National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Releases Peer Review Report of Draft IRIS Formaldehyde Assessment
Publilshed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the receipt of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) external peer review report of the draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde (Inhalation). Formaldehyde is a chemical intermediate used in the manufacture of many products, such as plywood adhesives and resins, insulation, and fertilizers. The IRIS assessment of formaldehyde focuses on hazard identification and dose-response assessment of the potential noncancer and cancer human health effects that may result from inhalation exposure to formaldehyde for a lifetime.
“EPA appreciates NASEM’s independent review of the IRIS assessment of formaldehyde,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “EPA looks forward to evaluating the recommendations provided in the committee’s report to further strengthen the conclusions presented in the assessment.”
EPA commissioned the NASEM to convene a committee to conduct the external peer review of the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde (Inhalation). The consensus NASEM study report released today acknowledges the substantial improvements made by EPA. The NASEM committee notes that EPA’s draft “follows the advice of prior National Academies reports and that its findings on hazard and quantitative risk are supported by the evidence identified.” The primary recommendation provided by the NASEM committee is focused on improving the clarity and accessibility of the assessment’s methods.
EPA is currently assessing the recommendations provided by the NASEM committee and plans to use the report to revise the draft IRIS formaldehyde assessment prior to finalization. EPA’s program and regional offices intend to use the final assessment as part of the scientific input for developing risk assessments and as scientific information to support future risk management decisions.
Learn more information on the IRIS Formaldehyde Assessment.
View the NASEM report.
Learn more about EPA’s IRIS program.
Read the full article at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/national-academies-sciences-engineering-and-medicine-releases-peer-review-report-draft
