News Release

New High Production Volume (HPV) Chemicals Peer Review Pilot Launched

ARLINGTON, VA (November 11, 2008) The American Chemistry Council (ACC), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), has launched a High Production Volume (HPV) Chemical Peer Consultation Pilot designed to test whether a modified review and comment process of HPV initial submissions will create efficiencies that will help EPA meet its goals under its Chemical Assessment and Management Program (ChAMP).

Under the pilot, Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA), an independent, non-profit scientific organization, will convene and facilitate a technical Peer Consultation Panel whose members will offer technical comments on HPV submissions. Panel representatives will consist of technical experts from EPA, PCRM, and an emeritus toxicologist of the National Toxicology Program. 

 “ACC is proud to support EPA’s regional and national commitments under ChAMP, and is particularly pleased to participate actively in the HPV Peer Consultation Panel Pilot process,” said Mike Walls, ACC Managing Director of Regulatory and Technical Affairs.  “We believe the pilot will facilitate a more timely review of HPV submissions, which will enable EPA to move more rapidly to develop hazard characterizations and risk-based decisions on HPV chemicals.” 

The technical Peer Consultation Panel will meet twice before the end of 2008 and will review submissions concerning approximately 40 chemicals.  The meetings will be facilitated by TERA and open to the public.  Once the pilot is complete, participants will evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the process, the work product, and make recommendations for improvements.  A decision whether to continue the Peer Consultation Panel will not be made until this evaluation is complete.

For complete information on the pilot, please visit http://www.tera.org/peer/hpv/hpvwelcome.htm.

For additional information about the pilot and ChAMP, please see http://www.epa.gov/champ/, www.americanchemistry.com/hpvmediakit and www.pcrm.org