Reinventing Chemical
Information Management
at the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
Presented to the
Chemical Information Division
American Chemical Society
March 30, 2000
Lois E. Fritts, Tommie G. Curtis
Scientific Applications International Corporation
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Background to EPA
 1948
smog
Donora, PA
 1940s
Cuyahoga River
Cleveland, OH
 1962
pesticides
Silent Spring
 1970s
Kepone
Hopewell, VA
 1970s
PCBs
Hudson River
 1970s
PBBs
Michigan
 1970s
Valley of Drums
West Point, KY
 1970s
Love Canal
Niagara Falls
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EPA Formed in 1970
 Single independent regulatory authority
formed from federal organizations including:

Department of Interior

Food and Drug Administration

Health Education and Welfare

Department of Agriculture

Atomic Energy Commission

Council of Environmental Quality
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EPA Legislative Authority
 1970 -- CAA
 1976 -- TSCA
 1972 -- NEPA
 1976 -- RCRA
 1972 -- CWA
 1976 -- ERDDA
 1972 -- FIFRA
 1980 -- CERCLA
 1972 -- ODA
 1986 -- EPCRA
 1974 -- SDWA
 1990 -- PPA
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Chemical Information
Management Problems
 EPA formed from many separate
organizations
 EPA programs funded independently
by Congress
 No EPA standards to ensure
consistent identification of chemical
substances and groupings
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Chemical Data Problems
 Chemical substances are identified and
represented inconsistently in Agency
data systems and in environmental
regulations
 EPA is interested in chemical classes
and categories that have not been
registered by Chemical Abstracts
Service (CAS)
 CAS Registry Numbers are not always
validated or used appropriately
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Lindane Identifiers
 Hazardous Waste
Codes


D013
U129
 CAS Registry
Numbers



 Parameter Codes
 34266
 39340
 39782
58899
000058899
58-89-9
 Pollutant Codes
 HCCH
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Lindane Names
 R-BHC (Lindane) gamma
 gamma-BHC
 BHC-gamma
 Lindane
 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexachlorocyclohexane,
gamma
 Benzene hexachloride, gamma
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Interim Attempts to
Resolve Problems
 1986 - EPA CAS Registry Number Data
Standard

Required CAS Registry Number for all
data records about chemical substances
 1994 - Envirofacts Master Chemical
Integrator (EMCI)

Provided a cross reference to chemical
identifiers across EPA data systems
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More is Needed
 EPA CAS Registry Number Data
Standard does not go far enough to
establish accuracy and consistency
 EMCI is limited to the data systems in
the Envirofacts warehouse; it does not
address the scope of Agency needs for
integrated data sharing
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Reinventing Environmental
Information (REI) Program
 1995 - Need for standards to represent
key identifiers in six essential areas:

Date

Facility

Latitude/longitude

Business classifications

Biological taxonomy

Chemical identification
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Data Standards Process
 Establish workgroups of knowledgeable
EPA staff
 Define exact data requirements for the
standard
 Determine business rules for
implementation
 Record data elements and rules
in the EPA Environmental Data Registry
(EDR)
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Interim Chemical
Identification Data Standard
 CAS Registry Number
 CAS systematic chemical name
(preferably using 9th CI nomenclature)
 EPA Chemical Registry Name
 EPA Identification Number for groupings
of chemicals of interest to the Agency
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Optional Data Elements for
Chemical Identification
 Molecular formula
 Molecular weight
 Sources of chemical
names and synonyms
 Linear structural formula
 Graphic structural formula
 Definition, to further explain
 Comments, to add information
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Business Rules for
Implementation
 Overview of the standard
 Definitions
 Applicability
 Data requirements
 Processing
 Roles and responsibilities
 Implementation
 Maintenance
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Special Requirements
 Determine the EPA Chemical
Registry Name
 Establish a central EPA Chemical
Registry System (CRS) to support
the standard
www.epa.gov/crs/
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