May 13 US: Congress Proposes Reform to the Toxic Substance Control Act

From Bureau Veritas Group:

A bill intended to modernize the Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 has been introduced in Congress. The proposed bill, known as the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, is based on TSCA reform legislation proposed last year with some key differences. These differences are a direct result of feedback from chemical industry leaders, public officials, scientists, doctors, academics and non-profit organizations.

Several of the major reforms to current TSCA Law included in the 2011 Bill include:

Safety Standard Determination
-Redefines the factors that are considered when determining safety. Both new and existing chemicals would be subject to safety determination unless designated by EPA to be intrinsically safe. Places the burden of proving safety on companies. States that safety determinations are not subject to judicial review. If a new or existing chemical is determined to be unsafe, regulatory action, including restriction or banning a chemical, can be taken.

Disclosure of Information
-Narrows the conditions under which information can be claimed as confidential. Claims approved by EPA would expire after no more than five years.

For a full list of the Major Reforms to Current TSCA Law and the Key Differences Between 2011 and 2010 Proposed TSCA Reform Bills see the above link.