- Asbestos
Asbestos is a mineral fiber regulated under a special area of
the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). It has been determined
that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased
risk of lung cancer. This site includes regulations, guidance,
health information and general information.
- Aquatox
A computer program to perform ecological risk assessment modeling
developed to project the combined environmental fate and effects
of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems.
- The Baltimore Case Study
The Baltimore Case Study report describes the work and results
of the 3-year air screening pilot project in Baltimore, Maryland.
It illustrates the development and implementation of a new methodology
for evaluating air quality impacts of toxic air pollutant emissions.
The risk screening methodology allowed the partnership to evaluate
potential human health risks from more than 175 chemicals emitted
to the air by more than 125 facilities in and around the partnership
neighborhoods. The case study presents the process used as well
as the results and lessons learned from the experience.
- Expert System (Oncologic)
The Expert System, or Oncologic, is a personal computer
program developed to analyze chemical structures to determine
the likelihood that they may cause cancer.
- ChemSTEER
The Chemical Screening Tool for Exposures and Environmental Releases
(ChemSTEER) is a personal computer-based software program. ChemSTEER
uses established EPA methods to generate screening-level estimates
of environmental releases of and worker exposures to chemicals
manufactured and used in industrial and commercial operations.
The tool also contains data and estimation methods to assess situations
involving many common industrial / commercial sectors (e.g., automotive
refinishing) and chemical functional uses (e.g., surfactant in
hard surface cleaner). ChemSTEER is currently applied in EPA's
New Chemicals Program. In the future, engineers and technical
users may find the tool helpful in assessing exposures and releases
from workplaces.
- Community Air Screening How-To Manual
OPPT's Community Community Air Screening How-to Manual makes air
quality assessment tools more accessible to communities. The How-to
Manual presents and explains a step-by-step process that a community
can follow to form partnerships to access technical expertise,
identify and inventory local sources of air pollutants, review
pollutant sources to identify known hazards that may present a
potential health risk to the community and set priorities and
develop plans for improvement.
- Community
Health Status Indicators Project
The Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) Project was launched
in response to grassroots requests from local health officials for
health data at the local level. Community health improvement begins
with an assessment of needs, quantification of vulnerable populations,
and measurement of preventable disease, disability, and death. In
one brief document, local health officials can see, react, and act
upon the data provided.
- Consumer Labeling
Initiative (CLI)
CLI is a voluntary, cooperative partnership among federal, state,
and local government agencies, industry, and other interested groups
working to improve product labels on indoor insecticides, outdoor
pesticides, and household hard surface cleaners. Find out about the
label changes and the implementation of the National Read the Label
FIRST! campaign to encourage the reading of product labels.
- Design for Environment
DfE is a voluntary program that works with industry and other partners
to integrate health and environmental considerations in business decisions.
DfE partnerships compare the risks, performance, and costs of alternative
technologies, and encourage businesses to adopt cleaner technologies
and pollution prevention practices.
- E-FAST
The Exposure & Fate Assessment Screening Tool (E-FAST) is a personal
computer based software program. E-FAST is a screening level tool
that estimates human exposure as well as aquatic ecosystem exposure
to and risk from the release of chemicals to the environment.
E-FAST can be used by community groups to estimate exposure and risk
from such areas as industrial/commercial activities and the use and
disposal of consumer products.
- Endocrine
Disruptors
This web site provides information about the endocrine system and
why certain chemicals can affect it, how the EPA Endocrine Disruptor
Screening Program was developed, and the current status of EPA's implementation
activities.
- Environmentally Preferable
Purchasing Program
The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) web site provides
guidance, case studies, tools and other resources to help in procuring
environmentally preferable products and services that have lesser
or reduced effects on human health and the environment when compared
to others serving the same purpose.
- FOSTTA
(Forum on State and Tribal Toxics Action)
The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), in cooperation with
the National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC), and EPA's Office
of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) are co-sponsoring the meetings
of the Forum on State and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA). FOSTTA (Forum
on State and Tribal Toxics Action) is a mechanism by which state and
tribal officials jointly, and in cooperation with EPA, address toxics-related
issues. The Forum is designed to foster and improve communication
and coordination among states, tribes, and EPA.
- Internet Geographical Exposure
Modeling System/Chemical Safety Mapper (IGEMS/CSM)
The new GEMS is a modernization of OPPT's older Graphical Exposure Modeling System and PCGEMS tools.
GEMS brings together in one system several EPA environmental fate and transport models and the
environmental data needed to run them. GEMS includes models and data for ambient air, surface water,
soil, and ground water, and makes the models much easier to use than their stand-alone counterparts.
The GEMS models estimate environmental concentrations that can be used by communities or environmental
groups in exposure and risk assessments for local populations.
