Biomonitoring : EPA needs to coordinate its research strategy and clarify its authority to obtain biomonitoring data : report to congressional requesters.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Toxic Substances Control Act.

United States.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency--Rules and practice.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency.

Toxic Substances Control Act (United States).

Environmental health--United States.

Environmental health.

Pollution--Physiological effect--United States.

Pollution.

Environmental monitoring--United States--Methodology.

Environmental monitoring.

Hazardous substances--Health aspects.

Hazardous substances.

Biological monitoring--United States--Methodology.

Biological monitoring.

Toxicity testing--United States--Methodology.

Toxicity testing.

Environmental monitoring--Methodology.

Pollution--Physiological effect.

Toxicity testing--Methodology.

Genre:

Rules and practice.

Rules.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (ii, 32 pages)

Other Title:

EPA needs to coordinate its research strategy and clarify its authority to obtain biomonitoring data

Place of Publication:

[Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, [2009]

Summary:

Biomonitoring, which measures chemicals in people's tissues or body fluids, has shown that the U.S. population is widely exposed to chemicals used in everyday products. Some of these have the potential to cause cancer or birth defects. Moreover, children may be more vulnerable to harm from these chemicals than adults. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is authorized under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to control chemicals that pose unreasonable health risks. GAO was asked to review the (1) extent to which EPA incorporates information from biomonitoring studies into its assessments of chemicals, (2) steps that EPA has taken to improve the usefulness of biomonitoring data, and (3) extent to which EPA has the authority under TSCA to require chemical companies to develop and submit biomonitoring data to EPA. GAO recommends that EPA develop a comprehensive research strategy to improve its ability to use biomonitoring in its risk assessments; establish an interagency task force to coordinate federal biomonitoring research; and determine the extent of its legal authority to obtain biomonitoring data under TSCA, asking Congress for more authority if necessary. EPA agreed with the first two recommendations and did not disagree with the third, but provided substantive comments on its implementation.

Notes:

Title from cover screen (GAO, viewed June 9, 2009).

"April 2009."

Includes bibliographical references.

"GAO-09-353."

OCLC:

380864970