EPA 560/4-76-005
CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE
OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
(DRAFT PROGRAM PLAN)
JULY 1976
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
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EPA 560/4-76-005
CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE
OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
(Draft Program Plan)
Prepared by the
OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, DC 20460
July 1976
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Preface
This draft report sets forth the current core activities and future
program plan of the Office of Toxic Substances. Should the Toxic Substances
Control Act be enacted, it is anticipated that a new set of activities
would be added to this core program to implement the legislation.
Since the Office activities are but a small part of the much broader
National effort directed to toxic chemicals, comments on the scope and
direction of the activities would be welcome. Such comments would be
particularly helpful if received by September 1976 but would also be
welcome at any other time.
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CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
General
The activities of the Office are designed to assist in removing
specific chemical hazards from the environment and reducing the probability
of future chemical incidents harmful to man or ecological resources.
This goal is accomplished through Office outputs directed to stimulating
and improving appropriate regulatory approaches of EPA and other Federal,
State, and local authorities and to securing voluntary redress by industry.
The Office outputs are intended to help clarify the character and priority
of the chemical agenda needing prompt attention and to develop specific
remedies for preventing and correcting chemical problems. The outputs
take the form of published in-house and contractor reports, statements
by Office spokesmen, and advisory memoranda and related communications
to EPA offices, other agencies, and industry. Appendix 1 identifies a
number of the Office reports published during the past two years. These
reports reflect many of the early outputs resulting from the expenditure
of about $20 million in FY 1973-6.
There are more than 30,000 industrial chemicals and two million
mixtures, formulations, and blends currently in commerce, with an
estimated 1,000 additional chemicals reaching the marketplace each year.
Thus, selectivity is the cornerstone of the Office's efforts. Not only
must selectivity take into account the potential environmental hazards
of the chemicals, the urgency of the problems, and the likelihood that
Office efforts will help reduce the problems, but unnecessary duplication
of efforts of other EPA offices, other agencies, and industry must be
avoided. A second cornerstone is the need to consider the total impact
on society of chemical activities (i.e., cost, risk, benefit) when
dealing with a sector of industry that undergirds our standard of living,
accounts for more than 10 percent of our GNP, and annually contributes
$5 billion to our favorable balance of payments.
In addition to internal EPA coordination, membership on a variety
of interagency committees concerned both with specific chemicals and
with general problems related to health effects, monitoring, and information
contributes to improved Government-wide approaches to toxic chemicals.
More importantly, however, interagency agreements with NIOSH, NBS, and
other agencies and a variety of informal contacts will continue to
characterize an aggressive outreach program which has resulted in numerous
requests for comments on regulatory approaches of other agencies. Appendix
2 identifies the principal interagency committee activities of the
Office, and Appendix 3 sets forth some of the significant Office contributions
to regulatory deliberations of other agencies. Internationally, contacts
are maintained with the WHO, OECD, EC, and UNEP, and with Japan, Canada,
and Sweden, the three countries with major toxic substances legislation.
Principal international interests include progress toward consistency in
approaches to testing and more cost-effective data exchange efforts.
Set forth below are the principal core activities planned for the
Office during the next several years. Additional ad hoc tasks will
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undoubtedly be assigned to take advantage of the unique multi-media
chemical assessment talent assembled in the Office, as was the case in
1975 when a number of assignments were completed in support of the
initial implementation activities under the Safe Drinking Water Act. In
that case, Office products included two reports to Congress on carcinogens
in drinking water, the initial study of the impact of pesticides and
fertilizers on ground water, the procurement request for the NAS study
of the health effects of drinking water contaminants, an action plan for
investigating organic contaminants in drinking water, and compilations
of the health effects of selected organic chemicals.
In addition, should the Toxic Substances Control Act be enacted, an
important new tool for more effectively addressing chemical problems
would be available. While most of the core activities would contribute
to implementation of this legislation, additional activities would also
be required as set forth in the separate discussion of the legislation.
