Tag: TSCA

Chemist protecting confidential business information

Chemical CBI Claims: Reverse Engineering Questions Proposed by EPA

The EPA is proposing to add two questions to the list of questions chemical manufacturers (which include importers) and processors must answer to substantiate claims that the identities of chemicals must be protected from public disclosure. Both questions relate to reverse engineering, defined as a process “to disassemble and examine or analyze in detail (a […]

Balancing environmental enforcement and business

EPA Deals Out Big Fines in Q3

In Q3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized 158 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. There was a definitive increase in enforcement actions, with only 106 penalties issued in the previous quarter. Here we highlight some of the biggest fines.

Chemical CBI Notification Policy Ended by EPA

Effective August 15, 2019, the EPA will no longer notify companies that they have not met the requirements to substantiate claims that information about their chemicals provided to that Agency is entitled to confidentiality, and they have 30 days to submit complete substantiations.

Group of men working at a chemical warehouse classifying barrels

NIOSH Issues Guidance for Hazardous Substances with No Clear OEL

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released new guidance for determining the level of hazards for substances with no occupational exposure limit (OEL) established by a government agency, by a standard-setting body, or in peer-reviewed literature.

Paint cans, lead paint

EPA Rule Targets Children’s Exposure to Lead Dust from Paint

In a final rule, the EPA has revised its dust-lead hazard standards (DLHS) to address exposures generated by lead-based paint in residential dwellings and child-occupied facilities (COFs). The rule complies with orders issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in December 2017 and March 2018. The court had found in favor […]

Paint remover

Understanding the Reg: Methylene Chloride in Commercial Stripping

In March 2019, the EPA used its authority under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to issue a final rule prohibiting the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of methylene chloride for consumer paint and coating removal (stripping). The action carried out part of a proposal the Agency published in […]

TSCA Inventory Rule Case Raises Questions about Substantiation, Reverse Engineering

In September 2017, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to find five aspects of the EPA’s final rule, TSCA Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Requirements (Aug. 11, 2017, Federal Register (FR)), unlawful. On April 26, 2019, a three-judge panel responded by denying four of the EDF’s challenges, therefore […]

asbestos

EPA to Review Any New Use of Asbestos

The EPA’s final Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for asbestos is a partial step to limit potential human exposure to the toxic substance.