Priority Chemicals
In order to reduce Federal agencies' usage of harmful chemicals, section 503(b) of Executive Order 13138, "Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management," directed EPA to develop a list of priority chemicals "used by the Federal Government that may result in significant harm to human health or the environment and that have known, readily available, less harmful substitutes for identified applications and purposes." The E.O. directs Federal agencies to develop and support goals to reduce the usage of these chemicals by 50 percent by December 31, 2006.

EPA recommends that Federal agencies begin their efforts by focusing on cadmium, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and naphthalene. This step will allow the Federal community to move begin reducing its usage of these chemicals. In coordination with the E.O. 13148 Workgroup and Agency Environmental Executives, the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive will review the schedules and related provisions set forth in the E.O. to determine the need for necessary changes to facilitate implementation.

There are known alternatives to the five priority chemicals or products containing them. For example, electronic thermostats can be used in place of mercury-bearing switches. Solders containing copper or silver can substitute for solder containing lead. And integrated pest management can be used in place of naphthalene. The E.O. 13148 Workgroup prepared a table of alternatives to these chemicals.

In addition to the efforts under Executive Order 13148 to reduce chemicals usage, EPA's National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) focuses efforts on reducing 31 Priority Chemicals found in our nation's products and wastes by finding solutions that eliminate or substantially reduce the use of Priority Chemicals in production or on recovering or recycling these chemicals where they cannot easily be eliminated or reduced at the source. EPA's waste minimization program web site provides information on each of these 31 Priority Chemicals. A fact sheet including a summary of the potential health effects of each chemical can be accessed by clicking on the chemical name. Next to each chemical name is its Chemical Abstract Services Registry Number (CASRN).