The Office's program activities contribute to the much broader
Governmental effort in the following three areas, recognizing that there
is often overlap among these areas:
(a) Identification of problems associated with chemical activities
as the result of
— Systemmatic screening of available information
-- Monitoring, toxicological, and epidemiological screening
programs
-- Ad hoc environmental incidents, research findings, and allega-
tions
(b) Characterization of the problems with particular attention to
-- Health and ecological effects and environmental behavior
-- Current and projected sources, environmental levels, and
exposed population
-- Substitutes, control technology, and related cost and economic
factors
-- Actions to date and actions underway to clarify and control
the problems
(c) Development and stimulation of preventive and corrective
approaches including consideration of
-- Role of relevant authorities of EPA and other agencies
-- Alternative approaches to voluntary or regulatory redress
-- Environmental and economic impact of approaches
-- Implementation of appropriate approach
Given the backlog of unattended known chemical problems and the many
difficulties usually attendant to remedying problems after they are
characterized, the bulk of the Office's in-house efforts will continue
to be directed to the development and stimulation of preventive and
corrective actions.
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Identification of Problems Associated with Chemical Activities
The Early Warning Program of the Office is designed to prioritize
and characterize in a preliminary fashion chemical problems deserving
further attention. A continuing effort will improve techniques for (a)
rapidly screening new chemicals being introduced into commerce, (b)
screening the world of old chemicals to uncover previously neglected
problems, and (c) prioritizing and assessing suspect chemicals. Near-
term activities include development of a model for comparing projected
and acceptable environmental loads of chemicals, testing the utility of
known correlation patterns between chemical structures and biological
activity as a means of predicting toxicity, evaluation of the Delphic
approach to problem prediction, and prioritization of some of the chemi-
cals on the NIOSH list of about 1500 suspected carcinogens. The Early
Warning Program's efforts directed to emerging technologies are currently
directed to flame retardant chemicals (e.g., prioritization of additives,
clarification of testing needs, and assessments of speciality monomers)
and the impact of the advent of synthetic fuels on the choice and properties
of chemical feedstocks of the future. A major output of the Program's
broad screening of the world of chemicals will be reviews of selected chemicals
which are likely candidates for regulatory attention. Among the early
products of the program have been pioneering reviews of the health
effects and related considerations associated with hexachlorobenzene,
ethylene dibromide, and direct exposure to fluorocarbons.
Complementing the Early Warning Program is the interest of the
Office in field screening efforts to identify previously unsuspected
chemical problems. EPA field and research offices have traditionally
conducted a variety of ad hoc reconnaissance monitoring efforts. The
Office will continue to limit its reconnaissance monitoring efforts to
encouraging better integrated Agency-wide activities and to filling gap
areas such as its current programs developed jointly with the EPA laboratory
in Athens, Georgia, to conduct total chemical cross section analyses on
ambient water and effluent pipe samples taken from 15 to 20 selected
industrial areas. The Office will continue its leadership role within
the Agency in validating and using toxicological screening methods (e.g.
Ames test) in close coordination with other Offices and other agencies.
The payoff of these toxicological efforts has already been illustrated
by the discovery that tris 2,3(dibromopropyl) phosphate, a widely used
flame retardant in children's pajamas, caused a positive response in the
Ames system. With regard to reconnaissance epidemiology, the Office
will undoubtedly be a minor contributor to an anticipated expansion of
the Government-wide effort during the next several years.
Of interest to a number of other EPA offices and other agencies are
studies directed to the correlation of health effects with types of industrial
activities. Using data from the Center for Health Statistics and the
Department of Commerce, statistical analyses of mortality patterns among
the general population in relation to plant locations are underway. If
successful, the results should be particularly helpful in prioritizing
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the types of industrial dischargers of toxic chemicals for regulatory
attention under several authorities.
Characterization of the Problems
The Office will continue to strengthen its rapid-response capabilities
to clarify the multimedia environmental problems associated with "crisis"
chemicals of urgent concern to the Agency. At any given time, the
Office will be directing its efforts to about ten such chemicals of
immediate interest to a number of Agency offices.
