Notice2026-08697
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Availability of Draft Toxicological Profile for Xylene
Primary source
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Published
May 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services Department
Abstract
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the opening of a docket to obtain comments on a draft of the updated Toxicological Profile for Xylene. This action is necessary as this is an opportunity for members of the public and organizations to submit comments on drafts of the profiles. The intended effect of this action is to ensure that the public can note any pertinent additional information or reports on studies about the health effects caused by exposure to the substances covered in the profile for review.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24239-24240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08697]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
[Docket No. ATSDR-2026-0034]
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Availability of
Draft Toxicological Profile for Xylene
AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR),
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice with comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR),
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the
opening of a docket to obtain comments on a draft of the updated
Toxicological Profile for Xylene. This action is necessary as this is
an opportunity for members of the public and organizations to submit
comments on drafts of the profiles. The intended effect of this action
is to ensure that the public can note any pertinent additional
information or reports on studies about the health effects caused by
exposure to the substances covered in the profile for review.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before August 3, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. ATSDR-
2026-0034 by either of the methods listed below. Do not submit comments
by email. ATSDR does not accept comments by email.
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Mail: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,
Office of Innovation and Analytics, 4770 Buford Highway, Mail Stop
S106-5, Atlanta,
[[Page 24240]]
GA 30341-3717. Attn: Docket No. ATSDR-2026-0034.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and Docket Number. All relevant comments received will be posted
without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal
information provided. For access to the docket to read background
documents or comments received, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Farhana Rahman, Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Innovation and Analytics,
4770 Buford Highway, Mail Stop S106-5, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717; Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#86c7d2d5c2d4d2e9fed6f4e9e0efeae3c0d4c8f5c6e5e2e5a8e1e9f0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e2a3b6b1a6b0b68d9ab2908d848b8e87a4b0ac91a2818681cc858d94">[email protected]</span></a>; Phone: 1-800-232-4636.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATSDR has prepared a draft of the updated
Toxicological Profile for Xylene based on current understanding of the
health effects and availability of new studies and other information
since its initial release. All toxicological profiles issued as
``Drafts for Public Comment'' represent the result of ATSDR's evidence-
based evaluations of the available literature to provide important
toxicological information on priority hazardous substances to the
public and health professionals. ATSDR considers key studies for these
substances during the profile development process, using a systematic
review approach. To that end, ATSDR is seeking public comments and
additional information or reports on studies about the health effects
of these substances for review and potential inclusion in the profile.
ATSDR will evaluate the quality and relevance of such data or studies
for possible inclusion in the profile.
Legislative Background
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) (42
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) amended the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund) (42
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) by establishing certain requirements for ATSDR and
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the hazardous
substances most commonly found at facilities on the CERCLA National
Priorities List. Among these statutory requirements is a mandate for
the Administrator of ATSDR to prepare toxicological profiles for each
substance included on the priority list of hazardous substances (also
called the Substance Priority List (SPL)). This list identifies 275
hazardous substances that ATSDR has determined pose the most
significant potential threat to human health. The SPL is available
online at <a href="https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/programs/substance-priority-list.html">https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/programs/substance-priority-list.html</a>. ATSDR is also mandated to revise and publish updated
toxicological profiles, as necessary, to reflect updated health effects
and other information.
In addition, CERCLA provides ATSDR with the authority to prepare
toxicological profiles for substances not found on the SPL. CERCLA
authorizes ATSDR to establish and maintain an inventory of literature,
research, and studies on the health effects of toxic substances (CERCLA
section 104(i)(1)(B); 42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(1)(B)); to respond to requests
for health consultations (CERCLA section 104(i)(4); 42 U.S.C.
9604(i)(4)); and to support the site-specific response actions
conducted by the agency (CERCLA section 104(i)(6); 42 U.S.C.
9604(i)(6)).
Availability
The draft toxicological profile is available online at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, Docket No. ATSDR-2026-0034 and at <a href="https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxicological-profiles/about/index.html">https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxicological-profiles/about/index.html</a>.
Public Participation
Interested people or organizations are invited to participate by
submitting written views, recommendations, and data. Please note that
comments received, including attachments and other supporting
materials, are part of the public record and are subject to public
disclosure. Comments will be posted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Therefore, do not include any information in your comment or supporting
materials that you consider confidential or inappropriate for public
disclosure. If you include your name, contact information, or other
information that identifies you in the body of your comments, that
information will be on public display. ATSDR will review all
submissions and may choose to redact, or withhold, submissions
containing private or proprietary information such as Social Security
numbers, medical information, inappropriate language, or duplicate/near
duplicate examples of a mass-mail campaign. If you submit comments with
reference to studies that are not publicly available such as
unpublished research, those studies must be attached with your comment
for review. Otherwise ATSDR may be unable to respond to portions of
your comment referring to any material that is not publicly available.
Do not submit comments by email. ATSDR does not accept comments by
email.
Donata Green,
Associate Director, Office of Policy, Planning and Partnerships, Agency
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 2026-08697 Filed 5-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P
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