![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115163824im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
IRIS Toxicological Review of Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) (External Review Draft)
Federal Register Notices
Contact
- Kathryn Guyton
- by phone at: 703-347-8562
- by email at: guyton.kate@epa.gov
- by email at: guyton.kate@epa.gov
Notice
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) will be hosting an independent review meeting to discuss the draft document on January 29-30, 2009. [Meeting Info]
EPA is conducting a peer review of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of tetrachloroethylene that will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. Peer review is meant to ensure that science is used credibly and appropriately in derivation of the toxicological characterization and dose-response assessments.This draft health assessment addresses both non-cancer and cancer human health effects that may result from chronic exposure to tetrachloroethylene (also called "Perchloroethylene" or "Perc") . This is an update of an existing assessment posted on IRIS in 1988. This draft Toxicological Review includes a chronic Reference Concentration (RfC) and carcinogenicity assessment, which are not currently available on IRIS, as well as an update of the 1988 IRIS Reference Dose (RfD).
Background
Tetrachloroethylene is a chemical solvent that is widely used for dry cleaning of fabrics, metal degreasing, and in making some consumer products and other chemicals. An estimated 27,000 dry cleaners currently use tetrachloroethylene in the United States. It has been detected in ambient air in and near dry cleaning facilities as well as in adjacent residences.
Discharges of tetrachloroethylene from factories and dry cleaners can also contaminate groundwater and tetrachloroethylene has been found in drinking water. It is also found in the soil of about half of the Superfund National Priority List hazardous waste sites.
History/Chronology
| Jan 1987 | EPA posted the first tetrachloroethylene assessment on the IRIS database (RfD). |
| Mar 1988 | EPA revised the tetrachloroethylene assessment on the IRIS database (RfD). |
| Dec 2003 | EPA released for public comment the draft discussion paper on neurotoxicity of tetrachloroethylene. |
| Feb 2004 | EPA sponsored a peer consultation workshop on the draft discussion paper on neurotoxicity of tetrachloroethylene. Following the workshop, EPA released a Summary Report of the Peer Review Workshop on the Neurotoxicity of Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) Discussion Paper. |
| Jun 2008 | EPA released the draft tetrachloroethylene assessment for external peer review. This draft assessment was provided for public viewing and comment. Public comments received on the Toxicological Review within 90 days after the release of the FRN would be provided to the external peer reviewers for their consideration. |
| Jul 2008 | EPA replaced the document when they discovered that several tables were inadvertently omitted from Appendix 4B in the initial June posting. The document link below includes these tables in Appendix 4B, pages 4-216 to 4-237. |
| Aug 2008 | EPA hosted a public listening session as announced in the July 29, 2008 Federal Register Notice. |
| Nov 2008 | National Academy of Sciences (NAS) gathered an independent panel of experts to review the draft document as annouced in a October 16, 2008 Federal Register Notice. |
| Jan 2009 | NAS announced an external review meeting to discuss the draft report to be held Jan 29-30, 2009 in Washington DC. |
Next Steps
Downloads/Related Links
This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.
- Toxicological Review of Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) (External Review Draft) (PDF) (556 pp, 4 MB, about PDF)
- Charge to External Peer Reviewers (PDF) (6 pp, 54 KB, about PDF)
- Listening Session Announcement
Related Link(s)
Additional Information
Citation