The most ambitious effort to date has been a total assessment of
the problems associated with polychlorinated biphenyls. Many EPA offices,
other Federal and state agencies, and a broad sector of industry have
been directly involved in these activities. The Office's principal
contributions, in addition to its coordination role, will continue to be
programs directed to source assessments, acquisition and compilation of
monitoring data, economic analyses, and assessments of the impact of
specific regulatory approaches, including the availability and environmental
acceptability of replacement fluids. Other "crisis" chemicals that will
command significant Office resources are arsenic and asbestos, and
particularly epidemiological, monitoring, material flow, and economic
studies concerning these substances. Office coordination and investigatory
efforts directed to these and other "crisis" chemicals draw heavily on
an array of on-call contractor resources, including toxicological laboratory
capability and sampling and analysis teams, to supplement available EPA
in-house resources. Close coordination of all field activities with the
Regional Offices, and through them with State and local authorities, is
clearly essential. Indeed, the contractor resources of the Office are
deployed only when the resources of other organizations are not available
on a timely basis.
In addition to the characterization of "crisis" chemicals, the
Office prepares in-depth characterizations of other selected multi-media
chemicals of long standing concern. These analyses, which draw heavily
on existing reports such as the STAR reports when available, document
the need for, character of, and likely impact resulting from regulatory
measures beyond those currently in place. The emphasis is on careful
assessment of all aspects of the desirability and feasibility of limitations
on the manufacture, use, distribution, or disposal of these chemicals.
However, recommendations concerning the need for EPA or other agencies
to consider other types of limitations are also developed. Among the
chemicals currently under study are mercury, cadmium, lead, trichloroethylene,
methyl chloroform, acrylamides, aryl phosphates, and organo-tins. This
analytical effort includes four steps: hazard assessment, development
of regulatory alternatives, assessments of the environmental and economic
impact of one or more of the alternatives, and development of a White
Paper (as described below) setting forth the proposed approach.
Integral to the in-depth characterizations are the monitoring
and information support programs of the Office. These efforts provide
essential information, including generation of new data to fill significant
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gaps concerning production levels and trends and the known and projected
exposure levels. Production and use data come from reports prepared by
the International Trade Commission, Bureau of Census, Bureau of Mines,
SRI, Dun and Bradstreet, and several other organizations. Monitoring
data are drawn from EPA offices (e.g., stack and ambient air, pipe and
ambient water, drinking water, adipose tissue, mother's milk, soil,
plant residues) and from the files and reports of other agencies (e.g.,
food residues from FDA, wildlife levels from Interior, animal contamination
from USDA, ocean levels from NOAA, and workplace levels from OSHA and
NIOSH). Occasionally, data from the states, cities, and industry are
helpful. Specialized Office monitoring programs are then used to fill
the gaps with the newly acquired data tailored to the specific types of
regulatory decisions at hand.
Development and Stimulation of Preventive and Corrective Approaches
The continuing unanticipated emergence of "crisis" chemicals needing
urgent attention by a number of EPA offices as well as other agencies
has prompted the intensification of intra-agency coordination under the
leadership of the Office. These coordinating activities are designed to
alert the Agency to major chemical problems of near-term concern and to
stimulate preventive and remedial actions. The activities are closely
linked to the Office's program activities directed to "crisis" chemicals,
and indeed in the absence of such program support, the Office would
provide little more than an information exchange forum.
The criteria for selecting chemicals for broad intra-agency attention
include (a) the inadequacy of existing EPA mechanisms for addressing the
chemical, (b) the magnitude of the potential environmental problem, (c)
the degree of public concern, and (d) the likelihood that EPA actions
can reduce the problem. The general approach is (a) selection of the
chemicals for attention, following intensive internal and external
consultations, (b) characterization of the associated environmental
problems, (c) inventory of the relevant on-going activities, (d) identification
of the key program gaps, and (e) gaining of commitments to fill the
gaps, including initiation of the regulatory process when appropriate.
