EPA Accused of Manipulating Safety Data on Toxic Flame Retardant TBBPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing allegations of manipulating safety data concerning TBBPA, a highly toxic brominated flame retardant. This chemical is extensively used in electronics, textiles, and various consumer products, including circuit boards, children's clothing, and automobiles. While European agencies and international cancer organizations classify TBBPA as a probable carcinogen, the EPA's new draft risk assessment concludes it is not carcinogenic at exposure levels suggested for the U.S. public and children. Public health advocates and environmental groups, including the Environmental Defense Fund and Earthjustice, contend that the EPA's assessment relies heavily on industry-funded science that underestimates the chemical's toxicity and human exposure levels. They argue that the EPA has not adequately considered all potential exposure routes, such as dust in homes, and has falsely claimed TBBPA is no longer widely used in children's clothing and other textiles. Critics also po... 
