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California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined attorneys general from several states in challenging a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assessment of Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a flame-retardant chemical used in a range of consumer and industrial products. The coalition filed a multistate comment letter opposing the EPA’s draft risk evaluation on August 18, 2026.
TBBPA is commonly found in plastic housings for electronic equipment and is also used in furniture, textiles, buildings and construction materials. According to Bonta’s office, exposure has been associated with concerns involving neurological, immune and reproductive health, as well as cancer. Infants and children are considered particularly vulnerable to exposure.
The coalition argues that the EPA’s draft does not adequately account for the ways consumers encounter the chemical through products. The attorneys general also contend that the agency should examine combined exposures and assess TBBPA alongside other flame retardants using the best available scientific evidence.
Another concern is the potential effect of a federal determination on existing state safeguards. California, for example, has already restricted the sale and distribution of certain products containing TBBPA under Assembly Bill 2998, enacted in 2018. The chemical is also listed under California’s Proposition 65 as a probable human carcinogen.
“The Trump Administration’s draft risk evaluation would endanger consumers by resulting in weaker regulations that expose them to preventable health risks,” said Attorney General Bonta. “California will not stand for decisions that put the health and well-being of our residents and Americans nationwide at risk. We strongly urge the EPA to withdraw this draft risk evaluation immediately.”
Bonta was joined by attorneys general from 12 states and the District of Columbia, along with the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York.
The image is an illustration created with AI for general context.
Source: State of California Department of Justice
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