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EPA/OPPTS | RIN: 2070-AC61 | Publication ID: Fall 1997 |
Title: TSCA Inventory Update Rule Amendments | |
Abstract: This action would amend the current Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Update Rule (IUR) to require chemical manufacturers to report to EPA data on exposures and the industrial and consumer end uses of chemicals they produce. Currently, EPA requires chemical manufacturers to report the names of the chemicals they produce, as well as the locations of manufacturing facilities and the quantities produced. About 3,000 facilities reported data on about 9,000 unique chemicals during the last reporting cycle under the IUR. Data obtained would be used by EPA and others to: better understand the potential for chemical exposures and then screen the chemicals now in commerce and identify those of highest concern; establish priorities and goals for their chemical assessment, risk management and prevention programs and monitor their progress; encourage pollution prevention by identifying potentially safer substitute chemicals for uses of potential concern; and enhance the effectiveness of chemical risk communication efforts. EPA has held meetings with representatives of the chemical industry, environmental groups, environmental justice leaders, labor groups, State governments and other Federal agencies to insure public involvement in the TSCA Inventory Update Rule Amendments Project. | |
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) | Priority: Other Significant |
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda | Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage |
Major: No | Unfunded Mandates: No |
CFR Citation: 40 CFR 710 | |
Legal Authority: 15 USC 2607(a) |
Statement of Need: There are approximately 70,000 chemicals in commerce and listed on the updated TSCA Inventory. EPA faces the challenge of sorting through these chemicals to identify the ones of most concern and then taking action to mitigate unreasonable risks. The current IUR collects some of the key data, such as production volumes, that help to identify chemicals of concern; however, information on how chemicals are used commercially, which is essential to determining possible exposure routes and scenarios and potential safer substitute chemicals, is not covered by IUR. This action will propose to modify the inventory update process so that data essential to an effective TSCA Inventory screening program are available to EPA. ^PIn addition to the specifics of the kind and format of the desired end use data reporting, EPA will consider reforms of the IUR: How to include inorganic chemicals, which have been exempted from reporting in the past, so that risks from these chemicals can be better assessed and managed; How to ease the linkage of amended IUR data to other environmental data sources like the Toxic Release Inventory to enhance the data's usefulness; and How to change IUR reporting so that the frequency of submitter confidentiality claims is reduced so that the public can have better access to relevant data on toxics. ^PA national report will make data collected via the amended IUR publicly available. This report will not contain any information claimed to be confidential. |
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Alternatives: Although data on the use of specific chemicals can be found in varying sources, there is no national, comprehensive, current searchable database providing consistent information on a wide variety of chemicals. EPA has examined alternate sources of the information including state information, Federal databases and privately collected information. EPA can find no information comparable to the data anticipated to be collected through amendments to the IUR. |
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Anticipated Costs and Benefits: EPA anticipates costs of this action to be well under $100 million for the first year of reporting. Total costs of this action depend on the amendments to IUR that are contained in a proposed rule. The amended IUR will assist EPA in screening chemicals in commerce and identify those of highest concern; establishing priorities and goals for its chemical assessment, risk management and prevention programs and monitor their progress; identifying potentially safer substitute chemicals for uses of potential concern; and enhancing the effectiveness of chemical risk communication efforts. |
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Risks: This action will secure data on describing how chemicals in commerce are used; this data is essential to determine possible exposure routes and scenarios. Using these exposure estimates, EPA's toxics program will be able to better focus on chemical risks of most concern. |
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Timetable:
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Additional Information: SAN No. 3301. ^PRFA: N | |
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes | Government Levels Affected: Federal |
Small Entities Affected: Businesses | |
Included in the Regulatory Plan: Yes | |
Agency Contact: Susan Krueger Environmental Protection Agency Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances 7406, Washington, DC 20460 Phone:202 260-1713 Fax:202 260-1661 Email: krueger.susan@epa.gov |