Written outputs for each chemical include a two-page summary characterization
of the chemical and its effects plus references, a catalogue of on-going
activities, and a plan for additional activities. The initial 14 chemicals
that have been selected are: arsenic, asbestos, benzene, benzidine,
cadmium, ethylene dibromide, hexachlorobenzene, hydrogen sulfide, mercury,
platinum, PNA's, trichloroethylene, tris 2-3(dibromopropyl) phosphate,
and vinylidene chloride. Second generation chemicals will include
polybrominated biphenyls, bis(chloromethyl) ether, hexachlorobutadiene,
lead, and others.
Considerable Office effort is also devoted to supporting development
of regulatory approaches for these chemicals when the regulatory process
is initiated, e.g., air standard for asbestos, effluent standards for
benzidine and PCBs, and pesticide actions on mercury. In some cases,
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Office contractors with a rapid on-line response capability prepare
special studies at the request of the offices with lead responsibility
for specific regulations. In other instances on-going contractor efforts
are oriented to be of maximum utility in support of regulatory interests.
Consistency in regulatory approaches directed to the same chemicals
is a major concern of the Office. Through participation in EPA Work Groups
on such topics as sludge disposal, toxic effluent standards, hazardous
air pollutants, drinking water standards, and pesticide registration
guidelines, the Office will continue to bring to bear a multimedia
perspective and an awareness of Government-wide activities to specific
EPA regulations. Also, the expertise of the Office will continue to
play an important role in supporting development of regulatory approaches
by helping to insure the technical soundness of selected regulations and
by defending them during the public review process. For example, the
Office did much of the preliminary work and provided Agency experts
during the hearings concerning the original benzidine toxic effluent
standard and the recent air standard for vinyl chloride.
A new dimension of the Office's activities is the preparation of
White Papers for obtaining early Agency decisions as to the need for and
character of regulatory activities directed to major multimedia chemicals
of concern. If regulatory action appears in order, the policy-oriented
White Paper will provide a summary rationale and identify the supporting
documentation needed for initiating the regulatory process. If regulation
is not in order, the White Paper will explain to the public the basis
for a negative decision. Four to six papers will be prepared annually.
Tracking of on-going efforts by EPA and other organizations directed
to toxic chemicals keeps the Agency apprised of the multiplicity of
closely related activities. The Office periodically compiles and distributes
formal and informal reports summarizing the activities of EPA and other
organizations directed to a variety of chemicals. The formal reports
prepared and widely distributed during the past two years are Activities
of Federal Agencies Concerning Selected High Volume Chemicals and Summary
Tabulation of Selected EPA Activities Concerning Toxic Chemicals.
Similar catalogues of regulatory and related activities will be prepared
on a regular basis.
With regard to an improved legislative basis for controlling toxic
chemicals, enactment of toxic substances control legislation will continue
to be a near-term goal. The Office will continue to take the lead in
developing draft legislation which the Administration supports and in
preparing EPA Congressional testimony. In addition, expanded efforts
will be directed to improving the environmental rationale for the legislation
and, to the extent possible, assessing its likely economic impact.
The number of industrial chemicals that are potentially harmful if
not properly controlled is so vast that the regulatory process will not
be able to address many of the potential problems. Thus, an essential
complement to the Office's efforts directed to better regulations is a
major program thrust for stimulating industrial stewardship as a means
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of reaching unregulated chemicals. Initial efforts directed primarily
to about 30 of the larger chemical companies and to a dozen of the major
trade associations are now being broadened to encompass more medium and
small companies, to consider the special aspects of multinational companies,
and to reach out to a larger network of specialized trade organizations
and professional societies. The Office's activities include formal and
informal presentations and discussions (a) at meetings under the aegis
of trade associations and other organizations involving a number of
companies, and (b) during carefully planned visits with key management
and technical personnel, together with tours of R&D and manufacturing
facilities, at individual companies. Also, provision of industry with
technical reports and guidance concerning environmental assessments has
been important. Most recently, for example, in response to industry
requests an FR notice was published concerning the environmental acceptability
of two proposed replacement fluids for PCBs. Earlier, as a direct
result of the activities of the Vinyl Chloride Task Force, chaired by
the Office, and parallel efforts by other agencies, industry took steps
to significantly reduce environmental discharges of this chemical well
before regulations were in place.
