More Workers at Risk from Red-Purple Dye, EPA’s New Policy Finds

A coloring agent in inks, paints, plastic, and rubber could harm more workers’ health than the EPA previously estimated because the agency now presumes those workers might not have needed protections, the EPA said Monday.

The draft findings are part of a revised evaluation of the health risks from a reddish-purple compound called pigment violet 29, or PV 29, which has a small annual production volume compared to many industrial chemicals.

When finalized, the Environmental Protection Agency’s conclusions will help shape its regulations of the chemical. Those rules could affect not only PV 29 manufacturers, but auto, paint, plastic, and ...