(Jj) EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection f yA ¦ / ti !*> i rJj I i» iJ^BI II If all ft, Children's Environmental Health Newsletter April 2019 The Office of Children's Health Protection at EPA has developed this newsletter to get you engaged in children's environmental health activities occurring throughout the agency. Here, you can access information on opportunities for public comment on EPA rulemakings, risk assessments, upcoming outreach events, grant opportunities, and other federal children's environmental health announcements. In This Month's Bulletin Take Action to Manage Asthma in School Environments Students with uncontrolled asthma often miss more school and have poorer academic performance than healthier students. With the help of strong school asthma management programs, students with asthma can have equally good school attendance. When asthma is well controlled, students are ready to learn. Effectively managing a child's asthma is best accomplished through a comprehensive plan that addresses both the medical management of the disease and the avoidance of environmental triggers. Because children spend most of their time in schools, day care facilities or at home, it is important to reduce their exposure to environmental asthma triggers as much as possible in each of these environments. For more information about managing asthma in school environments, click here. And, to access EPA's new suite of resources for implementing IAQ preventive maintenance in schools, The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools: Preventive Maintenance Guidance, Checklist, and other tools, click here. Announcements & Updates Meeting of the EPA Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) May 9-10, 2019 in Washington, DC EPA Releases Implementation Status Report for EPA Actions under the December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Status Report) EPA's PFAS Action Plan Interim Registration Review Decisions and Case Closures for Several Pesticides ------- EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program Outlook Public Comment Opportunities Candidates for the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Council (CASAC) - Public Comment by April 30, 2019 IRIS Assessment Plan for Methylmercury - Public Comment by May 6, 2019; Public Science Meeting on May 15, 2019 Request for Nominations to the Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) Advisory Committee by May 16, 2019 Proposed Interim Registration Review Decisions for Public Comment by May 17, 2019 Peer Review of EPA's Draft Risk Evaluation for Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) - Public Comment by May 17, 2019 ATSDR Requests Comments on Proposed Substances to be Evaluated for Toxicological Profile Development by May 20, 2019 Draft Human Health Risk Assessments for Pesticides for Public Comment by June 7, 2019 List of Chemicals Undergoing Prioritization under Amended TSCA: Public Comments by June 19, 2019 Announcements & Updates Meeting of the EPA Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) May 9-10, 2019 in Washington, DC The next meeting of the Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) will be held May 9 and 10, 2019 at 1615 @ Dupont, located at 1615 New Hampshire Ave NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20009. The CHPAC advises the EPA on science, regulations and other issues relating to children's environmental health. The meetings of the CHPAC are open to the public. For more information, please contact Nica Louie at 202-564-7633 or louie.nica@epa.qov. Click here for more information (including the agenda). EPA Releases Implementation Status Report for EPA Actions under the December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Status Report) On April 1, 2019, EPA released the Implementation Status Report for EPA Actions underthe December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Status Report). The Status Report describes EPA activities that are being conducted in support of the Lead Action Plan. Through the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, EPA continues to work with its federal partners to improve coordinated activities and implement objectives of the Lead Action Plan. The Status Report outlines EPA's commitment to work strategically and collaboratively on the Task Force to implement the Lead Action Plan, which promotes a vision where the United States ------- will become a place where children, especially those in vulnerable communities, live, learn and play protected from the harmful effects of lead exposure. EPA intends to periodically post updates and accomplishments on https://www.epa.gov/leadactionplanimplementation. Click here for the press release and additional information. Click here for the Status Report. EPA's PFAS Action Plan On February 14, 2019, EPA published its Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Action Plan which outlines concrete steps the agency is taking to address PFAS and to protect public health. The PFAS Action Plan: Demonstrates the agency's critical national leadership by providing both short-term solutions and long-term strategies to address this important issue. Provides a multi-media, multi-program, national research, and risk communication plan to address this emerging environmental challenge. Responds to the extensive public input the agency has received over the past year during the PFAS National Leadership Summit, multiple community engagements, and through the public docket. