EPA lists Toxic Chemicals to Help Protect Public from Accidental Releases: New right-to-know list from EPA shows little evidence of coordination with OSHA's process safety list of workplace hazards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a new citizen's right-to-know list of toxic substances that is intended to enable communities to protect themselves from catastrophic accidental releases. This list of chemicals was mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. In addition to 25 substances specifically included by Congress, it contains substances EPA believes are the most likely to be accidentally released and cause injury. The list includes 77 acutely toxic chemicals, 63 flammable gases and liquids, and certain high explosives. EPA estimates that 115,000 chemical facilities, including manufacturing plants, public drinking water and waste treatment facilities, cold storage facilities, private utilities, and propane retail facilities will be affected by the regulation. "Like the recent announcement on doubling the size of EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (C&EN, Jan. 17, page 4), this rule signifies this Administration's commitment to putting people first," EPA Administrator Carol M. Br...