Regulatory and Guidance Information by Topic: Toxic Substances

Under a broad range of federal statutes, EPA gathers health, safety and exposure data; requires necessary testing; and controls human and environmental exposures for numerous chemical substances and mixtures. EPA regulates the production and distribution of commercial and industrial chemicals, in order to ensure that chemicals for sale and use in the United States do not harm human health or the environment.

Read more at Pollution Prevention and Toxics.

• Chemicals and Hazardous Substances
• Formaldehyde
• Nanotechnology
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
• Toxics Release Inventory

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Chemicals and Hazardous Substances

• The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) addresses the manufacturing, processing, distribution, use, and disposal of commercial and industrial chemicals.
• The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) establishes pollution prevention as the national policy for controlling industrial pollution at its source.
• The Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulates the transport of hazardous materials.

Read more about chemical reporting, oil spills, and community right-to-know at Emergencies.

Laws and Regulations

• Chemical Data Reporting Rule (CDR): to collect quality screening-level, exposure-related information on chemical substances and to make that information available for use by EPA and, to the extent possible, to the public.
• Existing Chemicals: chemical substances in commercial use.
• Good Laboratory Practices Standards: ensuring the quality and integrity of test data submitted to the Agency.
• New Chemicals: chemicals new to the marketplace.
• Pollution Prevention Laws and Policy

Compliance

• Core TSCA Compliance Monitoring
• TSCA Import and Export Requirements

Enforcement

• Waste, Chemical and Cleanup Enforcement

Policy and Guidance

• New Chemicals Program Policies
• New Chemicals – Guidance Materials for PMN Submitters
• Waste, Chemical and Cleanup Enforcement Publications

Formaldehyde

See Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products.

Nanotechnology

See Cross-Cutting Issues: Nanotechnology

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

See Cross-Cutting Issues: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Although no longer commercially produced in the United States, PCBs may be present in products and materials produced before the 1979 PCB ban. EPA regulates the management, cleanup and disposal of PCB wastes and the management of PCB-containing materials and equipment still in use.

Laws and Regulations

• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Laws and Regulations

Compliance

• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Compliance Monitoring

Policy and Guidance

• Policy and Guidance for Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCBs)

Toxics Release Inventory

EPCRA Section 313 requires EPA, states and tribes to collect data annually on releases and transfers of certain toxic chemicals from industrial facilities and make the data available to the public in the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

Laws and Regulations

• TRI Laws, Rulemakings and Notices

Compliance

• TRI Compliance and Enforcement
• Reporting for TRI Facilities

Policy and Guidance

• Guidance Documents for TRI Reporting