"Chromium-6, known as the “Erin Brockovich” chemical, is “likely to be carcinogenic” if consumed in drinking water, an EPA draft review of the metal’s toxicity concludes.

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday released its draft Integrated Risk Information System toxicological review of hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6. The draft is open for public comment through Dec. 19 in advance of an EPA Science Advisory Board hearing on the metal.

Hexavalent chromium already had been known to be carcinogenic if inhaled, but the effects of swallowing it previously had been less clear in humans.

Chromium-6 is used in pigment manufacturing, metal finishing and other industrial processes, and is emitted into the air by burning fossil fuels. It can easily contaminate drinking water and “is likely to be carcinogenic to the human GI tract,” the EPA concluded in its review."

Bobby Magill reports for Bloomberg Environment October 20, 2022. [2]