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Previous Highlights
December 18, 2007
CARE Grants and Request for Proposals Announced - Eighteen communities have received cooperative agreement grants to continue improving health and the environment at the local level through the CARE program. EPA also announced the availability of approximately $3 million in cooperative agreement funding through 2008 CARE request for proposals.
December 5, 2007
Nominations for 2008 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards - EPA is accepting nominations for the 2008 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Self-nominations are expected and must be received by December 31. Read more information on how to enter the Award Competition.
November 19, 2007
EPA has selected three 2007 awardees under the P2 Recognition Project that honors companies for developing innovative chemistry and technologies that further pollution prevention and other environmental goals. The 2007 awardees are BASF Corp., Clariant Corp., and Chisso America, Inc.
November 5, 2007
Federal purchasers, visit EPA's newly-redesigned Web site for Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. Get clear and easy access to federal procurement policies and guidance; information on specific products and services; on-line tools; calculators; publications, case studies, and related Web links. This site can help green vendors, businesses large and small -- and consumers, too.
October 21-27, 2007
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week - This year's theme, "Protect Our Most Valuable Resource -- Our Children," highlights the importance of educating parents and children about the dangers of lead exposure, especially lead-paint hazards in housing. Lead poisoning prevention activities across the country.
October 16, 2007
PRIA Fee Determination Tree - This tool has been developed to help pesticide applicants accurately identify the category of their application and the amount of the required fee before an application is submitted to EPA.
October 5, 2007
EPA Requires Notification Prior to Use of Certain Motor Vehicle Switches - EPA issued a final Significant New Use Rule to require notification to EPA 90 days prior to U.S. manufacture, import, or processing of elemental mercury for use in convenience light switches, anti-lock brake system switches, and active ride control system switches in certain motor vehicles. This will provide EPA the opportunity to evaluate the potential risks of resuming the use of elemental mercury in such switches.
September 21, 2007
EPA to Regulate Ion-Generating Equipment as a Pesticide - EPA has determined that machines will be regulated as pesticides if the machines contain silver or other substances, and if they generate ions of those substances for express pesticidal purposes. EPA will work to identify the information needed to apply to register the machine as a pesticide, and give those products currently out of compliance time to obtain registration.
September 13, 2007
National Pollution Prevention Week - Reducing pollution before it ever gets to the environment is one of the most important ways to protect the environment. National Pollution Prevention Week is September 17-23, and this year's theme urges us to "Take the Next Step" toward sustainability.
September 10, 2007
HPV Chemical Hazard Characterizations - EPA released the first set of HPV Chemical Hazard Characterizations that summarize the basic hazards (toxicity) of over 100 HPV chemicals based upon collected program data. EPA will combine this information with human and environmental exposure information collected from EPA's Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) to develop a risk characterization and, based on that review, determine if additional action is needed to ensure the safety of the HPV chemicals' manufacture and use.
August 21, 2007
The US, Canada, and Mexico will work together to ensure the safe manufacture and use of industrial chemicals. The partnership will be built on EPA's ongoing efforts to study and characterize the risks of chemicals that are produced in high volumes. The US is committing to complete, by 2012, risk characterizations and initiate needed actions on more than 9,000 chemicals produced above 25,000 pounds per year in the country. Read more about the US-Canada-Mexico partnership. General information about chemical risks.
July 18, 2007
EPA and CDC Join Forces to Support Communities - EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have joined forces to support community environmental and health goals. The first four pilot project communities have been announced.
July 12, 2007
Public Asked To Comment on Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program Concept and Information Collection Request, TSCA Inventory Approach - To ensure stakeholder involvement in the development of the program, the agency is seeking public comment on approaches for the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program and ICR and TSCA Inventory paper. A public meeting about the proposed approaches and materials will be held on August 2, 2007, in Arlington, Virginia.
June 26, 2007
2007 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Winners Announced - Leading researchers received awards for chemical technology innovations that promote cleaner, cheaper, and smarter chemistry. Developing safer, environmentally friendly chemicals and processes results in reduced waste, safer products, and reduced use of energy and resources. Over the past 12 years, Challenge winners have made nearly a billion pounds of progress including 193 million pounds of hazardous chemicals and solvents eliminated each year - enough to fill almost 900 railroad tank cars or a freight train 11 miles long.
