Under the current administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is shifting its approach to regulating chemicals in ways that are likely to put public health at risk. Recent rulings under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), for example, fail to incorporate the best available science and rely on assumptions that downplay real-world chemical exposures and health risks.
In this webinar, Adriana Antezana and Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz of Earthjustice explored how these failures threaten to further erode already insufficient scientific practices in safeguarding the public from toxic chemical exposures. These leading scientific and legal experts explained the weakening of recent TSCA risk evaluation and risk management decisions on chemicals such as phthalates, methylene chloride, asbestos, and more.
The webinar was moderated by Dr. Rashmi Joglekar of UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and Environment (PRHE). The discussion was co-hosted by UCSF’s Science Action Network, the Union of Concerned Scientists and CHE.
This webinar is one of a series of conversations related to on-going changes at the federal level. These conversations will include a variety of opinions and perspectives.
Featured Speakers
Adriana Antezana is a Staff Scientist at Earthjustice since February 2024, working in the Toxic Exposure & Health Program. Prior experience includes roles at Abt Associates from June 2018 to February 2024, where Adriana served as an Environmental Science Associate and Senior Analyst, specializing in environmental hazard analysis, systematic review, and toxicological research while developing Tableau solutions for federal clients. At Boston University School of Public Health, from February 2017 to May 2018, Adriana worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Co-Lead Researcher in studies related to eviction outcomes in Greater Boston's Housing Court. Adriana holds a Master of Public Health in Environmental Hazard Assessment from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the same institution.
Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz, JD is a senior attorney in Earthjustice’s Toxic Exposure and Health program, which is dedicated to protecting people and the environment from toxic chemicals. His work is primarily related to the Environmental Protection Agency’s implementation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Before joining Earthjustice, he worked at an environmental law firm in New York, where he focused on litigation involving environmental impact review and hazardous substance remediation under state and federal law. He is a graduate of NYU School of Law and of Carleton College
Rashmi Joglekar, PhD, leads the Science, Policy & Engagement team at PRHE. She comes with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of how toxic chemicals impact susceptible populations and communities and is skilled in addressing these issues with decision-makers in Washington, DC. Rashmi completed her PhD in the Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program at Duke University, specializing in neurodevelopmental toxicology. Previously, she was a staff scientist at Earthjustice, where she partnered with lawyers and community leaders working on behalf of impacted communities to build the strongest scientific case for federal agencies to protect communities from harmful chemical exposures.