Control of toxic substances

The Toxic Substances Control Act - TSCA - gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to inventory all new and existing chemical substances, and to restrict or ban the use of those deemed a threat to health or the environment. Congressional purpose in enacting TSCA was to fill the gaps in existing laws relating to the efforts of toxic materials on health and the environment. Most discussions of TSCA have been concerned with its massive and fairly immediate impact on the chemical industry. However, its full influence throughout industry, particularly on production engineering, will be far more significant. This article presents a discussion of what the law is and what its influence will be, and a review of its status in the political/regulatory arena.