Interactions with industry have been directed to specific chemical
problems (e.g., vinyl chloride, PCBs, benzidine, asbestos), to specific
aspects of the Toxic Substances Control Act, and to more general environmental
stewardship concerns. Without exception, the reception by industry has
been quite good and at a very high level. While the impact of these
efforts is difficult to measure, studies are in progress which attempt
to document the current level of environmental stewardship within the
chemical industry as an initial baseline for assessing progress in the
future.
General environmental concerns within a company should include u)
one or more strong voices on the Board of Directors and in the operational
chains of command -- voices that raise the proper questions concerning
the health and environmental aspects of specific chemical activities at
the time investment and related decisions are made, and (b) capabilities
to assess the likely impact of specific chemicals on man and the environment.
In considering the steps that companies have or might take beyond those
actions required by Federal, State, or local regulations, the following
areas are of particular interest: systemmatic reviews of the hazards
associated with each chemical handled by the company; systemmatic procedures
for assessing the environmental acceptability of new chemicals; monitoring
at the fence!ine, at the end of the pipe, and in the solid waste to
determine the identity and levels of all chemicals being discharged into
the environment; a system for insuring that all chemicals leaving the
plant have appropriate warning labels concerning hazards, handling, and
disposal; epidemiological investigations of the work force and, when
appropriate, of neighborhood residents; toxicological and ecological
testing of industrial chemicals to clarify uncertainties; and warnings
and assistance to customers concerning environmental aspects of products.
Also of interest are the willingness of the company to abandon products
which pose a threat, the readiness to share information on adverse
effects with the Government and with the public, the support of the
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research efforts of trade associations, and the concern for the environmental
stewardship of small suppliers and customers.
An area of special expertise of the Office is encouragement of
improved industrial testing of chemicals. The Office will continue to
document the need for expanded industrial testing of certain characteristics
of specific types of chemicals of concern. Of immediate interest is the
need on a selective basis to determine the environmental fate of halogenated
hydrocarbons and to improve the characterizations of the health effects
of suspected carcinogens. Concurrently, Office contractors are evaluating
the reliability and feasibility of several types of test methods for
possible adoption by industry, including bioaccumulation tests, aquatic
teratology assays for organic chemicals, and skin painting approaches
for carcinogens. In response to requests from industry, the Office has
provided advice on testing of several types of detergent builders, dyes,
flame retardants, and silicone oils. Recognizing the importance of
consistency between the Agency's approach to pesticides and to industrial
chemicals, the Office will continue to be a significant contributor to
the development and refinement of pesticide registration guidelines and
to the program to insure quality control of laboratory test data on
pesticides.
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Appendix 1
REPORTS OF THE OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
(In-House Reports in italics Contract Reports in regular type)
(NTIS Reference Numbers Given)
I. Identification of Problems Associated
with Chemical Activities
Environmental Hazard Assessment Report: Chlorinated Naphthalenes.
PB-248-834
Environmental Hazard Assessment Report: Higher Benzene Poly-
carboxylates. PB-248-835
An Ordering of the NIOSH Suspected Carcinogens List Based Only
on Data Contained in the List. PB-251-851
Biological Effects and Environmental Aspects of 1,3-Butadiene.
NTIS number pending.
Chemical Technology and Economics in Environmental Perspectives:
Removal of Boron from Wastewater. NTIS number pending.
Chemicals Which Have Been Tested for Neurotoxic Effects. NTIS
number pending.
Current Awareness of Toxic Substances: Part I. PB-250-074
Current Awareness of Toxic Substances: Part II. PB-250-075
Environmental Aspects of Chemicals Used in Printing Operations.
