Environmental Protection Agency September 11, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA is finalizing the significant new use rule (SNUR) for three chemical substances which were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) and subject to a TSCA section 5(e) consent order issued by EPA. This action requires persons who intend to manufacture (including import) or process any of these three chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this final rule to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing that activity. The required notification will provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit that activity before it occurs.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of polymers produced by the reaction of either 1,6-hexanediisocyanate; 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediisocyanate; 5-isocyanato-1-(isocyanatomethyl)-1,3,3-trimethyIcyclohexane (isophoronediisocyanate); 4,4'-methylene-bis-1,1'- cyclohexanediisocyanate; 4,4'-methylene-bis-1,1' benzyldiisocyanate; or 1,3-bis-(2-isocyanatopropan-2-yl)benzene with polyethyleneglycol and end-capped with one or a mixture of more than one of octanol, decanol, dodecanol, tetradecanol, hexadecanol, octadecanol, and octadec-9-enol or polyethyleneglycol ethers of octanol, decanol, dodecanol, tetradecanol, hexadecanol, octadecanol, and octadec-9-enol (also known as polyurethane-type polymers), when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of polyurethane-type polymers on food or feed commodities.

This regulation revises an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of styrene, copolymers with acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid, with none and/or one or more of the following monomers: Acrylamidopropyl methyl sulfonic acid, methallyl sulfonic acid, 3-sulfopropyl acrylate, 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and/or hydroxyethyl acrylate; and its sodium, potassium, ammonium, monoethanolamine, and triethanolamine salts; the resulting polymer having a minimum number average molecular weight (in amu), 1,200 when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation to include the monomer lauryl methacrylate. Toxcel, (7140 Heritage Village Plaza, Gainesville, VA 20156) on behalf of Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry, (909 Mueller Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37406) submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

The EPA is proposing amendments to reporting and recordkeeping requirements and an alternative verification approach for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. This action addresses concerns about the potential release of certain data that are inputs to emission equations for which the reporting deadline was deferred until March 31, 2015 while maintaining the EPA's ability to verify emissions and ensure compliance with the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. In addition, the EPA is proposing confidentiality determinations for the newly proposed data elements in this action.