About EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics | Pollution Prevention and Toxics | US EPA

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Pollution Prevention and Toxics

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Core Principles, New Approach

For Chemical Management

On September 29, 2009, EPA

Administrator Lisa Jackson

released a set of core principles

to strengthen U.S. chemical

management laws, and

announced a comprehensive

approach to enhance chemical

management under existing

laws.

Resources

TSCA Hotline at 202-554-

1404

Previous OPPT Annual and

Accomplishments Reports

Career Opportunities in OPPT

Chemicals: Scientific Review

Assessment

OPPT's Organizational

Structure

OPPT's Organizational Chart

[PDF](1 pp, 43 KB, About PDF)

Overview of OPPT Laws and

Programs [PDF] (51 pp, 155

KB, About PDF)

Overview appendices [PDF]

(70 pp, 605 KB, About PDF)

The Bigger Picture

Chemicals surround us. They are

a part of everyday objects from

toothbrushes to baby teethers,

plastic forks to furniture, kettles

to computers - things that

comprise much of modern living.

But chemicals can also pose

potential risks. Manufacturing

consumer products creates

emissions that can enter the air

we breathe and the water we

drink. When we throw these

products away, they can

contaminate our land or, if

incinerated, our air. OPPT works

to prevent harmful chemicals

from entering the marketplace

and to ensure that existing

chemicals do not harm public

health or the environment.

Pesticides are regulated under

the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

(FIFRA). Read more about how

Basic Information

The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) was formed

in 1977 with the primary responsibility for administering the Toxic

Substances Control Act (TSCA) (PDF) (106 pp., 263KB, about

PDF) (TSCA Summary). The laws goal is to ensure that chemicals

sold and used in the United States do not pose an unreasonable

risk to human health and the environment. The law covers

production and distribution of commercial and industrial

chemicals. Under TSCA, EPA has established reporting, recordkeeping, testing, and control-related requirements for new and

existing chemicals.

With enactment in 1990 of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)

(PDF) , (10 pp., 39KB, about PDF) (PPA Summary) the office's

responsibilities expanded. This law established pollution

prevention as the national policy for controlling industrial pollution

at its source -- in other words, to keep pollutants from getting to

the environment. EPA works to reduce pollution before it occurs

by supporting innovative changes in the production and use of

raw materials.

As emerging technologies, such as biotechnology and

nanotechnology, changed the types of materials used in

commerce and present in the environment, OPPT's purview

enlarged again. To meet the challenges of its diverse and

broadening responsibilities, OPPT has strong scientific and

technical capabilities, with expertise in areas such as hazard,

exposure and risk assessment, chemical testing, structure-activity

relationship analysis, economic and cost benefit analysis,

chemical technology and pollution prevention.

The office has developed two roles: One is to serve as a

gatekeeper/guardian, using its regulatory authorities granted by

Congress to keep potentially risky new chemicals out of the

market while assessing and managing the potential risks of

existing chemicals. The other -- which is newer and expanding --

is to promote environmental stewardship and sustainability.

OPPT does this through collaborative programs with stakeholders

and educational initiatives. Working to eliminate sources of

pollution, OPPT creates tools and makes information available to

enable industry and the public to make wise chemical choices.

OPPT works in both areas internationally to confront chemical

risks that cross national boundaries.

In support of EPA's mission, our office goals include:

Promoting pollution prevention as the guiding

principle for controlling industrial pollution;

Promoting safer chemicals through a combination of

regulatory and voluntary efforts;

Promoting risk reduction to minimize exposure to

existing substances such as lead, asbestos, dioxin, and

polychlorinated biphenyls; and

Promoting public understanding of risks by

providing understandable, accessible and complete

OPPT Home

Basic Information

Partnerships and

Programs

Concerned Citizens

Grants & Funding

Laws &

Regulations

Information

Sources

Publications

Databases and

Software

Test Methods &

Guidelines

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About EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics | Pollution Prevention and Toxics | US EPA

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Print As-Is

Last updated on Tuesday, July 10, 2012

information on chemical risks to the broadest audience EPA regulates pesticides.

possible.

OPPT wide-ranging programs include:

New and Existing Chemicals programs;

Chemical Testing & Data Collection;

Lead, asbestos, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) risk management programs;

High Production Volume (HPV) Challenge Program and Voluntary Children's Chemical

Evaluation Program (VCCEP), which aim at providing chemical hazard and risk information

to inform chemical use choices;

Design for the Environment (DfE), Green Chemistry, Green Suppliers Network, and

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) programs, which are pollution prevention

oriented.

For additional information:

Read about OPPT programs' accomplishments from January 2007 - January 2009 .

An Overview of OPPT Programs (PDF) (51 pp, 155 KB, About PDF) is available with

corresponding Overview appendices (PDF) (70 pp, 605 KB, About PDF) to provide background

and reference information for US EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT)

programs. These documents provide a brief overview of OPPT's key programs. Please

contact the TSCA hotline (202-554-1404) for more information or to obtain paper copies.