[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 139 (Thursday, July 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42064-42065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14425]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


National Toxicology Program (NTP); Center for the Evaluation of 
Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR); Announcement of the Availability 
of the Expert Panel Report on Styrene; Request for Public Comment

AGENCY: National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS); 
National Institutes of Health (NIH).

ACTION: Announcement of report availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The CERHR announces the availability of the expert panel 
report on styrene on July 18, 2005 from the CERHR Web site (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) or in print from the CERHR (see ADDRESSES below). 
The expert panel report is an evaluation of the reproductive and 
developmental toxicity of styrene conducted by a 13-member expert panel 
composed of scientists from the federal government, universities, and 
private organizations. The CERHR invites the submission of public 
comments on this expert panel report (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
below). The CERHR previously solicited public comment on the draft 
version of this expert panel report (Federal Register Vol. 70, No. 45 
pp. 11680-11681). Public deliberations by the panel took place on June 
1-3, 2005, at the Holiday Inn Old Town Select Alexandria, Virginia to 
review and revise the draft expert panel report and reach conclusions 
regarding whether exposure to styrene is a hazard to human development 
or reproduction. The expert panel also identified data gaps and 
research needs.

DATES: The final expert panel report on styrene will be available for 
public comment on July 18, 2005. Written public comments on this report 
should be received by September 1, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the expert panel report and any other 
correspondence should be sent to Dr. Michael D. Shelby, CERHR Director, 
NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-32, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 
(mail), (919) 316-4511 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail). Courier 
address: CERHR, 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Building 4401, Room 103, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Center for the Evaluation of 
Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) convened an expert panel on June 1-
3, 2005. The purpose of this meeting was to evaluate the scientific 
evidence regarding the potential reproductive and/or developmental 
toxicities associated with exposure to styrene. Styrene 
(ethenylbenzene; CAS RN: 100-42-5) is a high production volume chemical 
used in the production of polystyrene resins and as a co-polymer with 
acrylonitrile and 1,3-butadiene. Styrene is found in items such as foam 
cups, dental fillings, matrices for ion exchange filters, construction 
materials, and boats. It is also used in protective coatings, 
reinforced glass fiber, agricultural products, and as a food additive. 
The public can be exposed to styrene by ingesting food or drink that 
has been in contact with styrene polymers or through inhalation of 
polluted air and cigarette smoke. CERHR selected styrene for expert 
panel evaluation because of: (1) Public concern about styrene exposure 
and (2) recently available exposure studies.
    Following receipt of public comments on the styrene final expert 
panel report, CERHR staff will prepare an NTP-CERHR monograph on this 
chemical. NTP-CERHR monographs are divided into four major sections: 
(1) The NTP Brief which provides the NTP's interpretation of the 
potential for the chemical to cause adverse reproductive and/or 
developmental effects in exposed humans, (2) a roster of expert panel 
members, (3) the final expert panel report, and (4) any public comments 
received on that report. The NTP Brief is based on the expert panel 
report, public comments on that report, and any new information that 
became available after the expert panel meeting.

Request for Comments

    The CERHR invites written public comments on the styrene expert 
panel report. Written comments should be sent to Dr. Michael Shelby at 
the address provided above. Persons submitting written comments are 
asked to include their name and contact information (affiliation, 
mailing address, telephone and facsimile numbers, e-mail, and 
sponsoring organization, if any). Any comments received will be posted 
on the CERHR Web site and be included in the NTP CERHR monograph on 
this chemical. All public comments will be considered by the NTP during 
preparation of the NTP Brief described above under ``Background.''

Background Information on the CERHR

    The NTP established the NTP CERHR in June 1998 [Federal Register, 
December 14, 1998 (Vol. 63, No. 239, pp. 68782)]. The CERHR is a 
publicly accessible resource for information

[[Page 42065]]

about adverse reproductive and/or developmental health effects 
associated with exposure to environmental and/or occupational 
exposures. Expert panels conduct scientific evaluations of agents 
selected by the CERHR in public forums.
    The CERHR invites the nomination of agents for review or scientists 
for its expert registry. Information about CERHR and the nomination 
process can be obtained from its Web site (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) 
or by contacting Dr. Shelby (see ADDRESSES above). The CERHR selects 
chemicals for evaluation based upon several factors including 
production volume, potential for human exposure from use and occurrence 
in the environment, extent of public concern, and extent of data from 
reproductive and developmental toxicity studies.
    CERHR follows a formal, multi-step process for review and 
evaluation of selected chemicals. The formal evaluation process was 
published in the Federal Register notice July 16, 2001 (Vol. 66, No. 
136, pp 37047-37048) and is available on the CERHR Web site under 
``About CERHR'' or in printed copy from the CERHR.

    Dated: July 6, 2005.
David A. Schwartz,
Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the 
National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 05-14425 Filed 7-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P