Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP)
In December 2023, EPA released the draft risk evaluation for tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) for public comment and peer review.
Find other information about other chemicals undergoing risk evaluations under TSCA.
On this page:
- Risk Evaluation Findings
- Background on TCEP
- Uses of TCEP
- Recent Activities and Opportunities for Public Comment
- Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents
Risk Evaluation Findings
EPA reviewed the exposures and hazards of TCEP uses and made risk findings on this chemical substance. EPA considered relevant risk-related factors, including, but not limited to: the hazards and exposure, magnitude of risk, exposed population, severity of the hazard, and uncertainties, as part of its unreasonable risk determination.
EPA proposes to determine that TCEP, as a whole chemical substance, presents unreasonable risk to human health and the environment.
EPA assessed the impact of TCEP on workers, occupational non-users, consumers, and the general population. EPA identified health risks, including neurological effects, reproductive effects, developmental effects, kidney effects, and cancer from exposure to TCEP.
EPA assessed the impact of TCEP on aquatic and terrestrial species and found that TCEP poses unreasonable risk to aquatic species like fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Background on TCEP
TCEP (CASRN 115-96-8) is a colorless liquid. The primary use for TCEP is as a flame retardant and plasticizer in polymers used in aerospace equipment and products, and as a flame retardant in paint and coating manufacturing. Information from the 2016 Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) for TCEP indicates the reported production volume was 39,682 lbs/year. While no companies reported the manufacture (including import) of TCEP in the United States from 2016 to 2020, the reporting threshold for TCEP in CDR is 25,000 lb and some manufacturing could be occurring below that threshold.
Uses of TCEP
In the final scope of the risk evaluation, EPA identified conditions of use associated with the importing; processing; distribution in commerce; industrial, commercial and consumer uses; and disposal of TCEP, for example:
- As a flame retardant in paint and coating manufacturing, polymers, and articles;
- In industrial and commercial aircraft interiors and aerospace products;
- For laboratory chemicals; and
- In commercial and consumer products, including paints and coatings, fabric and textile, products, foam seating, and construction materials.
Recent Activities and Opportunities for Public Comment
In December 2023, EPA released the draft risk evaluation for this chemical for public comment and letter peer review. EPA will accept public comments on the draft risk evaluation for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0265 at www.regulations.gov.
In June 2023, EPA proposed a Significant New Use Rule, which would ensure that no one could begin a significant new use of this chemical without a complete EPA review and risk determination. Learn More.
In August 2020, EPA published a final scope document outlining the hazards, exposures, conditions of use, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations the agency expects to consider in its risk evaluation. The agency released the draft scope in April 2020 and took public comments on the draft document.
Stay up to date on additional opportunities for public participation. You can stay informed by signing up for our email alerts or checking the public docket at EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0476 at www.regulations.gov.
As EPA continues to move through the risk evaluation process there will be additional opportunities for public comment, including a public comment period on the draft risk evaluation. In addition to public comment periods, EPA will continue to engage with stakeholders as it refines the risk evaluation and stakeholders should reach out to EPA via the staff contact to engage with the agency.
Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents
Read the federal register notice.
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental File: Systematic Review Protocol, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Extraction Information for Environmental Hazard and Human Health Hazard Animal Toxicology and Epidemiology, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation and Data Extraction Information for Environmental Release and Occupational Exposure, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation and Extraction Information for Dermal Absorption, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation and Data Extraction Information for Environmental Fate and Transport, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation and Data Extraction Information for Physical and Chemical Properties, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation Information for General Population, Consumer, and Environmental Exposure, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation Information for Human Health Hazard Animal Toxicology, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation Information for Human Health Hazard Epidemiology, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Quality Evaluation Information for Environmental Hazard, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), Systematic Review Supplemental File: Data Extraction Information for General Population, Consumer, and Environmental Exposure, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental Information File: Supplemental Information on Environmental Release and Occupational Exposure Assessment, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental Information File: IIOAC Modeling Input and Results, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental File: Benchmark Dose Modeling Results for TCEP, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental Information File: Consumer Exposure Modeling Inputs, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental File Folder: Supplemental Information on Consumer Exposure Modeling Results, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental Information File: E-FAST Modeling Results, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental Information File: Environmental Monitoring and Biomonitoring Concentrations Summary Table, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental File: Exposure Monitoring Tornado Figures, Supplemental Tables and Data Integration Methods and Approach for TCEP, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP), Supplemental Information File: Exposure Air Concentration Risk Calculations, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris (2-chloroethyl) Phosphate, Supplemental Information File: Human Health Hazard Points of Departure Comparison Tables, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris (2-chloroethyl) Phosphate, Supplemental File Folder: Supplemental Information on Human Milk PBPK Verner Modeling Results, December 2023 (pdf)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris (2-chloroethyl) Phosphate, Supplemental Information File: Risk Calculator for Occupational Exposures, December 2023 (xlsx)
- Draft Risk Evaluation for Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate, Supplemental Information File: Water Quality Portal Processed Water Data, December 2023 (xlsx)