More on EPA ChAMP Program

On May 2, 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a public meeting on the Chemical Assessment and Management Program (ChAMP), a program designed to fulfill US commitments under the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) with Canada and Mexico to improve cooperation on chemical regulation among the three countries. The United States has agreed to assess and act on more than 6,750 existing chemicals produced or imported at a volume of more than 25,000 pounds per year by the end of 2012.

At the meeting, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) indicated the federal government's effort to assess hazard and exposure data on chemicals as part of ChAMP lacks transparency, relies too heavily on voluntary data submission from industry and has significant data gaps that need filling before adequate risk characterizations can be developed. The EDF also said EPA has failed to clearly indicate what reportable information has not been submitted to the program because the information was not "readily obtainable" by the manufacturers. 

Under ChAMP, EPA said it is developing documents that summarize basic hazard and exposure information on High Production Volume chemicals, identify potential risks, note scientific issues and uncertainties and indicate the initial priority the agency assigns for future action. 

The EDF statement is available at edf.org/documents/7871_Comments_ChAMP_May08.pdf. More information on ChAMP can be found at epa.gov/CHAMP.

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