Purpose
By Congressional mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) produces "toxicological profiles" for hazardous substances found at National Priorities List (NPL) sites. These hazardous substances are ranked based on frequency of occurrence at NPL sites, toxicity, and potential for human exposure. Toxicological profiles are developed from a priority list of 275 substances. ATSDR also prepares toxicological profiles for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE) on substances related to federal sites.
Toxicological profiles are developed in two stages:
(1) DRAFTS: The toxicological profiles are first produced as drafts. ATSDR announces in the Federal Register the release of these draft profiles for a 90 day public comment period. Request draft toxicological profiles from ATSDR's Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences.
(2) FINALS: After the 90 day comment period, ATSDR considers incorporating all comments into the documents. ATSDR finalizes the profiles.