The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released draft risk evaluations for o-dichlorobenzene (oDCB) and p-dichlorobenzene (pDCB) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and is seeking public comment.
Both chemicals are used in certain household and commercial products and can evaporate into indoor air. pDCB is commonly associated with some air fresheners, deodorizing products, and moth repellents. EPA’s draft evaluations examined potential exposures for workers, consumers, the general public, and the environment.
Among the preliminary findings:
- EPA identified unreasonable risks to workers from several occupational uses of both chemicals.
- EPA also identified consumer inhalation risks for certain uses, including some products containing pDCB.
- EPA’s draft evaluations did not identify unreasonable risks to the general public through ambient outdoor air or to the environment under the evaluated conditions.
If finalized, EPA could develop risk management actions under TSCA to address identified risks.
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