Recent Additions for 2018

EPA announced the release of the IRIS Program Outlook (December 2018) timeline for chemicals under development. The document gives details about assessments that are currently in development and their projected public milestones in a timely manner. These assessments have been identified as high priority needs of the Agency for fiscal year 2019.

EPA staff from the IRIS Program participated in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) 2-day workshop held December 10-11, 2018, to discuss strategies and tools for searching, screening, evaluating, and integrating mechanistic data in IRIS chemical assessments.

EPA's Office of Land Management and Emergency Management (OLEM) announced the availability of updated Regional Screening Level (RSL) tables. The New Tables were generated to reflect changes in the toxicity and chemical-specific parameters as per the RSL hierarchies.

EPA announced the availability of the Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft) for a 60-day public comment period. The deadline for comments is December 11, 2018. [Federal Register Notice Oct 23, 2018]

EPA announced the release of a Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value assessment for Stable (Nonradioactive) Soluble Lanthanum (CASRN 7439-91-0) that was finalized and posted to the PPRTV website. Subchronic and chronic provisional reference dose (RfD) values were derived.

EPA announced the release of the Superfund Health Risk Technical Support Center (STSC) Annual Report for FY2017. This report provides an overview of the functions of the STSC, including the preparation and distribution of Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) Assessments, and a selection of technical responses provided in FY2017.

EPA announced the release of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). The Interagency Science Discussion Draft of the Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) IRIS Assessment and accompanying comments were also released.

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Mapping the Vulnerability of Human Health to Extreme Heat in the United States. This report is based on an expert elicitation of governmental and academic scientists where they completed one-on-one interviews regarding the methodology and data requirements for assessing vulnerability of certain population to the health impacts associated with extreme heat in the U.S. and for developing vulnerability maps that characterize and locate vulnerable populations. The results of these interviews is the basis of this report.

EPA announced the release of a Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value assessment for Stable (Nonradioactive) Soluble Lutetium (CASRN 7439-94-3) that was finalized and posted to the PPRTV website. A subchronic provisional reference dose (RfD) value was derived.

EPA announced an update to Chapter 9 (Intake of Fruits and Vegetables) of the Exposure Factors Handbook (2011 Edition). This update includes new information and factors on the intake of fruits and vegetables that has become available since the 2011 Edition was released.

EPA announced the release of a Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value assessment for Technical Toxaphene, Weathered Toxaphene, and Toxaphene Congeners (CASRN 8001-35-2) that was finalized and posted to the PPRTV website. Subchronic and chronic provisional reference dose (RfD) values were derived for technical toxaphene and Appendix A of the assessment contains screening subchronic chronic provisional RfDs for weathered toxaphene.

EPA announced an update to Chapter 12 (Intake of Grain Products) of the Exposure Factors Handbook (2011 Edition). This update includes new information and factors on the intake of grain products that has become available since the 2011 Edition was released. This update also provides, for the first time, grain intake data for pregnant and lactating women based on NHANES 2005−2010 data.

EPA announced an update to Chapter 19 (Building Characteristics) of the Exposure Factors Handbook (2011 Edition). This update includes new information and factors on building characteristics that affect exposure in an indoor environment that has become available since the 2011 Edition was released.

EPA announced the release of the draft IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) for Naphthalene. The IAP will be discussed with the public on August 23, 2018 at an IRIS Public Science Meeting (Webinar).

EPA announced an update to Chapter 11 (Intake of Meats, Dairy Products, and Fats) of the Exposure Factors Handbook (2011 Edition). This update includes new information and factors needed to assess exposure to environmental agents that occur from ingestion of meats, dairy products, and fats since the 2011 Edition was released.

