In the last few weeks of the Biden Administration, EPA proposed styrene for prioritization for risk assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and opened a 90-day comment period. ACMA held an industry roundtable on January 14th to update the industry on this process, answer questions and worked closely with members in crafting a strategy.
ACMA has begun to execute that strategy. As the public comment period closes, ACMA remains committed to fighting for smart, science-based policies that protect our industry. ACMA’s March 18th comments to EPA can be found here and can also be viewed on the official EPA docket. In these comments, ACMA argues the EPA’s proposed high-priority designation for styrene is not supported by sound science and could have serious economic consequences for manufacturers, suppliers, and workers across the country.
- What’s at stake? This designation could disrupt supply chains, eliminate jobs, and push production overseas, weakening America’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.
- A broken approach. The EPA is rushing to regulate styrene without considering the full weight of scientific evidence. The process lacks transparency and fails to account for existing safety measures and decades of industry research.
- The facts of the matter. Styrene is not bioaccumulative, does not persist in the environment, and is not a carcinogenic risk to humans at current or historical exposure levels. Decades of studies show no consistent evidence of harm when proper safety measures are in place.
- Next steps. ACMA has urged EPA to base its decisions on sound science and will continue engaging with policymakers to prevent unnecessary, job-killing regulations.
We encourage you to stay engaged—your voice matters in ensuring a fair regulatory process. If you have questions or want to support ACMA’s advocacy efforts, please reach out to membership@acmanet.org.