ACC's New Tool Tracks EPA Progress on New Chemical Reviews

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has launched a new tool tracking the EPA's progress in new chemicals reviews under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

ACC designed the tool to track the lagging progress of EPA’s New Chemicals Program. Updated monthly using EPA public data sources, the tool provides a transparent overview of the total number of new chemicals undergoing TSCA review, the number of new chemicals reviewed within the TSCA-mandated 90-day deadline, and those new chemical reviews exceeding 90 days. ACC’s TSCA new chemicals tool also includes data and findings on premanufacture notices (PMNs) and TSCA Section 5 LVE and LoREX exemptions. 

"New chemistries introduced in the United States continue to face regulatory barriers and uncertainty. ACC’s new tool helps demonstrate the lack of progress EPA is making in conducting timely reviews. These challenges and delays are harming the U.S. economy and hindering American innovation and competitiveness in the global market, particularly against countries like China," said Chris Jahn, ACC president and CEO.

ACC’s new tool features several interactive visualizations and analysis highlighting the overall number of new chemicals under TSCA review, premanufacture notices (PMNs) and TSCA Section 5 exemptions. New chemicals analysis and visualizations currently show there are a total of 397 new chemicals currently undergoing TSCA review, 36 have been under review for less than 90 days. The other 361 chemicals remaining in EPA’s review process have been under review for more than 90 days, the backlog.

“For the United States to remain a leader in the global race to innovate the products and materials our modern society demands, it is critical for EPA’s TSCA New Chemicals Program to be reliable, timely and effective,” said ACC Vice President for Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Dr. Kimberly Wise White. “ACC members are committed to working with EPA to support a New Chemicals Program that’s striving ’to work smarter, not harder’ while utilizing all available science and resources to get the job done.”

On June 13, ACC released a new report offering seven chemical management approaches EPA should consider to enhancing US supply chain resiliency and the onshoring of American manufacturing through TSCA implementation. The report includes recommendations on TSCA new and existing chemicals review processes.