With enhanced GIS capability, the IGEMS/CSM models estimate environmental concentrations that
can be used by communities or environmental groups in exposure and risk assessments for local populations.
- Housing and Urban Development's
Healthy Communities Environmental Mapping
Healthy Communities Environmental Mapping - HUD E-MAPS - is a free
Internet service that combines information on HUD's community development
and housing programs with EPA's environmental data.
- HPV Challenge
Program This voluntary program was designed to ensure that
the American public has access to basic health and environmental effects
data for those chemicals which are produced in the highest volumes
in the United States. The HPV Program Chemical List contains about
2,800 chemicals that have been manufactured in or imported into the
United States in amounts equal to or greater than one million pounds
per year.
- Lead Programs
These pages are designed to give you access to information on all
aspects of the Federal lead poisoning prevention program, with a special
focus on the efforts within EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics (OPPT).
- The National-Scale
Air Toxics Assessment
The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment is designed to help EPA,
state, local and tribal governments and the public to better understand
the air toxics problem in the U.S. The assessment includes four steps
which focus on 1996 emissions.
- NEJAC
Health and Research Subcommittee
The NEJAC Health and Research Subcommittee promotes cooperative and
supportive relationships aimed at ensuring environmental justice in
health and research activities. It also advocates community education
and training as a means to involve communities in solving environmental
problems within their communities.
- OPPT Chemical
Fact Sheets and Support Documents
Each fact sheet provides a brief summary of information on a chemical,
including its identity, production and use, environmental fate, health
and environmental effects, regulatory information, and places to contact
for more information.
- Persistent, bioaccumulative,
and toxic pollutants (PBTs)
PBTs are toxic, long-lasting substances that can build up in the food
chain to levels that are harmful to human and ecosystem health. The
PBT Initiative seeks to develop and implement national action plans
to reduce priority PBT pollutants, utilizing the full range of EPA
tools.
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs are mixtures of synthetic organic chemicals with the same basic
chemical structure and similar physical properties ranging from oily
liquids to waxy solids. PCBs have been demonstrated to cause a variety
of adverse health effects. This site includes regulations, guidance,
PCB waste handlers information, health effects of PCBs and general
information.
- Pollution
Prevention Information Clearinghouse
The Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) is a free
nonregulatory service of EPA dedicated to reducing or eliminating
industrial pollutants through technological transfer, education and
public awareness. The PPIC provides telephone reference and referral,
distribution of EPA documents, and a collection of pollution prevention
references available for interlibrary loan.
- Risk Screening Environmental
Indicators
The RSEI model is a personal computer-based, priority setting, screening-level
tool that evaluates the hazard and relative risk-related impacts of
toxic chemical releases and transfers from industrial facilities.
RSEI integrates information on the amount of chemicals released to
the environment, the relative long-term toxicity of these chemicals
to people outside the workplace, the degree to which people are potentially
exposed, and the estimated size of the exposed population.
Communities can use RSEI, in a comparative fashion, to quickly focus
on certain sources of risk that warrant further investigation. The
model's pounds-based, hazard-based and risk-related perspectives can
be used to examine trends, to rank and prioritize chemicals and industry
sectors for strategic planning, to conduct risk-related targeting,
and to help investigate environmental justice issues.
- 8(e) TRIAGE Information
Database
This is a searchable, PC-based database of scientific studies on the
health and environmental effects of toxic chemicals related to Section
8(e) of TSCA, which states that manufacturers, importers, and distributors
of chemical substances and mixtures are required to inform EPA of
studies that reasonably support the conclusion that the chemicals
present a "substantial risk of injury" to human health or the environment.
It provides users with information about these studies and serves
as a pointer system to the complete studies.
- Tribal Coordinator
The Tribal Coordinator for the Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxic, (OPPT) is responsible for the coordination of activities and
programs in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics that pertain
to American Indian environmental concerns and issues. Maintains close
contact with other Federal, State, Tribal and Other EPA offices to
foster communications and to formulate programs that promote OPPT
overall efforts in accordance with the Agency's Indian Policy.
- TSCA Hotline: tsca-hotline@epa.gov
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Assistance Information Service
(202-554-1404) provides technical assistance and information about
programs to chemical manufacturers, processors, users, storers, disposers,
importers, exporters, and individuals concerning regulations under
TSCA.
- Use Cluster Scoring System
A computer-based, priority setting risk-screening system with information
about nearly 3,200 chemicals and the 380 clusters -- or families --
into which these chemicals are grouped.
- Voluntary
Children's Chemical Evaluation Program
Voluntary Childrens's Chemical Evaluation Program(VCCEP) is a voluntary
testing program for chemicals with identified children's health concerns.
EPA is asking companies which manufacture and/or import 23 chemicals
which have been found in human tissues and the environment in various
monitoring programs to volunteer to sponsor their evaluation in Tier
1 of a pilot of the VCCEP.
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