EPA Chemical Database Now Available to Public for Free Online

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Not that the US Environmental Protection Agency has a perfect track record of keeping chemicals that are harmful to our health and the environment from being used on our foods and products sold in stores, the EPA has nonetheless come through many times over the years in the name of fostering health and well being.

One such way the EPA is making a difference in the digital age is via an online database listing thousands of industrial chemicals monitored by the agency. Called the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA, said inventory has hitherto only been available by purchase from the National Technical Reports Library. With approximately 84,000 listed chemicals that are manufactured, used or imported in the U.S., one can imagine the TSCA inventory requires quite the binder.

That's precisely why a downloadable, online version makes a ton more sense. Although missing nearly 17,000 chemicals listed in the original TSCA inventory (due to confidential rights held by some chemical manufacturers), there are still nearly 70,000 chemicals listed in the consolidated version. In other words, there's plenty to mull over.

In a way, you could say the EPA is rethinking how it corresponds with the public. Top level administration at the EPA says it is a top priority to increase public access to information on chemicals, ultimately serving to help empower the public with such information.

That said, go to the EPA website or Data.Gov to gain access to the database and get empowered with the knowledge to see what companies are generating pollution and hazardous waste, and what products could potentially cause a danger to your health and the environment.