Reinventing Chemical Information Management at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

1. Reinventing Chemical Information Management at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Presented to the Chemical Information Division American Chemical Society March 30, 2000 Lois E. Fritts, Tommie G. Curtis Scientific Applications International Corporation SDC-0002-021-LF- 2043

2. Background to EPA • 1948 smog Donora, PA • 1940s Cuyahoga River Cleveland, OH • 1962 pesticides Silent Spring • 1970s Kepone Hopewell, VA • 1970s PCBs Hudson River • 1970s PBBs Michigan • 1970s Valley of Drums West Point, KY • 1970s Love Canal Niagara Falls

3. EPA Formed in 1970 • Single independent regulatory authority formed from federal organizations including: • Department of Interior • Food and Drug Administration • Health Education and Welfare • Department of Agriculture • Atomic Energy Commission • Council of Environmental Quality

4. 1970 -- CAA 1972 -- NEPA 1972 -- CWA 1972 -- FIFRA 1972 -- ODA 1974 -- SDWA 1976 -- TSCA 1976 -- RCRA 1976 -- ERDDA 1980 -- CERCLA 1986 -- EPCRA 1990 -- PPA EPA Legislative Authority

5. Chemical Information Management Problems • EPA formed from many separate organizations • EPA programs funded independently by Congress • No EPA standards to ensure consistent identification of chemical substances and groupings

6. Chemical Data Problems • Chemical substances are identified and represented inconsistently in Agency data systems and in environmental regulations • EPA is interested in chemical classes and categories that have not been registered by Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) • CAS Registry Numbers are not always validated or used appropriately

7. Hazardous Waste Codes D013 U129 Parameter Codes 34266 39340 39782 CAS Registry Numbers 58899 000058899 58-89-9 Pollutant Codes HCCH Lindane Identifiers

8. Lindane Names • R-BHC (Lindane) gamma • gamma-BHC • BHC-gamma • Lindane • 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexachlorocyclohexane, gamma • Benzene hexachloride, gamma

9. Interim Attempts to Resolve Problems • 1986 - EPA CAS Registry Number Data Standard • Required CAS Registry Number for all data records about chemical substances • 1994 - Envirofacts Master Chemical Integrator (EMCI) • Provided a cross reference to chemical identifiers across EPA data systems

10. More is Needed • EPA CAS Registry Number Data Standard does not go far enough to establish accuracy and consistency • EMCI is limited to the data systems in the Envirofacts warehouse; it does not address the scope of Agency needs for integrated data sharing

11. Reinventing Environmental Information (REI) Program • 1995 - Need for standards to represent key identifiers in six essential areas: • Date • Facility • Latitude/longitude • Business classifications • Biological taxonomy • Chemical identification

12. Data Standards Process • Establish workgroups of knowledgeable EPA staff • Define exact data requirements for the standard • Determine business rules for implementation • Record data elements and rulesin the EPA Environmental Data Registry (EDR) www.epa.gov/edr/

13. Interim Chemical Identification Data Standard • CAS Registry Number • CAS systematic chemical name (preferably using 9th CI nomenclature) • EPA Chemical Registry Name • EPA Identification Number for groupings of chemicals of interest to the Agency

14. Optional Data Elements for Chemical Identification • Molecular formula • Molecular weight • Sources of chemicalnames and synonyms • Linear structural formula • Graphic structural formula • Definition, to further explain • Comments, to add information

15. Business Rules for Implementation • Overview of the standard • Definitions • Applicability • Data requirements • Processing • Roles and responsibilities • Implementation • Maintenance

16. Special Requirements • Determine the EPA Chemical Registry Name • Establish a central EPA Chemical Registry System (CRS) to support the standard www.epa.gov/crs/