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. PFAS are (or have been) found in a wide array of consumer products like cookware, food packaging, and stain and water repellants used in fabrics, carpets and outerwear. PFAS manufacturing and processing facilities, and airports and military installations that use firefighting foams which contain PFAS, are some of the contributors of PFAS chemical releases into the air, soil, and water, including sources of drinking water. Because of their widespread use and environmental persistence, most people, including children, have been exposed to PFAS chemicals. There is evidence that exposure to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health effects. EPA is taking a proactive, cross-agency approach to addressing PFAS. The key actions EPA is taking to help provide the necessary tools to assist states, tribes, and communities in addressing PFAS are summarized in the fact sheet. Click here for additional information on the health effects associated with exposure to PFAS. Click here for the Fact Sheet, EPA's PFAS Action Plan: A Summary of Key Actions. Click here for the EPA's Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Action Plan. Registration Review Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, the pesticide can ------- perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. Interim Registration Review Decisions for Several Pesticides A registration review decision is EPA's final determination on whether a pesticide meets the standard for registration of pesticides. EPA can issue an interim decision based on the human health and ecological risk assessments before it completes the other items needed for a final decision: The listed (federally endangered and threatened) species assessment; Screening under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program; and A determination of what pollinator data may be necessary. An interim decision carries the same enforcement capabilities as a final decision. Registrants are required to follow any of the mitigation measures at the time the interim decision is released. Please note that only children's health concerns are highlighted here. There may be other human health or ecological concerns described in the relevant documents. Click here for additional interim decisions. Chlorpropham What is it? Chlorpropham is a plant-growth regulator used on post-harvest potatoes, Easter lilies, and gingko trees. What potential risks of concern has EPA identified? There are exposure estimates from spray drift from use on Easter lilies that are of concern for children 1 to less than 2 years old, the subgroup with the highest exposure. The proposed interim decision recommended mitigating this risk by additional spray drift measures. EPA Mitigation: EPA is requiring a 50-foot buffer from residential areas and aerial application be done via low ground-boom and with fine to medium droplet size to mitigate potential residential bystander spray drift risks. Click here for the chlorpropham interim registration review decision. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0923] Dichlobenil What is it? Dichlobenil is an herbicide used on fruit, nuts, nursery stock, patios, shorelines and outdoor premises. What potential risks of concern has EPA identified? There are exposure risks of concern for children 1 to less than 2 years old from spray drift, the subgroup with the highest exposure. The proposed interim decision recommended mitigating this risk by additional spray drift measures. EPA Mitigation: EPA is prohibiting all aerial uses of dichlobenil, apart from granular use on cranberries. To address potential spray drift and mitigate risks to bystanders from this ------- use, the Agency is requiring a coarser droplet sizes, and an enforceable 10 mph wind speed application restriction. Click here for the dichlobenil interim registration review decision. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2012- 0395] Trifloxystrobin What is it? Trifloxystrobin is a fungicide registered for use on a variety of agricultural crops as seed treatment, and on turf, sod farms and ornamentals. What potential risk to children has the EPA identified? A potential short-term aggregate risk of concern from the use of trifloxystrobin on turf was identified for children 1 to less than 2 years, the subgroup with the highest exposure. The proposed interim decision recommended mitigating this risk by reducing the application rate. EPA Mitigation. After publication of the human health risk assessment, the registrant submitted a label amendment reducing the single maximum application rate. As a result, the short-term aggregate risk estimates for children 1 to less than 2 are no longer expected to be of concern. Click here for the trifloxystrobin interim registration review decision. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0074] EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program Outlook The IRIS Program is committed to producing assessments in a timely and transparent manner. Since January 2017, IRIS has been working to modernize its workflow. As part of this modernization, IRIS has moved away from one-size-fits-all assessments to a portfolio of chemical evaluation products to meet specific decision needs. This approach optimizes the application of best practices of systematic review in the IRIS Program. As part of its commitment to transparency, the IRIS Program is providing an outlook of program activities that describes assessments that are in development and projected public milestone dates. This information is provided for stakeholders to be aware of upcoming products, and to allow the public and research community an opportunity to communicate relevant research to EPA. During fiscal year 2018, EPA prioritized its IRIS assessments to meet the highest needs of EPA Programs and Regions and to bring greater focus to assessments actively underdevelopment. The April 2019 updated IRIS Program outlook identifies assessments that were discontinued in order to focus on those of highest priority to EPA Programs and Regions, and other assessments that were not identified as priorities for fiscal year 2019 and were suspended; suspended assessments may be restarted as Agency priorities change. Click here for the IRIS Program Outlook. ------- Public Comment Opportunities Candidates for the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Council (CASAC) - Public Comment by April 30, 2019 The List of Candidates for the CASAC has been posted on the CASAC website for a 21-day public comment period. The deadline to provide comments to EPA is April 30, 2019. To submit comment, the public may access http://epa.gov/casac. scroll to the bottom, under "Committees, Panels and Membership," "Public Input on Membership." IRIS Assessment Plan for Methylmercury - Public Comment by May 6, 2019; Public Science Meeting on May 15, 2019 In April 2019, EPA released the draft IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) for Methylmercury tor public review and comment. An IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) communicates to the public the plan for assessing each chemical and includes summary information on the IRIS Program's scoping and initial problem formulation; objectives and specific aims for the assessment; the PECO (Populations, Exposures, Comparators, and Outcomes) criteria that outlines the evidence considered most pertinent to the assessment; and identification of key areas of scientific complexity. The PECO provides the framework for developing literature search strategies and inclusion/exclusion criteria, particularly with respect to evidence stream (i.e., human, animal, mechanistic), exposure measures and outcome measures. The IAP serves to inform the subsequent development of the chemical-specific systematic review protocol. As described in the IAP, the methylmercury assessment will only reassess and update the existing dose response for outcomes related to developmental neurotoxicity, a well-established human hazard of methylmercury exposure. The deadline for comments is May 6. 