2070-AK07 201710 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 2070 Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention OCSPP 2000 Environmental Protection Agency EPA N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and Methylene Chloride; Rulemaking Under TSCA Section 6(a)

Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act provides authority for EPA to ban or restrict the manufacture (including import), processing, distribution in commerce, and use of chemical substances, as well as any manner or method of disposal. Methylene chloride and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) are used in paint and coating removal in commercial processes, consumer products, and residential settings. In the August 2014 TSCA Work Plan Chemical Risk Assessment for methylene chloride and the March 2015 TSCA Work Plan Chemical Risk Assessment for NMP, EPA characterized risks from use of these chemicals in paint and coating removal. EPA determined that these are unreasonable risks. On January 19, 2017, EPA proposed prohibitions and restrictions on the use of methylene chloride in consumer and most types of commercial paint and coating removal. EPA co-proposed two options for NMP in paint and coating removal. The first co-proposal would prohibit NMP in all consumer and commercial paint and coating removal. The second co-proposal would establish a worker protection program for commercial use of NMP in paint and coating removal; limit the concentration of NMP in all paint and coating removal products; and require warnings and instructions on any consumer paint and coating removal products containing NMP. Also in that proposal, EPA identified commercial furniture refinishing as an industry for which EPA would like more information before proposing regulations to address the risks presented by methylene chloride, and announced its intention to issue a separate proposal to address those risks. EPA held a public workshop on September 12, 2017, with representatives of federal and state government agencies, industry professionals, furniture refinishing experts, non-government organizations, academic experts, and others to discuss the role of methylene chloride in furniture refinishing, work practices employed when using methylene chloride in furniture refinishing, potential alternatives, economic impacts, and other issues identified in EPA's January 2017 proposed rule.

]]> Economically Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Long-Term Actions Undetermined No Regulatory Not Yet Determined 15 U.S.C. 2605 Toxic Substances Control Act No NPRM 01/19/2017 82 FR 7464 NPRM Comment Period Extended 05/01/2017 82 FR 20310 Supplemental NPRM To Be Determined Docket #:EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231 Yes Businesses State Yes No https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0231-0001 238320 Painting and Wall Covering Contractors 238330 Flooring Contractors 325 Chemical Manufacturing 336411 Aircraft Manufacturing 336611 Ship Building and Repairing 711510 Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 712110 Museums 811121 Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance 811420 Reupholstery and Furniture Repair Yes Yes Niva Kramek 2070 Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention OCSPP 202 564-4830 kramek.niva@epa.gov 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Mail Code 7404T, Washington DC 20460 Joel Wolf 2070 Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention OCSPP 202 564-0432 wolf.joel@epa.gov 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Mail Code 7404M, Washington DC 20460