EPA Falsifying Risk Assessments For Dangerous Chemicals: Whistleblowers

"Agency scientists say management silences and harasses them to appease chemical industry"

"Whistleblowers say the US Environmental Protection Agency has been falsifying dangerous new chemicals’ risk assessments in an effort to make the compounds appear safe and quickly approve them for commercial use.

Over the past five years, the EPA has not rejected any new chemicals submitted by industry despite agency scientists flagging dozens of compounds for high toxicity. Four EPA whistleblowers and industry watchdogs say a revolving door between the agency and chemical companies is to blame, and that the program’s management has been “captured by industry”. The charges are supported by emails, documents and additional records that were provided to the Guardian.

“The depth of it is pretty horrifying,” said Kyla Bennett, New England director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a non-profit whose attorneys are representing the four scientists. “I don’t sleep at night knowing what I know from the whistleblowers.”"

Tom Perkins reports for the Guardian August 27, 2021.

Source: Guardian, 08/31/2021