2019. Click here for the April 4, 2019 Federal Register Notice. Click here for the IRIS Assessment Plan for Methylmercury (Scoping and Problem Formulation Materials) and additional information. Click here for information on the public science meeting (via webinar) scheduled for May 15. 2019. Request for Nominations to the Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) Advisory Committee by May 16, 2019 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates with expertise in the areas of toxicology, bioethics, and statistics to be considered for appointment to its Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) federal advisory committee. HSRB vacancies will be filled in the fall of 2019. In addition to this Federal Register Notice, additional sources of nominations may be used to obtain a balanced committee. Submit nominations by May 16, 2019. Click here for the Federal Register notice. ------- Proposed Interim Registration Review Decisions for Public Comment by May 17, 2019 The proposed interim registration review and supporting documents describe the risk findings and consideration of possible risk mitigation measures for a pesticide undergoing registration review. Following a 60-day public comment period, the Agency will issue an interim registration review decision. Please note that only children's health concerns are highlighted here. There may be other human health or ecological concerns described in the relevant documents. Click here for additional proposed interim decisions. Buprofezin What is it? Buprofezin is an insecticide used on cotton and ornamental plants, as well as a variety of food crops including grapes, berries, stone fruit, citrus and coffee. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? Some aerial applications of buprofezin resulted in risks of concern for children 1 to less than 2 years old, the subgroup with the highest exposure, depending on droplet size. How EPA proposes to reduce these risks to children: EPA is proposing to limit application to when wind speed is 10 mph or less and require coarse or coarser droplet sizes and 10-foot buffer if using medium droplet size and to reduce spray drift. EPA next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted by May 17, 2019. Click here to see the buprofezin proposed interim decision for registration review. Click here to provide comments. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2012-0373] Oxytetracycline What is it? Oxytetracycline is an antibiotic used on apples, peaches and pears and nectarines, and for injection in ornamentals. Oxytetracycline is also used as a pharmaceutical drug treatment. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? As with all antibiotics, concerns exist regarding the potential for development of resistance, or cross-resistance with other antibiotics, that could result from pesticide applications. Because the pesticide exposure has no more than a minimal impact on the total dose to a pharmaceutical user, EPA believes that oxytetracycline does not currently pose any human health risks of concern. EPA next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted by May 17, 2019. Click here for the oxytetracycline human health risk assessment. Click here to see the oxytetracycline proposed interim decision for registration review. Click here to provide comments. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0686] ------- Pymetrozine What is it? Pymetrozine is a systemic insecticide used on a wide variety of crops, including potatoes, pecans, tomatoes and lettuce. Pymetrozine products are also registered for use on ornamental plants, non-bearing fruit and nut trees in nurseries, and Christmas trees. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? Exposure to food alone does not result in acute, chronic or cancer risks of concern; however, when drinking water is included in the dietary exposure calculations, potential risks exceed the level of concern for all exposure durations. Risk estimates are highest for infants. How EPA proposes to reduce these risks to children: EPA is proposing to prohibit the application of pymetrozine to plants grown on vulnerable soils. EPA next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted by May 17, 2019. Click here to see the prometrozine proposed interim decision for registration review. Click here to provide comments. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0368] Streptomycin What is it? Streptomycin is an antibiotic registered for use on fruit trees (apple and pear), as a seed treatment (bean, potato, tomato) as a seedling treatment (celery, pepper, tomato, tobacco), and on ornamentals. Streptomycin is also used as a pharmaceutical drug treatment. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? As with all antibiotics, concerns exist regarding the potential for development of resistance, or cross-resistance with other antibiotics, that could result from pesticide applications. Because the pesticide exposure has no more than a minimal impact on the total dose to a pharmaceutical user, EPA and FDA believe that there is a reasonable certainty that the potential dietary pesticide exposure will result in no harm to a user being treated therapeutically with streptomycin. EPA next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted by May 17, 2019. Click here to see the streptomycin proposed interim decision for registration review. Click here to provide comments. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0687] Thiobencarb What is it? Thiobencarb is an herbicide with products registered to control grasses and broadleaf weeds in rice. