Regulatory Context

Dimethylformamide (DMF)

Both the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and EPA regulate dimethylformamide, a hazard to human and environmental health.

  • The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for an eight-hour workshift for dimethylformamide is 10 parts per million (ppm).

The U.S. EPA regulates dimethylformamide under the authority of three environmental statutes. Under the:

  • Clean Air Act, dimethylformamide is a "hazardous air pollutant."
  • Comprehensive Environmental Responsibility, Compensation and Liability Act (popularly known as Superfund), DMF is a "hazardous substance."
  • Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program, all large quantity users of dimethylformamide must submit data on DMF releases and transfers.

Endnotes:
EDF, 1999, "Chemical Profile for N,N-Dimethylformamide"; and the New Jersey
Department of Health and Senior Service, 1996, "Hazardous Substance Fact
Sheet: Dimethylformamide" (see endnote #1 for full citations).