June 22, 2007
EPA Assistant Administrator Testifies on Commodity Mercury (PDF) (6 pp., 20 KB) - Jim Gulliford testified before the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials on the export and storage of commodity-grade mercury and pending legislation, HR. 1534, the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2007. EPA is committed to finding protective and comprehensive solutions, both domestically and internationally, to complex mercury challenges.
June 11, 2007
EPA Advances Public Health and Environmental Protection with New Pesticide Screening - EPA is in the final stages to begin screening pesticides for their potential effect on the endocrine system. The agency is seeking comment for 90 days on the draft list of 73 pesticides to be evaluated under the new screening regimen. EPA's general approach in developing this list focuses on those pesticide active ingredients and pesticidal inerts with relatively high potential for human exposure or the environment, and not on possible endocrine disruption effects. This is not a draft list of potential endocrine disruptors in humans or other species.
June 5, 2007
Safer Lead Paint Practices in Child Facilities - The EPA proposed that contractors and construction professionals who work in child-occupied buildings follow lead-safe work practices and have accredited training and certification. Under this proposal, a child-occupied building includes child care centers, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms. This proposal is part of a comprehensive program that hopes to eliminate childhood lead poisoning as a major public health concern by the year 2010.
May 16, 2007
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 2005-2006 Accomplishments Report Released - EPA is releasing the first web-based report that highlights various efforts in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics to ensure chemical safety under the Toxic Substances Control Act, and to promote pollution prevention and environmental stewardship. Accomplishments include making High Production Volume (HPV) chemical data publicly available through the newly-created web-based HPV Information System, initiating the PFOA Stewardship Program, and coordinating the development of the Mercury Roadmap.
March 12, 2007
Chemical Management Resource Guide for School Administrators - This practical guide can help your school reduce the use of dangerous chemicals and install safer chemical management practices. It is aimed especially at helping school administrators to set policies that protect against dangerous chemical exposures. It also is meant to be a resource to help parents and concerned citizens determine if their children's schools are minimizing potential exposure to dangerous chemicals.
November 16, 2006
Azinphos-Methyl Phaseout -- EPA is issuing its final decision to phase out 10 remaining uses of the organophosphate insecticide azinphos-methyl (AZM) over the next few years. This phase-out will encourage and facilitate transition to safer alternatives and reduce risks to farm workers, pesticide applicators, and aquatic ecosystems.
October 18, 2006
EPA Launches Collaborative Effort to Design, Develop New Stewardship Program -- Today EPA sent letters to more than 500 organizations and individuals inviting participation in the design and development of a stewardship program. Through open dialogue, public engagement and sound science, EPA can establish the appropriate oversight for nanoscale materials and ensure public confidence in its safety.
September 18-24, 2006
National Pollution Prevention Week -- Reducing pollution before it ever gets to the environment is one of the most important ways to protect the environment. This year, National Pollution Prevention Week is September 18-24. Learn ways individuals, families, and companies can prevent pollution and conserve resources.
August 23, 2006
Asbestos Guidance for Automotive Workers -- A brochure, available for public comment, contains draft information for automotive professionals and home mechanics on work practices for avoiding asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure has been associated with serious health problems such as asbestosis or lung cancer. Mas en español
August 3, 2006
U.S. Continues to Set the Bar on Pesticide Safety Through Proposed Cancelation of Carbofuran -- EPA is proposing to cancel all uses of the pesticide carbofuran and to revoke the associated tolerances (legal residue limits on food). The agency announced today its conclusion that there are considerable risks associated with carbofuran in food and drinking water, risks to pesticide applicators and risks to birds that are exposed in treated fields.
August 2, 2006
Strengthened Pesticide Standards Protect Food -- EPA is completing a 10-year review of 231 food use pesticides that has resulted or will bring about changes to how these chemicals are regulated in this country. Stronger standards mean changes in pesticide uses include outright elimination of unsafe uses, stricter labeling provisions and safer food tolerances. Under the Food Quality Protection Act, EPA is responsible for regulating 1,105 pesticides used in the United States.
July 24, 2006
Greener Computers Will Soon Hit the Market -- Manufacturers such as Dell, HP, and others are releasing products with less lead, mercury, and other substances for large-volume purchasers. Products meeting the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool standard will help prevent release of millions of pounds of waste.
