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Definition

The Agency For Toxic Substances And Disease Registry, ATSDR, is a U.S. Federal agency. Their mission is to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.

ATSDR is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Additional Info

ASTDR has the following responsibilities:

1. Implement health-related provisions of CERCLA (The SuperFund Act). Specifically,
   1. Assess the presence and nature of health hazards at specific Superfund sites.
   2. Help prevent or reduce further exposure and the illnesses that result from such exposures.
   3. Expand the knowledge base about health effects from exposure to hazardous substances.
2. Implement 1984 amendments to RCRA:
   1. Conduct public health assessments at RCRA sites, when requested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, or individuals.
   2. Assist EPA in determining which substances should be regulated and the levels at which substances may pose a threat to human health.
3. Enforce aspects of SARA:
   1. Additional responsibilities in the areas of public health assessments, establishment and maintenance of toxicologic databases, information dissemination, and medical education.

ATSDR maintains many resources that are of importance to those who work with hazardous substances. Here are some of the most important:

• ATSDR ToxFAQs^TM - Questions and answers about exposure to hazardous substances found around hazardous waste sites and the effects of exposure on human health. Includes 185 plain-English fact sheets.
• Toxic Substances Portal with links to all available information on a variety of common toxic substances.
• ATSDR's Substance Priority List is not a list of "most toxic" substances, but rather a prioritization of substances based on a combination of their frequency, toxicity, and potential for human exposure at NPL sites.
• Minimal Risk Levels for Hazardous Substances - A substance-specific estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse noncancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure.
• Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) collects and analyzes information about acute releases of hazardous substances and threatened releases that result in a public health action such as an evacuation.
• Public Health Assessments - Lists, by region of the U.S., the public health assessment at each of the sites on the EPA National Priority List. Very useful if you live or work near a chemical facility/plant.

SDS Relevance

ATSDR maintains information that may clarify, supplement, or extend the information found on Safety Data Sheets and is an excellent resource for those who wish to investigate further the nature and effects of a hazardous substance. Almost all of this information is available on the web, so be sure to take advantage of this resource!

Further Reading

• Frequently Asked Questions About ATSDR.
• Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• NCEH/ASTDR Priorities as well as the ATSDR Mission, Vision, and Impact.

See also: ACGIH, carcinogen

Additional definitions from Google and OneLook.

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Disclaimer: The information contained herein is believed to be true and accurate, however ILPI makes no guarantees concerning the veracity of any statement. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. ILPI strongly encourages the reader to consult the appropriate local, state and federal agencies concerning the matters discussed herein.