OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency are combining forces overseeing the Toxic Substances Control Act. The agencies signed a memorandum of understanding managing existing chemicals under the legislation . “Section 6 provides EPA with the authority to prohibit or limit the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of a chemical if EPA evaluates the risk and concludes that the chemical presents an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment,” according to a news release.
The parties anticipate that the coordination and synergies achieved here will result in improved workplace health and safety protections for workers using existing chemical substances” under the TSCA and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and “allow for effective implementation of our national workplace and environmental protection statutes,” the memorandum states.
What are Section 6 Toxic Chemicals?
Chemicals defined by the TSCA Section 6 are substances that pose an “unreasonable risk” to health and the environment. Polychlorinated Biphenyls pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP) and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) are common chemicals found in Section 6, necessitating federal regulation.
Toxic Chemicals Restrictions
Section 6 outlines toxic chemical restrictions and prohibitions. Furthermore, federal regulations limit toxic chemical manufacturing, processing, distribution, and application. Federal regulations also surveil application adjustments, bans, moratoriums, and prohibitions. OSHA and the EPA’s joint Section 6 task force isn’t a jurisprudence novelty. Although both agencies manage their respective environmental and workplace realms, overlapping chemical jurisdiction exists in industry pollution.
EPA and OSHA Shared Information
EPA and OSHA will share information on:
- TSCA Section 6 prioritization, risk evaluation, rulemaking and implementation efforts pertaining to chemical hazards in the workplace.
- Outreach and communication materials for stakeholders about EPA rules and OSHA requirements, including TSCA Section 6 and OSHA rules that regulate the same chemical hazards.
- Inspections and enforcement activity such as each agency’s area of focus, complaints, inspections and potential violations where mutual interest exists.
- Protocols to ensure confidential information is being properly exchanged between the agencies when carrying out law enforcement actions or otherwise protecting health or the environment.
U.S. Hazmat Rentals Provides OSHA and EPA Compliant Chemical Storage Protection
Anticipating environmental concerns and industry trends, federal legislatures frequently enact new laws. With each year comes new rules and workplace standards for managing dangerous chemicals. Ignorance is never an excuse for legal violations. Despite dense and nuanced language becoming law annually, confusion persists on the jobsite. Project managers, overburdened by managing quotas and workforces, encounter difficulty ensuring chemical storage compliance. U.S. Hazmat Rentals engineers customized chemical storage solutions for frequently changing OSHA and EPA standards. Each fire-rated or non-fire-rated industrial warehouse adheres to each company’s respective authorities having jurisdiction while accommodating various-sized stockpiles.
