The Occupational Safety and Health  Administration (OSHA) will reopen the glycol ethers rulemaking record to solicit information on the extent to which the two ethylene glycol ethers and their acetates are currently being used in the workplace, including their level of production, and the industries and processes in which they’re being used. The agency is also interested in learning about substitutes for the ethers that employers may be using, including information on patterns of use, levels of employee exposure to the substitute and their levels of toxicity.
Information submitted in response to the proposal has indicated a decline in the production of the substances and that their use in several key industry sectors may have been eliminated or phased out. A recent Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Release Inventory also confirms a downward trend in their production and use. Comments must be submitted by Nov. 6, 2002. Call the OSHA docket office at (202) 693-2350 for information on submitting comments.