Great Lakes Human
an additional 10 priority hazardous substances,
bringing the current total number of substances
Health Effects Research
with a research agenda to 60. Specifically,
during fiscal year 2001, ATSDR published the
Program were included in
priority data needs associated with the addi-
the technical support
tional 10 substances in the Federal Register and
solicited public comments.
document of the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent
Industry Testing Through EPA
Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Substances With Some Research Needs to
Be Addressed by Industry Testing
entitled, "The Foundation
Benzene
for Global Action on
Chloroethane
Persistent Organic
Hydrogen cyanide
Methylene chloride
Pollutants: A United States
Sodium cyanide
Perspective." The findings
Tetrachloroethylene
Toluene
served to inform the dialogue
Trichloroethylene
at this convention regarding
the phase-out of POPs.
The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
(TSCA) authorizes EPA to ensure that chemi-
cals are safe for their intended use. EPA
places some of this responsibility on chemical
manufacturers and processors by requiring
During recent discussions, EPA officials
them to conduct toxicologic testing. Costs of
noted that the ATSDR test rule remains a top
conducting this research are borne completely
priority for fiscal year 2002, and publication of
by the industries.
the proposed test rule is expected in the summer
of 2002.
During fiscal year 2001 ATSDR and EPA final-
ized information to support development of a
Private Sector Voluntarism
TSCA test rule for eight substances that are
currently part of ATSDR's Substance-Specific
ATSDR encourages industry to voluntarily con-
Applied Research Program. The agency has
duct needed research into the toxicity of priority
identified exposure and toxicity priority data
chemicals. During fiscal year 2001, ATSDR
needs for these eight substances. A test rule is
had Memoranda of Understanding in place with
a legally enforceable document that describes
three private-sector organizations to address
(1) EPA's authority to require testing, (2) the
about 16 research needs for 5 substances.
specific testing required, (3) why it is required,
These three organizations are General Electric
and (4) who should conduct the testing.
36 chapter 2
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