The United States faces a mounting challenge in chemical innovation as the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a law now five decades old, hampers new product approvals and threatens the country’s manufacturing future. Over 400 new chemicals remain stuck in a federal review backlog that often exceeds statutory deadlines, pushing production and investment overseas, particularly to China.

Under current regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must complete its review of new chemicals within 90 days. However, this target has been missed for most cases, with nearly 92% of pending approvals overdue and many waiting more than a year. This bottleneck stalls advances in sectors critical to the economy, such as semiconductors, medical devices, automobiles, and life-saving medicines.

The EPA has acknowledged the problem and recently announced plans to increase chemical approvals significantly, aiming to surpass the totals of the past five years combined. Leadership under Administrator Lee Zeldin and Assistant Administrator Doug Troutman has initiated reforms, signaling progress after prolonged inefficiencies flagged by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) which criticized the agency’s inconsistent application of TSCA.

Despite these improvements, industry leaders emphasize that regulatory reform must come from Congress. The chemical sector’s chief executive has stressed that without swift legislative action to modernize TSCA, the United States risks losing ground in emerging technologies like AI and next-generation semiconductors. Lawmakers are urged to foster a regulatory environment grounded in science, encouraging domestic investment and innovation rather than driving manufacturing abroad.

The consequences extend beyond factories and labs. The chemical industry supports millions of American jobs and underpins everyday products, from fuel to food packaging. Delays in chemical approval translate into restricted product availability, higher costs for consumers, and fewer jobs domestically. Public opinion reflects this urgency, with a significant majority of Americans calling for Congress to update the regulations governing chemical safety to better align with modern industry needs.

  • More than 444 new chemicals await EPA approval, with most past due.
  • EPA aims to approve more new chemicals in the coming year than in the previous five years combined.
  • TSCA governs safety reviews for chemicals used in critical industries including semiconductors, medical devices, and automobiles.
  • Delays risk shifting innovation and production from the US to China and other countries.
  • Modernization calls focus on adopting science-based review processes to encourage domestic manufacturing and investment.