EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program Has Made Limited Progress in Assessing Pesticides

Date Issued

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Submitting OIG

Environmental Protection Agency OIG

Other Participating OIGs

Environmental Protection Agency OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Environmental Protection Agency

Report Number

21-E-0186

Report Description

Without the required testing and an effective system of internal controls, the EPA cannot make measurable progress toward complying with statutory requirements or safeguarding human health and the environment against risks from endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Report Type

Audit

Agency Wide

Yes

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Open Recommendations

This report has 9 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
21-E-0186_1	No	$0	$0
Issue Tier 1 test orders for each List 2 chemical or publish an explanationfor public comment on why Tier 1 data are no longer needed to characterize a List 2 chemical’s endocrine-disruption activity.
21-E-0186_2	No	$0	$0
Determine whether the EPA should incorporate the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program Tier 1 tests (or approved new approach methodologies) into the pesticide registration process as mandatory data requirements under 40 C.F.R. § 158 for all pesticide use patterns.
21-E-0186_3	No	$0	$0
Issue List 1–Tier 2 test orders for the 18 pesticides in which additional Tier 2 testing was recommended or publish an explanation for public comment on why Tier 2 data are no longer needed to characterize the endocrine-disruption activity for each of these 18 pesticides.
21-E-0186_4	No	$0	$0
Issue for public review and comment both the Environmental Fate and Effects Division’s approach for the reevaluation of List 1–Tier 1 data andthe revised List 1–Tier 2 wildlife recommendations.
21-E-0186_5	No	$0	$0
Develop and implement an updated formal strategic planningdocument, such as the Comprehensive Management Plan.
21-E-0186_6	No	$0	$0
Develop performance measures, with reasonable time frames, to document progress toward and achievement of milestones or targets. Specifically, the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program should consider at least one performance measure that tracks progress in testing pesticides for human endocrine disruptor activity.
21-E-0186_7	No	$0	$0
Conduct annual internal program reviews of the Endocrine DisruptorScreening Program.
21-E-0186_8	No	$0	$0
Complete and publish the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program’s response(s) to 2015 Federal Register notice comments and its relatedwhite paper.
21-E-0186_10	No	$0	$0
To increase external communication and transparency, update theEndocrine Disruptor Screening Program website, including the program timeline, and publish any relevant program documents.