Science Fact Finder | Health and Medicine - How Does The United States Environmental Protection Agency (Epa) Classify Carcinogens?

How does the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classify carcinogens?

A carcinogen is an agent that can produce cancer (a life-threatening growth or tumor that spreads throughout the body, destroying tissue). The EPA classifies chemical and physical substances by their toxicity to humans.

EPA classification system for carcinogens

Group A. Human carcinogen

This classification indicates that there is sufficient evidence from epidemiological studies to support a cause-effect relationship between the substance and cancer.

Group B. Probable human carcinogen

B₁: Substances are classified as B₁ carcinogens on the basis of sufficient evidence from animal studies, and limited evidence from epidemiological studies.

B₂: Substances are classified as B₂ carcinogens on...

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