• overview
• policy issues
• news room
• industry statistics
• impact chemistry
• programs/initiatives
• about acc
• plastics division
• chlorine chemistry division
• chemical products and technology division
• learning center
• events

• Publications/Store

• acc 
• policy issues 
• product stewardship policy 
• u.s. chem reg 
• EHPV

In March 2005, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), in cooperation with The Soap and Detergents Association (SDA) and Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), announced a joint initiative to extend the industry’s work on high production volume (HPV) chemicals – those produced in the United States or imported in quantities greater than 1 million pounds annually. The EHPV Program will seek to publish health and environmental information on 574 newly designated HPV chemicals, and increases the breadth of safety information made publicly available for all HPV substances.

The EHPV Program broadens current work on HPV chemicals in two ways. First, companies are being asked to provide health and environmental information for 574 “new” HPV chemicals. These are substances that did not qualify as HPV chemicals at the start of the original program but which now meet the volume threshold according to EPA’s 2002 Inventory. Second, the EHPV Program increases the scope of information being collected for all HPV chemicals. In addition to gathering health and environmental information, companies will be asked to provide information on use and exposure for both the “Extended” HPV as well as the original “Challenge Program” substances. In this way, the EHPV Program will provide EPA and the public with an extensive source of chemical safety information on HPV chemicals.

ACC members were the first companies to make commitments, and they are still leading the way on efforts to make chemical safety information publicly available.  As of May 12, 2006, industry sponsors have made commitments on 231 “new” HPV chemicals, and to provide use and exposure information on 462 chemicals that were part of the original Challenge program.  

ACC is working on a more complete accounting of the availability of use and exposure information.  For example, a number of sponsors in the original Challenge program had previously provided this information in their submissions, although the Challenge program did not request that information.  Efforts are underway to ensure that information in those submissions is taken into account.  This site will be updated periodically to reflect the most accurate information possible, and will also be updated in the near future to indicate which chemicals have been sponsored and by which companies and/or consortia. 

ACC is receiving and tracking the commitments by sponsors in the EHPV program – a process that was handled differently under the original Challenge program (where sponsors submitted their commitment information directly to EPA).  Despite the fact that commitment tracking is handled differently in the EHPV program, all other aspects will be managed in the same or a very similar way as it was in the HPV Challenge Program.  For example, sponsors will submit robust summaries and test plans in the EHPV program either directly to EPA or into its HPV Information System (HPVIS), which is publicly available.  EPA and interested stakeholders will be able to comment on those submissions, just as they had under the original Challenge program. 

ACC, SDA, and SOCMA continue to seek commitments for those chemicals that have not yet been sponsored, including those chemicals on the EHPV list for which there is no publicly available information on producer identity.  If your company is interested in sponsoring a chemical, contact Christina Franz at 703-741-5176 or christina_franz@americanchemistry.com to obtain commitment information and materials.

• High Production Volume (HPV) Challenge
• EPA HPV Site

Supporting Documents:

• EHPV FAQs