Chemical Assessments: Overview of EPA's Efforts to Produce Assessments
This testimony is based on our recent report on EPA's program that assesses the safety of chemicals used in consumer and industrial products. Critics said the EPA program was slow with results and had an opaque assessment process.
We found EPA made improvements to address both timeliness and transparency. For example, new software tools identified results faster and more accurately. However, in June 2018, EPA leadership directed the program to stop the assessment process during a review of program priorities. In December, EPA announced a new list of chemical assessments, reducing its original assessment workload.
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What GAO Found
Why GAO Did This Study
For more information, contact J. Alfredo Gómez, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, at (202) 512-3841 or gomezj@gao.gov.