EPA has issued a call for scientific and policy-relevant information for the preparation of an Integrated Review Plan (IRP) and an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) as part of the review of the air quality criteria and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone (O₃) and related photochemical oxidants. The IRP will summarize the plan for the review, including the initial identification of policy-relevant issues and questions to frame the review. The ISA will build on the scientific assessment conducted for the last O₃ review, focusing on assessing newly available information since the last assessment. Interested parties are invited to assist the EPA by submitting information regarding significant new O₃ research and policy-relevant issues for consideration in this review of the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) O₃ standards.

EPA announced the availability of the Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur and Particulate Matter Ecological Criteria (Second External Review Draft) for a 60-day public comment period. The deadline for comments is September 4, 2018. [Federal Register Notice Jun 26, 2018]

EPA announces the availability of the final report, Improving the Resilience of Best Management Practices in a Changing Environment: Urban Stormwater Modeling Studies. This report responds to the need for an improved understanding of the potential impacts of changes in long term weather conditions on the occurrence and management of urban stormwater runoff. The stormwater management scenarios covered five types of developed land use in five geographic locations representing different hydroclimatic regimes throughout the United States. This report presents the results of these modeling studies, which are applicable to both new development, redevelopment, and stormwater retrofits.

On May 23, 2018, EPA will be hosting an IRIS public science meeting to provide an opportunity for the public to give input and participate in an open discussion regarding the IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) that was prepared for this IRIS chemical prior to the development of the draft assessment. See May 2018 IRIS Public Science Meeting for details on the IAP and meeting agenda.

EPA's Office of Land Management and Emergency Management (OLEM) announced the availability of updated Regional Screening Level (RSL) tables. The New Tables were generated to reflect changes in the toxicity and chemical-specific parameters as per the RSL hierarchies.

EPA announced the release of a Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value assessment for Stable (Nonradioactive) Gadolinium (CASRN 7440-54-2) and Soluble Salts that was finalized and posted to the PPRTV website. Appendix A of the assessment contains a screening subchronic reference dose (RfD) value.

EPA announced the release of the draft IRIS Assessment Plan for Ammonia and Ammonium Salts Noncancer Oral. The IAP will be discussed with the public on May 23, 2018 at an IRIS Public Science Meeting (Webinar). More information on this event can be found by visiting on the public meeting web site. The public comment period for the IAP closes on May 16, 2018. [Federal Register Notice Apr 16, 2018]

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) released their review of recent advancements made in the IRIS Program. The NAS report recognized the substantial progress made in implementing recommendations outlined in past NAS reports, and noted the improvement in the IRIS Program's application of systematic review methods. The committee offer recommendations which build on the progress that EPA has already made.

On March 22, 2018, EPA hosted an IRIS public science meeting to provide an opportunity for the public to give input and participate in an open discussion regarding the IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) that was prepared for this IRIS chemical prior to the development of the draft assessment. See March 2018 IRIS Public Science Meeting for details on the IAP and meeting presentation materials.

EPA released the most recent IRIS Program Report to Congress. The report is responsive to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, and provides Congress and the public with an update on an interagency working group's evaluation of the IRIS Program's implementation of NAS recommendations.

EPA posted a response to Request for Correction (RFC) 17002: Integrated Risk Information System; Toxicological Review of Chloroprene. The EPA document contains two attachments, including EPA's Response (Attachment 1) and a Systematic Review of Chloroprene [CASRN 126-99-8] Studies Published Since 2010 IRIS Assessment to Support Consideration of the Denka Request for Correction (RFC) (Attachment 2).

EPA released the final report, Procedures for Delineating and Characterizing Watersheds for Stream and River Monitoring Programs (EPA/600/R-17/448F). This manual describes how states and tribes can delineate watersheds using two different methods and provides methods for five characterization steps (land use, base flow, channel slope/sinuosity, watershed slope, facilities of concern).

EPA announced the release of the IRIS Assessment Plan for Uranium and the Systematic Review Protocol for the IRIS Chloroform Assessment. Information regarding the implementation of systematic review in the IRIS Program is described in a January 2018 Memo.