How CDR Data
Fits Within EPA’s Goals
Susan Sharkey
The Chemical Control Division
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
An Agency Priority
“More than 30 years after Congress enacted the
Toxic Substances Control Act, it is clear that we are
not doing an adequate job of assessing and
managing the risks of chemicals in consumer
products, the workplace and the environment.
It is now time to revise and strengthen EPA’s
chemicals management and risk assessment programs.”
EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson
Jan. 23, 2009
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Enhanced Chemical Mgmt Efforts
• Key to Strengthening Existing TSCA Program
• Comprehensive effort includes:
―Getting the information needed to
understand chemical risks.
―Increasing public access to information
about chemicals.
―Targeting priority chemicals for action.
―Regulatory risk management actions.
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Information to Understand Chemical Risks
• CDR provides exposure-related data needed to put
hazard data into context, in order to develop an
understanding of potential chemical risks.
• CDR provides the data in a more transparent, more
current, more useful, and more useable format.
– Increased quality and reliability of data
– Faster access to the data
– Increased amount of data for the public
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Uses of CDR Data
The CDR helps EPA fulfill its mandate by providing a
starting point of basic exposure information.
• Provides a “first look” at a chemical, industry, or use by
providing needed information not otherwise available for
chemicals listed on the TSCA Inventory.
• Enables more effective early screening of chemicals, their
uses, and potential exposures so EPA can prioritize
resource expenditures.
• Allows EPA to be proactive rather than reactive by
providing information needed to identify industry trends.
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EPA’s Prioritizing Chemicals Process
CDR data are a key component of the Agency’s
planned process to prioritize chemicals:
• In Step 1, CDR provides information on chemicals to
which children may be exposed.
• In Step 2, CDR provides a broad array of data, ranging
from production volume and chemical form to
information needed to characterize potential exposures
related to workers, consumers, and the public in general.
For more information:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/chempridiscguide.html
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