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EPA has launched a broad effort to gain a greater scientific understanding of the potential health risks of formaldehyde's use in pressed wood products. Through this process, EPA will develop risk assessments on potential adverse health effects, evaluate the costs and benefits of possible control technologies and approaches, and determine whether EPA action is needed to address any identified risks.
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
On December 3, 2008, EPA published in the Federal Register an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) that:
- Describes EPA's initial steps to investigate potential actions to protect against risks posed by formaldehyde emitted from pressed wood products used in manufactured homes and other places;
- Requests comment, information and data relating to formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood products.
On January 30, 2009 EPA announced in the Federal Register that it is extending the comment period on the ANPR for 45 days and that it will holding one additional public meeting to enable more complete public participation. Comments on the ANPR will be accepted until March 19, 2009. This extension is necessary to provide the public with an opportunity to provide additional and more thorough comments to the docket. All comments should be identified by docket identification (ID) no. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2008-0627, and may be submitted by one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments found in the Federal eRulemaking Portal.
- Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001.
- Hand delivery: OPPT Document Control Office (DCO), EPA East Building, Room 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. The DCO is open from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number is (202), 564-8930. Such deliveries are only accepted during the DCO's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Background
The Agency is pursuing this course of action following review of a TSCA Section 21 citizens' petition (PDF) (106 pp, 4.44MB, about PDF), which requested that EPA adopt nationally a California regulation to control formaldehyde emissions from these wood products.
EPA carefully reviewed the citizens' petition, submitted by the Sierra Club, a number of other environmental organizations, as well as a large number of private citizens, and sought comment and additional information on the petition. Read EPA's letter to the petitioners (PDF) (1 pp, 84KB, about PDF) and the response to the petition in the Federal Register.
EPA will work closely with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on issues related to manufactured housing.
EPA has scheduled six public meetings in order to obtain additional stakeholder input. The public meetings will take place in the following locations:
- Research Triangle Park, N.C. on January 8, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting will be held at the EPA, Main Campus Auditorium (C111B/C), 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
- Portland, Ore. on January 13, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting will be held at the State Public Health Building, 800 NE Oregon St., Room 1B, Portland, OR 97232.
- Chicago, Ill. on January 15, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building, Room 328, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.
- Dallas, Texas on January 26, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting will be held at the EPA, 1445 Ross Avenue, 12th Floor, Dallas, TX 75202.
- Washington, DC on January 29, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The meeting will be held at the EPA, EPA East, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Ave., Washington, DC 20460.
- New Orleans, La. On March 4, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. until the last speaker has spoken or to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, 500 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70130.
For general information contact Colby Linter at TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov or 202-564-1404; for technical information contact Cindy Wheeler at Wheeler.cindy@epa.gov or (202) 566-0484.