3 EPA Alerts to Know
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released three alerts regarding the evaluation, regulation and reporting of chemicals designated as toxic substances. Take a quick look at these new regulations and ensure you’re in compliance.
Are you in Compliance?
Alert #1: 10 Chemical Substances to Undergo Risk Evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), newly amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act in June 2016, EPA has published its first list of 10 chemical substances that will undergo the agency’s chemical risk evaluations to determine if the substances present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment.
The EPA will issue a scoping document about the chemical substance, such as the hazards, exposures, conditions of use, and the potentially exposed or susceptible sub-populations the Agency expects to consider in the risk evaluation, within six months. The chemical risk evaluations are expected to be completed within three years of initiation. The table lists the substances slated to undergo risk evaluation.
Implication:
Companies using these chemical substances in their products are well advised to start evaluating the impacts on their portfolio and as applicable start planning alternatives.
“Trichloroethylene drums”
Alert #2: Prohibition of Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Under the TSCA, the U.S. EPA has proposed to prohibit the manufacture, processing and distribution in commerce of trichloroethylene (TCE), a volatile organic compound widely used in industrial and commercial processes with some limited uses in consumer and commercial products.
Comments on the proposed rule are due no later than February 14, 2017, and can be submitted under docket identification number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2016–0163, at https://www.regulations.gov.
Implication:
If you are using TCE in your product portfolio and wish to comment you have a short window of opportunity.
Alert #3: New Reporting Regulations for Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
Under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to- Know Act (EPCRA), also known as the Toxic Release Inventory, EPA has added the category of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) to the list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting and specifically only two CAS numbers: 3194-55- 6 (1,2,5,6,9,10-Hexabromocyclododecane) and 25637-99- 4 (Hexabromocyclododecane).
The rule became effective November 30, 2016, and regulated entities will need to collect data during calendar year 2017 for the report due on July 1, 2018.
Implication:
If you are a regulated entity then there will be impacts on your business in terms of collecting the required data in order to be able to report in July 2018.