Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency wants to revise its proposed risk management rule for formaldehyde to reverse “unreasonable risk” determinations for some workers who might inhale its vapors.
In a proposed rule published Dec. 3, EPA says it’s “not changing its position that formaldehyde poses unreasonable risk of injury to human health,” nor that high exposure levels may lead to cancer and other adverse health outcomes.
However, the agency is proposing a “threshold” risk approach that would establish an exposure level below which the agency doesn’t anticipate risk. This would negate previous “unreasonable risk” findings for workers under conditions involving inhalation exposure when using formaldehyde in:
- Adhesives and sealant chemicals in wood product manufacturing, plastic material (including structural and fireworthy aerospace interiors), construction (including roofing materials) and paper manufacturing
- Lawn and garden products
- Oxidizing/reducing agent; processing aids, not otherwise listed
- Recycling
- Laboratory chemicals
A colorless, strong-smelling gas, formaldehyde can be found in chemicals, plywood and household items such as glue and paper product coatings. It’s also widely used as a preservative in medical labs and morgues, and as an industrial fungicide, germicide and disinfectant.
On Jan. 3, EPA published a final risk evaluation for formaldehyde that states the substance poses “unreasonable risk” to workers under multiple conditions. As required by the Toxic Substances Control Act, EPA must issue within one year a proposed risk management rule for the substance and publish a final rule within two years.
“The agency is continuing to work on a proposed risk management rule for formaldehyde as required by TSCA to ensure statutory deadlines are met and necessary protections are not delayed,” EPA says.
The deadline to comment on the proposal is Feb. 2.
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication