EPA Proposes Plan to Cut Risk to Workers Inhaling Pigment Powder

The EPA proposed a rule on Friday to limit the possibility that workers breathing in too much of a pigment powder could damage their lungs.

If finalized, the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule would require companies to provide respiratory protections and cleaning programs when they use C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) as a dry powder. The reddish-purple pigment isn’t directly toxic, the agency said, but inhaling too much of its powder can block oxygen and injure the lungs over time.

“We can keep people safe from exposure to this toxic chemical with commonsense workplace safety measures,” said Michal Freedhoff, EPA’s ...