The majority of Georgia business owners know how seriously the state and the federal government take the safety of the public and the environment. One way that is done is through the reduction or elimination of chemical exposure that could lead to illnesses or deaths. The Environmental Protection Agency evaluates potentially toxic substances to determine whether they are safe.
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act outlines a three-part testing process. First, the EPA must determine the priority of the chemical. For instance, if it appears to have a low risk, it will be a low priority. Conversely, if it could be high risk, the chemical receives a high priority rating.
During the risk evaluation phase, the EPA determines whether the chemical poses no unreasonable risk or if it poses a reasonable risk to public and environmental safety. Those chemicals with higher risk will then move into the risk management phase. During this part of the process, a risk management plan is developed regarding the chemical. If one’s business requires the use of one of these chemicals, it will be important to review the EPA’s risk management assessment.
The last thing a business needs is to risk chemical exposure from a substance watched and regulated by the EPA. Before beginning to use a potentially toxic substance, it makes sense to gain a full understanding of the ramifications of its use, including any legal issues that could arise from its use or from an accident involving the chemical. A Georgia environmental law attorney could provide the answers needed in order to move forward.
Source: epa.gov, “How EPA Evaluates the Safety of Existing Chemicals“, Accessed on Sept. 10, 2017