EPA Targets Five Toxic Chemicals, Including Vinyl Chloride

New Proposal Could Lead to Stricter Risk Evaluations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed designating five chemicals, including the notorious toxic chemical vinyl chloride, as high-priority substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). If finalized, this designation will trigger an immediate risk evaluation process for these chemicals, highlighting their potential hazards to human and environmental health.

The Importance of Cumulative Exposure Analysis

In its risk evaluations, the EPA is encouraged to consider the cumulative effects of exposure to multiple chemicals that may cause similar health harms. Recent analysis submitted to the EPA underscores the necessity of this approach by demonstrating real-world risks associated with co-exposures to these five chemicals. This analysis aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the health risks faced by individuals exposed to multiple toxic substances.

Why Cumulative Exposure Matters?

Communities located near industrial facilities often encounter exposure to several chemicals that can have overlapping health effects. The current EPA approach, which evaluates each chemical individually, may not fully capture the combined risks these communities face. Moreover, many of these communities experience additional non-chemical stressors—such as economic hardship, racial discrimination, limited healthcare access, and environmental stressors like flooding and extreme heat—that can amplify the adverse health impacts of chemical exposure.

Failing to account for these cumulative stressors in chemical risk assessments can lead to an underestimation of the actual health risks posed by toxic chemicals. Addressing cumulative exposures and integrating an understanding of these additional stressors into risk evaluations are crucial steps toward more accurately assessing and mitigating the health risks associated with hazardous chemicals.