Toxic Chemicals

Toxic chemicals are substances that can harm health or the environment even in small amounts. They turn up in industry, consumer products, farming, and drinking water. The EPA reviews and regulates chemicals under federal law, and other agencies and the states add their own rules.

Readers usually ask how a chemical is judged to be safe or harmful and who makes that call. They want to know how companies report what they release, how the public can find information about nearby sources, and how bans and limits are decided. They also ask how government handles chemicals that stay in the body or environment.