U.S. EPA Design for the Environment Program

1. U.S. EPA Design for the Environment Program Exposure-Based Chemical Prioritization Workshop April 7, 2010 Libby Sommer

2. What is DfE? • Hazard reduction &functional use approach • Provide information on chemicals and their alternatives • Guide consumers towards safer choices • Best practices (to reduce exposure) • Informed chemical substitution!

3. DfE’s Current Projects Safer Product Labeling Flame Retardants in PCBs Best Practices Auto Re-finishing In development: • Lithium-ion battery LCA • Best practices for spray polyurethane foam

4. DfE Projects Incorporate… • Multi-stakeholder participation • Consideration of impacts across the lifecycle • EPA scientific tools and expertise Informed Substitution is the goal. To that effect, industry partners replaced more than500 million poundsof chemicals of concern last year.

5. Decision Logic for DfE Approaches

6. Flame Retardants:Alternatives Assessments Furniture Flame Retardancy Partnership Flame Retardants in Printed Circuit Boards Partnership

7. Furniture Flame Retardancy PartnershipAlternatives Assessment (Completed) • Predominant flame retardant (pentaBDE) was being found increasingly in human tissue, breast milkand the environment. • This flame retardant was phased-out at theend of 2004. • Need for fire safety will likely increase based on planned national standards. • Report provides data to inform industry. • Decision-making for alternatives to this 19 million pound per year chemical. • The Report • Summary assessments of chemicals in flame retardant formulations. • Tables summarizing EPA assessment for environmental and human health endpoints. • Detailed hazard reviews.

8. Furniture Flame Retardancy PartnershipResults: Data Presentation Ecotoxicity & Env. Hazard Concern Human Health Hazard Concern Potential for Exposure

9. Flame Retardants in Printed Circuit BoardsPartnership Drivers • Tetrabromobisphenol A / TBBPA • Highest volume brominated flame retardant used in printed circuit boards at ~330 million pounds/year • Reacted into the epoxy backbone of the PCB laminate • Industry need for information on flame retardants • Concern by some stakeholders over environmental impacts and combustion by-products

10. Flame Retardants in Printed Circuit BoardsResults: Data Presentation Eco & Env. Hazard Concern Human Health Hazard Concern Exposure Considerations

11. Future Alternatives Assessments • Administrator Jackson recently announced action plans on ‘Chemicals of Concern’ • DfE will work on • decaBDE – flame retardant in TV cabinets • BPA – many uses, including can liners, polycarbonate plastic, and register receipts • DfE will “look for ways to reduce unnecessary exposures, including assessing substitutes, while additional studies continue.” • 8 phthalates – many uses, plan to focus on a handful of uses

12. DfE Safer Product Labeling Cleaning products Household Industrial and Institutional Direct release, car-wash, boat wash, graffiti removers, etc… Biological-based products Holding tank treatments Bioremediation products Deicers Aircraft conversion coatings Industrial coatings Inks Odor removal Field paint Tire balancing liquid

13. DfE Safer Product Labeling • Expert Chemical Evaluation • Toxicity, fate, function, alternatives • Review every ingredient by functional use • Understand the chemistry that leads to the product performance • Develop standards that provide specific criteria and program transparency 5. Use hazard-oriented, green chemistry approaches to promote the safest options

14. Continuous Improvement:As innovation occurs, continuum may shift Continuum of Improvement Formula Ingredient by Functional Class Sustainable Improved Of Concern Characteristics of Sustainable Ingredient Characteristics of Improved Ingredient Characteristics of Ingredient of Concern

15. The DfE Standard • Functional Class Criteria: • Surfactants, Solvents, Fragrances, Chelating Agents • Env. Fate & Toxicity Criteria for Direct Release Products • Master Criteria (all other functions) • Criteria for carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, acute toxicity, chronic toxicity, neurotoxicity, environmental fate, ecotoxicity • Criteria based upon OPPT New Chemicals Program knowledge, authoritative bodies (e.g., IARC, NTP) and Globally Harmonized System for hazard labeling (GHS). • Focuses on hazard • Emphasis on measured data, followed by QSAR and expert judgment

16. DfE Criteria for Surfactants • Safer surfactants degrade quickly to low toxicity degradates. 1 Generally, >60% mineralization (to CO2 and water) in 28 days. 2 Products of concern are compounds with high acute aquatic toxicity (L/E/IC50 ≤ 10ppm) and a slow rate of biodegradation (greater than 28 days).

17. Summary • In the equation, risk = f(hazard, exposure), DfE focuses heavily on hazard; in keeping with the principles of informed substitution and green chemistry • Exposure is considered • Functional use approach, which complements formulators’ own approach to product development • Persistence/bioaccumulation potential • Hazards as well as exposure potential proxies drive determination of risk management approaches

18. For more information: Libby Sommer sommer.elizabeth@epa.gov 202-564-1065 www.epa.gov/dfe Thank you!