Toxic Substances Control Act - Declares that it is the policy of the United States that: (1) hazardous and potentially hazardous chemical substances and mixtures should be adequately tested with respect to their effect on health and the environment and that such testing should be the responsibility of those who manufacture and those who process such chemical substances and mixtures; (2) adequate authority should exist to regulate chemical substances and mixtures which cause or contribute to an unreasonable risk to health or the environment, and to take action with respect to chemical substances and mixtures which are imminent hazards; and (3) authority over chemical substances and mixtures should be exercised in such a manner as not unduly to impede, or to create unnecessary economic barriers to, technological innovation while fulfilling the primary purpose of this Act to assure that such innovation and commerce in such chemical substances and mixtures do not cause or contribute to an unreasonable risk to health or the environment.
Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to require that testing be conducted on a substance or mixture to develop data with respect to the health and environmental effects for which there is an insufficiency of data and experience and which are relevant to a determination that the manufacture, distribution in commerce, processing, use, or disposal of such substance or mixture does or does not cause or contribute to an unreasonable risk to health or the environment when he makes findings enumerated in this Act.
Directs the Administrator to consider all relevant factors in promulgating rules under this Act, including the effect on the competitive position of the person required to provide reimbursement in relation to the persons to be reimbursed and the share of the market for such substance or mixture of the person required to provide reimbursement in relation to the share of such market of the persons to be reimbursed.
Establishes a committee to make recommendations to the Administrator respecting the chemical substances and mixtures to which the Administrator should give priority consideration for the promulgation of a rule under this Act. Requires that in making such a determination with respect to any chemical substance or mixture, the committee shall consider all relevant factors, including: (1) the quantities in which the substance or mixture is or will be manufactured; (2) the quantities in which the substance or mixture enters the environment; (3) the number of persons who will be exposed to the substance or mixture in their places of employment and the duration of such exposure; (4) the extent of human exposure to the substance or mixture; (5) the extent to which the substance or mixture is closely related to a chemical substance or mixture which is known to cause or contribute to an unreasonable risk to health or the environment; and (6) the existence of data concerning the effects of the substance or mixture on health or the environment.
Directs the Administrator to promulgate rules under which: (1) each person who manufactures or processes or proposes to manufacture or process a chemical substance shall maintain such records, and shall submit to the Administrator such reports, as the Administrator may reasonably require, and (2) each person who manufactures or processes or proposes to manufacture or process a mixture, or a chemical substance in small quantities (as defined by the Administrator by rule) solely for scientific experimentation or analysis or for chemical research or analysis, including such research or analysis for the development of a product, shall maintain records and submit to the Administrator reports but only to the extent the Administrator determines the maintenance of records or submission of reports, or both, is necessary for the effective enforcement of the Act.
Requires the Administrator, in consultation and cooperation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and with other heads of appropriate agencies, to conduct such research and monitoring as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Requires the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and other heads of appropriate agencies, to design, establish, and coordinate an efficient and effective system for the retrieval of toxicological and other scientific data which could be useful to the Administrator in carrying out the purposes of this Act. Requires systematized retrieval to be developed for use by all Federal and other agencies with responsibilities in the area of regulation or study of chemical substances and mixtures and their effect on health or the environment.
Limits the disclosure of data gathered under provisions of this Act. Provides for the designation of confidential information.
Prohibits any discrimination against an employee for compliance with requirements of this Act. States that no employer may discharge any employee or otherwise discriminate against any employee with respect to the employee's compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because the employee (or any person acting pursuant to the request of the employee) has: (1) commenced, caused to be commenced, or is about to commence or cause to be commenced a proceeding under this Act; (2) testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding; or (3) assisted or participated or is about to assist or participate in any manner in such a proceeding or in any other action to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Provides that any employee who believes that the employee has been discharged or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of such provisions may, within thirty days after such alleged violation occurs, file (or have any person file on the employee's behalf) a complaint with the Secretary of Labor.
Provides that upon receipt of such a complaint, the Secretary shall conduct an investigation of the violation alleged in the complaint.
Sets forth criminal and civil penalties for violations of provisions of this Act.
Requires the Council on Environmental Quality, in consultation with the Administrator, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Secretary of Commerce, and the heads of other appropriate Federal departments or agencies, to coordinate a study of the feasibility of establishing (1) a standard classification system for chemical substances and related substances, and (2) a standard means for storing and for obtaining rapid access to information respecting such substances. Requires a report on such study to be completed and submitted to Congress not later than eighteen months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line