How will the data from the testing be used? What are the steps for Agency decisions once test data has been submitted?
The intent of EPA’s HPV Challenge Program is to gather a basic set of environmental and health effects data for each chemical and make this data publicly available and thereby improve the public’s understanding of the toxicity of chemicals most commonly used in this country. The database resulting from this activity will be adequate to support a screening level hazard characterization, which is the first step toward what is known as a risk assessment. Using this hazard characterization on a given chemical with information about its uses and exposures, EPA and others will then be able to better characterize the potential for adverse human health or environmental effects and decide if further testing or other action is necessary.
