EPA’s revised framework rule needs to do more to protect health

April 23, 2024April 30, 2024 ~ PRHE

EPA today issued a final rule to revise the framework for how it conducts risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This rule is important for establishing how risks of harm from chemical exposures to workers, consumers, children and fenceline communities are assessed under TSCA. The final rule includes important improvements in several … Continue reading EPA’s revised framework rule needs to do more to protect health

Safeguard loved ones from toxic chemicals

February 15, 2024August 26, 2024 ~ PRHE

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has been famously attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Today, an ounce of prevention is worth more like $820 billion when you estimate the health costs of climate change and air pollution, per year in the U.S., according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. A vastly disproportionate … Continue reading Safeguard loved ones from toxic chemicals

Life is a (polluted) highway: How exposure to traffic pollution impacts health

February 6, 2024February 6, 2024 ~ PRHE ~ 1 Comment

In the United States, almost 60 million people live within 500 meters of a highway or highly trafficked road. Living near roads means greater exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) from cars and trucks, which can lead to numerous health issues, including premature death. In California, 40% of the population lives near major roads, the … Continue reading Life is a (polluted) highway: How exposure to traffic pollution impacts health

How and why to close the exposure assessment gap

July 31, 2023August 14, 2023 ~ PRHE

Quantitative risk assessments underpin most of our federal regulations related to chemicals. Therefore, it is important to understand how and why risk assessments can go astray. Risk assessment brings together concepts of hazard (the potential for a chemical to result in an adverse health outcome, such as carcinogenicity) and exposure. Combining multiple sources of information … Continue reading How and why to close the exposure assessment gap

OMB’s draft Circular A-4 falls short on equity

June 20, 2023June 16, 2023 ~ PRHE

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently developing a critical update to its guidance on analysis of benefits and costs of federal regulations, known as Circular A-4. This guidance, which hasn’t been revised since it was issued in 2003, can have a major impact on the extent of public health protections in a … Continue reading OMB’s draft Circular A-4 falls short on equity

CRAs can help EPA more accurately estimate risks from toxic chemical exposures

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023 ~ PRHE

When a nail salon worker heads home after work, she’s probably carrying more than her paycheck. She is also carrying phthalates — a class of toxic chemicals that contaminates people via nail polish, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, plastics, and food. One nail salon worker is exposed to multiple chemicals from many different sources, yet regulators like … Continue reading CRAs can help EPA more accurately estimate risks from toxic chemical exposures

Microplastics? More like macro-problem

February 13, 2023August 26, 2024 ~ PRHE ~ 3 Comments

Take a moment to look at the space you’re in and see just how many plastic items surround you. They might be the container holding the fruit you’re snacking on, the plastic bag with your laundry quarters, or the lid of your water bottle. What you might not see is the plastic you are eating; … Continue reading Microplastics? More like macro-problem

It’s time to regulate chemicals as classes

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023 ~ PRHE ~ 4 Comments

A couple of years ago I went to a wool and sheep festival where, for the first time, I watched dogs herd sheep. They were so smart and efficient, one dog handled dozens of sheep! Regulatory agencies should take a similar approach: chemicals, as sheep, should be assessed and their risk managed by groups. There … Continue reading It’s time to regulate chemicals as classes

Are “safe” exposure levels really “safe”?

January 26, 2023January 31, 2023 ~ PRHE ~ 5 Comments

Health risk assessment is the method that regulators use to determine whether chemicals in the environment pose a risk to people’s health and how much exposure to the chemical produces these effects. Unfortunately, current human health risk assessments don’t capture everyone’s risk level. Our recent paper, Application of Probabilistic Methods to Address Variability and Uncertainty … Continue reading Are “safe” exposure levels really “safe”?

With chemicals that can harm you, one size does not fit all

January 23, 2023February 27, 2023 ~ PRHE ~ 3 Comments

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluates chemical risks, it assumes for the most part that we are all the same. Or, rather, that some of us might be a little bit more sensitive than others. Ten times more sensitive, to be specific. But that’s not exactly true. When it comes to chemicals in … Continue reading With chemicals that can harm you, one size does not fit all