ACMA Will Collect Data on Workplace Exposures to Avert Burdensome EPA Requirements
Cardno ChemRisk is supporting ACMA with occupational exposure assessment tasks for styrene, which is currently on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory for future human health risk evaluation. Nine existing TSCA chemicals currently undergoing risk evaluation received test orders for occupational dermal and inhalation exposure information, including several volatile chemicals. EPA plans to continue the issuance of these orders including to composites manufacturers and other companies considered processors of styrene under TSCA.
Therefore, ACMA is mobilizing to gather data and potentially pre-empt such actions for styrene. The primary tasks will include 1) researching existing occupational exposure data for styrene and 2) collating and conducting preliminary analysis of existing ACMA industrial hygiene data. These (and potential future tasks) will inform the appropriate application of occupational styrene data in EPA’s risk evaluation.
Task 1 will involve developing a database of occupational styrene exposure data using information collected in comprehensive literature searches in PubMed, Web of Science and other relevant databases for peer-reviewed studies, as well as the gray literature, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance inspection database, NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) resources (e.g., Health Hazard Evaluation [HHE] program reports and other materials available on the NIOSHTIC-2 database), and other government websites.
Task 2 will involve assessing existing industrial hygiene monitoring data from ACMA member companies and conducting a gap analysis. Assuming the data are of sufficient quality, ChemRisk will collate the member data and perform high-level statistics on overarching occupational exposure categories to determine data distribution, initial outliers, and the impacts of LODs (limits of detection), among other aspects. Member companies will only see the summary statistics, which will contain no company-identifying information. If specific analyses are such that anonymity cannot be ensured, these data will not be shared.
In the coming weeks, ACMA will contact composite manufacturers and ask them to participate in this effort to preclude burdensome EPA reporting requirements. Please contact John Schweitzer with any questions or comments.