Massachusetts Chemical Fact Sheets
Massachusetts Chemical Fact Sheets describe the hazards, exposure routes, uses and alternatives, and regulatory context for selected chemicals, including those on the Toxics Use Reduction Science Advisory Board's list of 'more hazardous chemicals.'
Acrylonitrile Fact Sheet |
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| Massachusetts, with its very small petrochemical manufacturing base, uses little acrylonitrile, only 222,000 pounds in 1996, primarily for the manufacture of styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins and acrylamide-based coatings. Acrylonitrile is a probable carcinogen according to both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and to the EPA in the USA. Because acrylonitrile is not persistent or bioaccumulative and is used as an intermediary chemical, the primary concerns have been with its exposure to workers. Read more... | |
Arsenic and Arsenic Compounds Fact Sheet |
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| Found naturally in the environment and used primarily in Massachusetts for wood preservation and semiconductor manufacturing, people are exposed to arsenic on a daily basis. Reflecting its extreme toxicity, both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the EPA in the USA regulate arsenic to protect workers and the public from above average levels of it. Read more... | |
Cadmium and Cadmium Compounds Fact Sheet |
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| Cadmium (Cd) has many uses in industry and consumer products, with the Cd hydroxide compound form used in the manufacture of Ni-Cd batteries being the major use in the USA. Massacusetts' use today of Cd is primarily for wire manufacturing, and overall Massachusetts has experienced a 73% reduction in the use of Cd since 1990. Due to its serious adverse effects on human health and the environment, Cd is subject to multiple regulations at the state, federal, and international levels. Read more... | |
Chlorine Fact Sheet |
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| Widely used in industry, American businesses and wastewater treatment facilities consumed over 13 million pounds of chlorine (Cl) in 1995. The regeneration of etching solutions was the primary end-use for Cl in Massachusetts, used in the electronics industry to manufacture components. Cl poses the greatest potential for harm to human health through acute exposure; an extremely corrosive gas, it will burn skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and even teeth at doses as low as 15 ppm. Due to increasing awareness of safety risks and environmental hazards caused by Cl, it is regulated at the Federal level in the USA (OSHA, EPA). Read more... | |
DEHP Fact Sheet |
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| Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the international standard plasticizer for otherwise rigid plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). DEHP provides excellent flexibility at reasonable cost, and is found in a multitude of industrial, commercial and consumer products. Read more... | |
Designation of Higher & Lower Hazard Substances Fact Sheet. 2008.
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| Under the 2006 Amendments to the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act, the TURA Administrative Council has the authority to designate up to 10 higher hazard substances and up to 10 lower hazard substances per year. The goal of this provision is to help Massachusetts companies and communities focus their toxics use reduction efforts on those chemicals that pose the most serious threats to health and the environment. Download PDF file (47.05 kB) |
Dimethylformamide Fact Sheet |
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| A potential carcinogen, dimethylformamide (DMF) has come under increasing regulatory scrutiny. Manufacturers use DMF as a solvent in a variety of applications, including the production of electronic components, pharmaceutical products, textile coatings, and urethanes. In Massachusetts DMF use declined slightly by 6% between 1995 and 1997, with chemical distributors accounting for over 50% of the use. OSHA and the EPA both regulate its use in the USA. Read more... | |
Ethylene Oxide Fact Sheet |
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| A known carcinogen, Ethylene oxide (EtO) poses serious hazards to human health. In 1996, United States manufacturers consumed over 8 billion pounds of EtO, primarily as an intermediary chemical in the manufacture of ethylene glycols, glycol ethers, ethanolamines, and surface-active agents (surfactants). Until 1997, only three firms had ever reported EtO use in Massachusetts, as a sterilant of medical products. It is likely used widely as a sterilant or fumigant in quantities below the 10,000 reporting level, as it effectively kills microbial organisms directly. Read more... | |
Formaldehyde Fact Sheet |
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| A simple and versatile substance, many products are made from or contain formaldehyde, including resins and adhesives, permanent press fabric treatments, tissue preservatives, lawn fertilizers, cosmetics and disinfectants. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer in humans and may cause adverse reproductive outcomes. Read more... | |
Hydrofluoric Acid Fact Sheet |
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| Hydrofluoric acid is extremely corrosive. Acute exposures are especially hazardous and can result in severe burns or respiratory damage. U. S. manufacturers use hydrofluoric acid to produce fluorocarbons, aluminum and other chemical products. Metal pickling and etching applications are the primary end-uses for hydrofluoric acid in Massachusetts. Hydrofluoric acid use is on the decline in Massachusetts. However, produced as an unintended byproduct, coal-fired power plants are a potential source of public exposure to hydrofluoric acid. The EPA and OSHA both regulate its use in the USA. Read more... | |
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