Environmental Protection Agency Finalizing Amendments to Chemical Data Reporting Rule

• May 15, 2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule. This is part of the Agency's ongoing efforts to help promote chemical safety and to better coordinate reporting with the amended TSCA (via the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act). In this blog post, we review the CDR rule and take a look at several of the key amendments.

Chemical Data Reporting Rule

The CDR rule requires that data on chemical manufacturing, processing, and use be reported to the EPA every four years by manufacturers and importers of a number of TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory chemicals. Typically, these are chemicals with yearly production volumes in excess of 25,000 pounds. Information collected includes general exposure-related data on the various amounts, types, and uses of domestically produced and imported chemicals in the United States. With this information, the EPA is better able to evaluate the substances’ potential environmental and human health effects.

Final Amendments to the CDR Rule

Key amendments to the CDR rule being finalized by the EPA include:

• Updating of confidentiality claims requirements, including changes related to substantiation.
• Replacing certain use and processing codes with OECD-based codes.
• Requiring the reporting of a NAICS code for the manufacture site.
• Requiring an indication of whether a chemical is removed from the waste stream and recycled.
• Requiring the reporting of chemical function and chemical percentage in an imported product by secondary submitters in joint submissions.
• Enabling identification of the percent total production volume of a byproduct chemical via use of a new voluntary data element.
• Adding exemptions for certain recycled and manufactured byproducts.
• Modifying the reporting for “parent company”.
• Providing two mechanisms of reporting for co-manufacturers.
• Clarifying and updating regulatory text.

In a recent statement from Andrew Wheeler, EPA Administrator, he commented on the significance of these efforts, noting “EPA’s actions in 2020 under the Lautenberg Act amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act demonstrate the agency’s commitment to ensuring that Americans are protected from unreasonable risks from chemicals and to continuing to engage with stakeholders and the public in an open and transparent manner”.

Accessing More Information

For chemical manufacturers and professionals impacted by the CDR rule, having access to detailed information and maintaining a clear understanding of chemical substances is essential.

If you are a chemical safety professional requiring extensive information on many different chemical compounds, ToxPlanet delivers powerful decision support solutions that enable easy and immediate access to critical content. To learn more about us and to find out how our products can help you, contact ToxPlanet and register for a Free Trial.