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ARTICLE · 28 JUNE 2016

The Toxic Substances Control Act Overhaul: What You Need To Know

Foley & Lardner LLP
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On June 22, 2016, President Obama signed the "Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act" into law, making comprehensive changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

United StatesEnvironment
Amanda Beggs
Amanda Beggs
Sarah Slack
Sarah Slack
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On June 22, 2016, President Obama signed the "Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act" into law, making comprehensive changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This step comes after years of congressional attempts to update the Act.

The changes to TSCA will have sweeping effects on various industries and manufacturers, as the law regulates a wide variety of household, commercial, and industrial chemicals. In the past, TSCA had been criticized in part due to its piecemeal regulation of only certain industries and chemicals, and the regulation of certain chemicals only through more stringent state-enacted rules. The new law provides more certainty for regulated parties and grants the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) broader authority to regulate chemicals currently in the stream of commerce.

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