The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed that companies be required to report new uses of 14 chemicals known as glymes, currently used in a wide variety of applications including ink, paints, adhesives, batteries and vehicle braking systems.
The agency says that additional uses of glymes could lead to harmful reproductive and developmental health effects.
The proposed regulatory procedure is called a significant new use rule (SNUR), under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The SNUR would ensure that, before the chemicals are manufactured, imported or processed for their new use, the EPA will have 90 days to evaluate potential risks, and will have the ability to prohibit or limit these activities.
The proposed action is part of a recent EPA effort to strengthen its chemical management program.