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? Non-occupational spray drift exposures result in potential risks of concern for children 1 to less than 2 years old, the subgroup with the highest exposure depending on application rate and droplet size. How EPA proposes to reduce these risks to children: EPA is proposing to lower the maximum application rate and require a coarse spray. ------- EPA next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted by May 17, 2019. Click here to see the thiobencarb proposed interim decision for registration review. Click here to provide comments. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0368] EPA's Draft Risk Evaluation for Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) - Public Comment by May 17, 2019 In March 2019, EPA released 24 studies used in the draft risk evaluation of pigment violet 29. In light of these studies and updates to the systematic review documents, EPA re-opened the public comment period on the draft risk evaluation. The public has from April 17, 2019 until May 17, 2019 to provide comments in docket EPA-HQ-QPPT-2018-0604 on www.requlations.gov. The PV29 draft risk evaluation, updated systematic review documents, and the 24 studies (released in March 2019) are available in the docket (see link below). Click below for PV-29 Materials: Lautenberq ActPV29 Draft Risk Evaluation ATSDR Requests Comments on Proposed Substances to be Evaluated for Toxicological Profile Development by May 20, 2019 The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) within the Department of Health and Human Services is initiating the development of another set of Toxicological Profiles. ATSDR is soliciting public nominations of substances to evaluate for Toxicological Profile development. ATSDR will consider nominations from the Substance Priority List. ATSDR also accepts nominations for non-Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERLA) substances that may have public health implications, on the basis of ATSDR's authority to prepare Toxicological Profiles for substances not found at sites on the CERCLA National Priorities List. Click here for more information on the CERCLA National Priorities List. The agency will accept nominations in order to establish and maintain an inventory of literature, research, and studies on the health effects of toxic substances, to respond to requests for consultation, and to support the site-specific response actions conducted by ATSDR, as otherwise necessary. Click here to submit comments. [Docket ATSDR-2019-0005] Click here to submit comments. [Docket ATSDR-2019-0005] Draft Human Health Risk Assessments for Pesticides for Public Comment by June 7, 2019 As part of the registration review process, the Agency completes a comprehensive draft human health risk assessment that evaluates the potential for human health and ecological effects of a pesticide. Please note that only children's health concerns are highlighted here. ------- Click here for additional Draft Human Risk Assessments. Methomyl and Thiodicarb What is it? Methomyl and thiodicarb are N-methyl carbamate insecticides. Methomyl is used on a variety of food and feed crops, tobacco, and in non-agricultural settings such as sod farms, in bait products in or around livestock and food processing premises, commercial pet living quarters, and outdoor refuse/solid waste containers. Thiocarb is used on a variety of food and feed crops, tobacco, and in non-agricultural settings such as sod farms, in bait products in or around livestock and food processing premises, commercial pet living quarters, and outdoor refuse/solid waste containers. What potential risk to children has EPA identified? There are risks of concern for acute dietary exposure to groundwater for the general population and all sub-populations, with the greatest risk of concern for children 1 to less than 2 years, the subgroup with the highest exposure. Spray drift exposure from lawn use resulted in risks of concern at the field edge for children 1 to less than 2 years, again the subgroup with the highest exposure. Drift reduction technologies will likely reduce risk concerns. Short-term smokeless oral tobacco exposure, assessed for adult smokers only, resulted in risks of concern. How EPA proposes to reduce these risks to children: EPA will provide information on the reduction of these risks to children in the preliminary interim decision, which will be developed after public comment on this risk assessment. EPA next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted until June 7,2019. Click here to see the methomyl and thiodicarb draft human health risk assessment for registration review. Click here to provide comments. Click here for additional documents and more information. [Dockets EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0751 and Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0432] List of Chemicals Undergoing Prioritization under Amended TSCA: Public Comments by June 19, 2019 On March 20, 2019, EPA published a list of 40 chemicals to begin the prioritization process - the initial step in a new process of reviewing chemicals currently in commerce under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). TSCA requires EPA to publish this list of 40 chemicals to begin the prioritization process to designate 20 chemicals as "high-priority" for subsequent risk evaluation and to designate 20 chemicals as "low-priority," meaning that risk evaluation is not warranted at this time. Under TSCA, EPA prioritizes then reviews existing chemicals using a risk- based approach, with a special focus on protecting more vulnerable groups like children. The Federal Register Notice (FRN) provides the identity of the chemical substances being initiated for prioritization, a general explanation of why the Agency chose these chemical substances and information on the data sources that EPA plans to use to support the designation. In the FRN, EPA specifically requests submission of relevant information which might include "potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations which the submitter believes are relevant to the prioritization." ------- EPA is providing a 90-day comment period during which interested persons may submit relevant information such as uses, hazards, and exposure information to the dockets of these chemical substances. Comments must be received on or before June 19, 2019. Click here for the Federal Register Notice. Click here for more information on amended TSCA prioritization. ------- |