US environmental regulators update chemical hazard reporting for the first time in a decade

US environmental regulators are updating the rules for reporting hazardous chemicals. This means companies will use the same hazard categories and terms that workplace safety regulators now require, making reports more consistent.

Companies that handle hazardous chemicals have to report what they have on site to local emergency planners. For years, the definitions used by environmental regulators for these reports were out of sync with the definitions used by workplace safety regulators. This created extra work and confusion. Now, the definitions match, which should make it easier for companies to comply and for first responders to understand the risks.