Carbon Tetrachloride Draft Risk Evaluation Available for Public and Scientific Review

For Release: January 24, 2020

EPA is asking for public input on the draft risk evaluation of carbon tetrachloride, a solvent primarily used in the manufacturing of chlorinated compounds and petrochemicals. Seeking public input on the draft risk evaluation is the next step in the process outlined by the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for EPA to review the risks associated with this chemical—a process that is designed to review the best available science before taking action to manage any unreasonable risks associated with the use of this chemical. Carbon tetrachloride is the seventh of the first ten chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under the amended TSCA.

The draft risk evaluation is not a final agency action. The draft risk evaluation represents the agency’s initial review of the scientific data on this chemical and will be peer reviewed by independent, scientific experts as well as open for public comment. EPA will use feedback received from the peer review and public comment process to inform the final risk evaluation and will provide frequent updates on the agency’s progress through this process. If EPA’s final risk evaluation finds there are unreasonable risks associated with this chemical under the specific conditions of use, the agency will propose actions to address those risks within the timeframe required by TSCA. EPA’s actions could include proposed regulations to prohibit or limit the manufacture, processing, distribution in the marketplace, use, or disposal of this chemical substance, as applicable.

The draft risk evaluation assessed 15 uses of the carbon tetrachloride, all of which are associated with industrial and commercial work and are primarily associated with the manufacturing process of other chemicals. In the draft risk evaluation, EPA did not find unreasonable risk to the environment under any of the conditions of use or to workers when appropriate personal protective equipment is used. Additionally, the draft risk evaluation discusses potential risks to occupational non-users (those workers in the vicinity of the chemical’s use but not directly working with the chemical). As with any chemical product, EPA strongly recommends that users carefully follow all instructions on the product’s label/safety data sheet.

Upon publication of the Federal Register notice, EPA will accept comments on the draft risk evaluation for carbon tetrachloride for 60 days in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2019-0499 on regulations.gov. EPA will also hold a peer review meeting of EPA’s Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) on the draft risk evaluation for this chemical’s conditions of use on February 25-26, 2020. The peer review meeting is open to the public to attend and provide comments.

Additional information

• View the carbon tetrachloride draft risk evaluation and supporting documents.
• Learn more about the peer review meeting.

Background

Carbon tetrachloride is a solvent used primarily as a feedstock in the production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons and hydrofluoroolefins and as a processing agent in the manufacturing of other chlorinated compounds and petrochemicals-derived and agricultural products. There are no consumer uses of this chemical. Information from the 2016 Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) for carbon tetrachloride indicates the reported yearly production volume was 117 to 143 million pounds (manufacture and import) between 2012 and 2015.