Toxic Substances: EPA's Chemical Testing Program Has Not Resolved Safety Concerns

GAO discussed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) actions to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of chemicals, focusing on EPA performance in reviewing and acting on test data received from industry. GAO noted that EPA: (1) has not established criteria to define the levels of risk to health and the environment at which it will initiate regulatory actions for harmful chemicals; (2) lacks an adequate information system to track the process for reviewing individual chemicals' test results; and (3) has not done enough to make test results and evaluations available to potential users by publishing such information in scientific journals and databases. GAO also noted that EPA is developing: (1) an information system to monitor test results and evaluations; and (2) procedures to ensure that the National Library of Medicine publishes test results.