PB-251-406
Environmental Aspects of Chemical Use in Rubber Processing Opera-
tions. PB-244-172
Environmental Aspects of Chemical Use in Well-Drilling Operations.
PB-246-947
Identification Systems for Selecting Chemicals or Chemical Classes
as Candidates for Evaluation. PB-238-196
Investigation of Selected Potential Environmental Contaminants:
Chlorinated Paraffins. PB-248-634
Investigation of Selected Potential Environments! Contaminants:
Haloethers. PB-246-359
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Investigation of Selected Potential Environmental Contaminants:
Mercaptobenzothiazoles. NTIS number pending.
Investigation of Selected Potential Environmental Contaminants:
Ketonic Solvents. PB-252-970
Literature Study of Selected Potential Environmental Contaminants:
Antimony and Its Compounds. PB-251-438
Literature Study of Selected Potential Environmental Contaminants:
Titanium Dioxide. PB-242-293
Manufacture and Use of Selected Alkyltin Compounds. Task I.
PB-251-678
Manufacture and Use of Selected Aryl and Alkyl Aryl Phosphate
Esters. Task I. PB-251-678
Manufacture and Use of Selected Inorganic Cyanides. PB-251-820
Papers of a Seminar on Early Warning Systems for Toxic Substances.
PB-244-412
Preliminary Environmental Hazard Assessment of Chlorinated
Naphthalenes, Silicones, Fluorocarbons, Benzenepolycarboxylates,
and Chlorophenols. PB-238-074
Preliminary Investigation of Effects on the Environment of Boron.
PB-245-984
Preliminary Investigation of Effects on the Environment of Indium.
PB-245-985
Preliminary Investigation of Effects on the Environment of Nickel.
PB-245-986
Preliminary Investigation of Effects on the Environment of Tin.
PB-245-988
Preliminary Investigation of Effects on the Environment of Selenium.
PB-245-987
Preliminary Investigation of Effects on the Environment of Vanadium.
PB-245-989
Preliminary Study of Selected Potential Environmental Contaminants:
Optical Brighteners, Methyl Chloroform, Trichloroethylene, Tetra-
chloroethylene, Ion Exchange Resins. PB-243-910
A Review of Concentration Techniques for Trace Chemicals in the
Environment. PB-247-969
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Review of the Environmental Fate of Selected Chemicals: Benzidine,
3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine, Ethylenimine, 1-Napthylamine, B-Propio-
lactone, Bis(chloromethyl)ether, 4'4-Methylenebis (2-Chloroniline).
PB-238-908
Review of the Environmental Fate of Selected Chemicals. Task II:
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons. PB-250-948
A Study of Flame Retardants for Textiles. PB-251-441
Structure-Activity Correlation Bibliography. PB-240-658
II. Characterization of the Problems
Asbestos: A Review of Selected Literature Through 1973 Relating
to Environmental Exposure and Health Effects. NTIS number pending.
Preliminary Assessment of the Environmental Problems Associated
with Vinyl Chloride and Polyvinyl Chloride. PB-239-llO
Review of Selected Literature on Ethylene Dibromide. NTIS number
pending.
Summary Characterizations of Selected Chemicals of Near-Term
Interest. NTIS number pending.
Epidemiology Studies: Cancer Mortality Near an Arsenical Pesticide
Plant in Baltimore. Phase I Pilot Study. NTIS number pending.
Technical and Microeconomic Analysis: Arsenic and Its Compounds.
NTIS number pending.
Asbestos in the Drinking Water of the Ten Regional Cities.
Part I. PB-251-620
Asbestos in the Water of 17 Cities and in the Surface Waters of
Seven Natural Sites. Part II. NTIS number pending.
Benzene: Environmental Sources of Contamination, Ambient Levels,
and Fate. PB-244-139
Technical and Microeconomic Analysis of Cadmium and its Compounds.
PB-244-625
Compilation of State Data for Eight Selected Toxic Substances:
Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Cyanide, Lead, Mercury,
Polychlorinated Biphenyls. Volume I: Final Report. PB-248-660
Compilation of State Data for Eight Selected Toxic Substances.