July 5, 2006
Roadmap Highlights EPA Accomplishments and Charts Future Actions to Reduce Risks from Mercury -- EPA's Roadmap for Mercury describes EPA's progress and outlines the Agency's major ongoing and planned actions to reduce mercury in the environment, both domestically and internationally.
June 26, 2006
2006 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Winners -- Leading researchers received awards for finding ways to reduce pollution, waste or both in a manufacturing process. Over the past 11 years, winners efforts have helped protect the environment by eliminating use of 750 million pounds of hazardous chemicals, and other significant achievements.
June 9, 2006
Proposed Phaseout of Azinphos-Methyl and Longer Restricted Entry Intervals for Phosmet -- EPA is proposing to phase out azinphos-methyl (AZM) and to lengthen the Restricted Entry Intervals (REIs) for phosmet uses. Comments are due by August 8, 2006.
May 10, 2006
New Voluntary Standard Will Help Purchasers Buy Environmentally Preferable Computers -- At the International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment, EPA and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) announced the public availability of a new voluntary environmental performance standard to help purchasers reduce the environmental impact of the computers they buy, use and discard. This new standard will help institutional purchasers improve the environment while meeting their IT needs.
March 2, 2006
Companies Commit to PFOA Stewardship Program -- EPA has launched a global stewardship program where companies have committed to reduce PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) releases and its presence in products by 95 percent by no later than 2010 and to work toward eliminating these sources of exposure five years after that but no later than 2015.
January 26, 2006
Safeguards for Human Research Finalized -- EPA has finalized a rule that establishes stringent enforceable ethical safeguards governing the conduct of third-party intentional dosing human studies intended for submission to EPA under the pesticide laws. Among other things, EPA is prohibiting all new third-party intentional dosing research on pesticides with children and pregnant women intended for submission to EPA, and to prohibit EPA's conduct or support on any intentional dosing human studies involving pregnant women or children.
January 25, 2006
EPA Seeking PFOA Reductions -- EPA is launching a global stewardship program inviting companies to reduce PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) releases and its presence in products by 95 percent by no later than 2010 and to work toward eliminating these sources of exposure five years after that but no later than 2015.
December 29, 2005
New Requirements Proposed for Lead-Based Paint Work -- To reduce lead poisonings in children across the country, EPA is proposing new requirements for contractors and construction professionals when working in homes that contain lead-based paint. EPA is proposing that contractors must be trained in the use of lead-safe work practices, renovators and firms be certified, providers of renovation training be accredited, and renovators follow protective work practice standards.
May 11, 2005
Meeting on Possible Voluntary Pilot Program for Nanoscale Materials - On June 23, EPA will host a public meeting to solicit input from industry and stakeholders on the feasibility of establishing a voluntary pilot program for existing nanoscale materials under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The agency is considering a pilot program for voluntary industry submission of information on existing chemical substances.
March 3, 2005
EPA's Pesticide Program is Pleased to Make Available Online its 2004 Annual Report (PDF) (32pp, 1.2MB, About PDF), entitled Taking Care of Business: Protecting Human Health and the Environment. The report highlights the accomplishments and key achievements in 2004, including sections on registration, reregistration and tolerance reassessment, international harmonization, E-government, endangered species, biotechnology, partnerships, and other key areas as well.
March 1, 2005
The New Pesticide Registration Improvement Act Annual Report is Available. This report details the progress made in 2004 to implement the new legislation on pesticide fees and covers accomplishments from January 23, 2004 to September 30, 2004.
January 12, 2005
Revised Preliminary Risk Assessment Available for PFOAs. Revised Preliminary Risk Assessment Available for PFOA. EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) reviewed a preliminary draft PFOA risk assessment on February 22 and 23. The agency is seeking scientific peer review on the preliminary assessment to ensure that the approaches being used are scientifically sound. Comments from the SAB are expected this Summer.
December 1, 2004
EPA Releases Information on High Production Volume Chemical Challenge Program - EPA has released a report that highlights the accomplishments of a collaborative partnership between EPA, the chemical industry and the environmental community in making data publicly available on high-production volume (HPV) chemicals.
December 1, 2004
Regulatory Action to Complement Phase-out of Two Flame Retardant Chemicals - To complement a voluntary phase-out of the manufacture of two common flame retardant chemicals, EPA is taking action to ensure that no new manufacture or import of two flame retardant chemicals (Penta and Octa - polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs) occurs after Jan. 1, 2005, without agency review.
