EPA Requires Toxics Release Inventory Reporting on DINP

On July 14th, the US EPA finalized a rule under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the Pollution Prevention Act. This rule adds the diisononyl phthalate (DINP) category to the list of poisonous chemicals subject to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The primary goal of this rule is to increase public awareness regarding how DINP is utilized and released into the environment.

DINP chemicals are oily liquids that are colorless and have high boiling points. They are characterized by their low volatilities and poor solubility in water. DINP is commonly used as a plasticizer and belongs to the chemical family of di-ester phthalates. When DINP is added to plastics, it makes them more flexible and supple. DINP-treated plastics are used in various products, such as coated fabrics, plastic toys, electrical insulation, and vinyl flooring.

The EPA has made some updates to its hazard assessment and profitable analysis process for the DINP category. The last time a hazard assessment was conducted was in 2005, but since then, additional studies on the health effects of DINP have been completed. With the new streamlined hazard assessment published in the final rule, the EPA has found that chemicals in the DINP category can cause reproductive dysfunctions and serious or irreversible health effects in humans at moderately low to mild doses. These effects can include developmental issues, as well as kidney and liver malfunction.

Due to its vulnerability, DINP is about to undergo the threat evaluation needed under section 6(b) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). TRI can provide information concerning releases and waste management activities that can be helpful to the TSCA risk evaluation process. 

Reference: https://www.epa.gov/chemicals-under-tsca/epa-requires-toxics-release-inventory-reporting-dinp