Volume II: Directory of State Toxic Substances Monitoring
Agencies. PB-248-661
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Compilation of State Data for Eight Selected Toxic Substances.
Volume III: Annotated Bibliography of State Data and Information
Sources. PB-248-662
Compilation of State Data for Eight Selected Toxic Substances.
Volume V: Monitoring Program Capability Descriptor Tables.
PB-248-664
Sampling and Analysis of Selected Toxic Substances: Ethylene
Dibromide. PB-246-213
Chemical Technology and Economics in Environmental Perspectives.
Task I: Technical Alternatives to Selected Chlorofluorocarbon
Uses. PB-251-146
Environmental Hazard Assessment of One and Two Carbon Fluoro-
carbons. PB-246-419
Hexachlorobenzene and Hexachlorobutadiene Pollution from Chloro-
carbon Processing. PB-243-641
An Ecological Study of Hexachlorobenzene. PB-252-651
Environmental Contamination from Hexachlorobenzene. PB-251-874
Sampling and Analysis of Hexachlorobenzene. NTIS number pending.
Ecological Study of Hexachlorobutadiene. PB-252-671
Sampling and Analysis of Hexachlorobutadiene. NTIS number pending,
Materials Balance and Technology Assessment of Mercury and Its
Compounds on National and Regional Bases. PB-247-000
Pollution Potential of Polybrominated Biphenyls. PB-243-690
Summary of Office Requirements Resulting from Toxic Substances
Control Act and a Preliminary Specification for a Data Management
System. PB-238-088
Epidemiology Studies: Vinyl Chloride. PB-248-426
Sampling and Analysis of Selected Toxic Substances. Task III:
Vinyl Chloride, Secondary Sources. PB-252-966
III. Development and Stimulation of
Corrective and Preventive Approaches
Activities of Federal Agencies Concerning Selected High Volume
Chemicals. PB-240-133
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Analysis of the National Academy of Sciences' Report "Decision-
Making for Regulating Chemicals in the Environment." NTIS number
pending.
Draft Economic Impact Assessment for the Proposed Toxic Substances
Control Actt S. 776. PB-242-826
Estimating Limiting Risk Levels from Orally Ingested DDT and
Dieldrin, Using Updated Version of Mantel-Bryan Procedure.
PB-243-009
Framework for the Control of Toxic Substances (Compilation of
Speeches). PB-243-459
Industry Views on PCBs. NTIS number pending.
Review of PCBs in the Environment. NTIS number pending.
Preliminary assessment of Suspected Carcinogens in Drinking
Water. PB-244-415
Preliminary Assessment of Suspected Carcinogens in Drinking
Water (Appendices). PB-244-416
Preliminary Assessment of Suspected Carcinogens in Drinking
Water^ December 1975 Report to Congress. PB-250-961
Selected Aspects of the Control of Toxic Substances (Compilation
of Speeches). NTIS number pending.
Summary Tabulation of Selected EPA Activities Concerning Toxic
Chemicals. PB-253-172
Decision-Making for Regulating Chemicals in the Environment.
NAS, 1975.
Identification of Organic Compounds in Effluents from Industrial
Sources — Drinking Water. PB-241-641
Impact of Intensive Application of Pesticide and Fertilizers
on Underground Water Recharge Areas Which May Contribute to
Drinking Water Supplies. PB-251-181
Industry Survey of Test Methods of Potential Health Hazards.
PB-239-840
Laboratory Test Methods to Assess the Effects of Chemicals on
Terrestrial Animal Species. PB-241-505
PCBs in the U.S.: Industrial Uses and Environmental Distribution.
Task I. PB-252-012
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Assessment of Liquid Siloxanes (Silicones). PB-247-778
Assessment of Wastewater Management Treatment Technology and
Associated Costs for Abatement of PCBs Concentrations in Industrial
Effluents. Task II. PB-251-433
Development of a Study for Definition of PCBs Usage, Wastes, and.
