EPA updates Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program plan.

Today, the EPA announced the update of its Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) Comprehensive Management Plan. The EDSP was established by EPA in 1998 under the authority of 1996 amendments to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and Safe Drinking Water Act with the mission to screen chemicals in pesticides, commercial chemicals, and environmental contaminants for potential adverse effects on estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormone systems. Generally, the EDSP provides for a two-tiered screening and testing program based on prioritized lists of chemicals.

The updated plan [PDF] outlines the critical activities for the program over the next five years, as well as strategic guidance for the agency. According to the EPA’s announcement email, a focus of the program’s activities will be “using informational technology to enhance data interpretation and applying computational methods to more efficiently prioritize and screen the universe of EDSP chemicals for potential effects on the endocrine system.”

The EDSP plan – which is non-binding – applies to fiscal year 2014 through fiscal year 2019, and will be evaluated on an annual basis for revisions. In fiscal year 2013, the program underwent four external scientific peer reviews on the critical science of the program; EPA will be considering the recommendations made by the reviewers in revising the plan moving forward, while undergoing further reviews on computational models and methods in the next few years. Other activities planned in 2014 include:

  • Completion of List 1, Tier 1 scientific review, data evaluation records, and weight of evidence decisions for 52 pesticide chemicals;
  • Completion of Tier 2 Test Methods Validation, development of test guidelines, guidance documents and standard evaluation procedures;
  • Issuance of List 1 Chemicals, Tier 2 test orders and review of other scientifically relevant information;
  • Develop various IT solutions to increase efficiency through electronic submission, tracking, and systematic data reviews; and
  • Issuance of List 2 Chemicals, Tier 1 test orders and review of other scientifically relevant information; test orders will be issued incrementally over three years.

The plan envisions completing all testing and scientific reviews, data evaluation records, and weight of evidence decisions by 2021-2023. More information on the EDSP is available on the program’s website.