EPA Halts Formaldehyde IRIS Analysis As ACC Prepares For OPPT Review

摘要

EPA appears to have halted the long-running and controversial effort by its research office to assess the human health risks of formaldehyde, a move that could bolster efforts by the chemical industry which is preparing for the possibility that EPA's toxics office may select the chemical for evaluation, an approach the industry has long favored. In written responses to questions from Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) about the status of the formaldehyde Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment, Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the assessment was no longer a priority. "Because IRIS assessments are major investments in both time and resources, in an August 10, 2018 Memorandum to Agency program offices I requested an update of top priorities for IRIS assessments. Formaldehyde was not identified as a top priority," he wrote.