Potential Substitution in the Investment Casting Industry. Task
III. PB-251-842
National Conference on PCBs (November 1975). PB-253-248
Review and Evaluation of Available Techniques for Determining
Persistence and Routes of Degradation of Chemical Substances in
the Environment. PB-243-825
Test Methods for Assessing the Effects of Chemicals on Plants.
PB-248-198
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Appendix 2
OFFICE REPRESENTATION ON INTERAGENCY COMMITTEES
Standing Committees
Toxicology Information Subcommittee (NLM)
Interagency Collaborative Group on Environmental Carcinogenesis (NCI)
Subcommittee on Environmental Mutagenesis (NIEHS)
Policy Board of National Center for Toxicological Research (FDA)
Advisory Group for Chemical Monograph Referral Center (CPSC)
Interagency Committee on Testing for Fire Safety (NBS)
Currently Active Ad Hoc Committees
Second Task Force on Environmental Health Research (NIEHS)
Task Force on Inadvertent Modification of the Stratosphere (CEQ/NSF)
Task Group on Chemicals in Tissues (EPA-OTS)
Advisory Group on Health and the Environment (Domestic Council)
Previous Ad Hoc Committees
Interagency Work Group on Vinyl Chloride (EPA-OTS)
Interagency Work Group on Toxic Substances Control Act (OMB)
Cancer Epidemiology Study Group (CEQ)
Panel to Select Organic Compounds Hazardous to the Environment (NSF)
Subcommittee on Extrapolation of Risk for Carcinogens and Mutagens
(NIEHS)
Working Group on Mutagenicity Testing (NCI)
Working Group Priorities for Mutagenicity Testing (EPA-OTS)
Note: Chairmanship given in parenthesis.
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Appendix 3
EXAMPLES OF COMMUNICATIONS TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES
CONCERNING REGULATORY AND RELATED APPROACHES
Recommended to USDA and FDA Action Level for
Hexachlorobenzene June 1973
Recommended to AEC Against the Use of PCBs in
Molding Process Dec. 1973
Recommended to Federal Highway Administration Against the
Use of Lead Chromate Paint on Roads Dec. 1973
Advised OSHA on Environmental Aspects of Vinyl Chloride
Standard for the Work Place June 1974
Recommended to Navy Against the Use of PCBs as
Plasticizer in Paint Oct. 1974
Advised OSHA on Environmental Aspects of Arsenic Standard
for the Work Place Dec. 1974
Alerted CPSC to Positive "Ames Test" Results for
Tris 2,3(dibromopropyl) phosphate Oct. 1975
Requested GSA, DOD, NASA, ERDA, and VA to Curb
PCB Discharges Jan. 1976
Requested International Trade Commission to Retain
Reporting and Analysis Program for Synthetic
Organic Chemicals Feb. 1976
Requested Bureau of Census to Include Data on Smoking
Habits in 1980 Census May 1976
17
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1 REPORT NO. 2. 3. RECK
EPA 560/4/76-005
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. REPO
Core Activities of the Office of Toxic Substances 6'PERF
7. AUTHOR(S) 8. PERF
Office of Toxic Substances
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PRO
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Toxic Substances H.CON
401 "M" Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 13. TYP
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Toxic Substances IA.SPO
401 "M" Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
MENT'S ACCESSION'NO.
RT DATE
July 1976
ORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
ORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
GRAM ELEMENT NO.
TRACT/GRANT NO.
E OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final
MSORING AGENCY CODE
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
This report sets forth the core activities of the Office of Toxic Substances
and the Office's future program plan. It describes a variety of efforts to identify,
characterize, and reduce environmental problems associated with toxic chemicals.
17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
a. DESCRIPTORS b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDE
toxic chemicals
carcinogens
early warning
multimedia chemicals
industrial stewardship
test method development
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT 19. SECURITY CLASS (This I
Unclassified
Release Unlimited 2°- SECURITY CUASS/TW*/
Unclassified
DTE RMS c. COS ATI Field/Group
Report) 21. NO. OF PAGES
21
lage) 22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
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