Premanufacture Notification Exemption; Revision of Exemption for Chemical Substances Manufactured in Small Quantities; Low Release and Exposure Exemption; Final Rule

Section 5(a)(1) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires that persons notify EPA before they manufacture or import a new chemical substance for commercial purposes. Section 5(h)(4) of TSCA authorizes EPA, upon application and by rule to exempt the manufacturer or importer of any new chemical substance from some or all of the provisions of section 5 if the Agency determines that the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of the substance will not present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. EPA is amending the current TSCA section 5(h)(4) limited exemption defined at 40 CFR 723.50 for persons who manufacture certain chemical substances in quantities of 1,000 kilograms or less per year. This amendment will increase the volume limit to 10,000 kilograms or less a year. Also, this amendment adds a new section 5(h)(4) exemption category for certain chemical substances with low environmental releases and human exposures. This amendment will significantly reduce administrative burdens on EPA and industry and will expedite the Agency review process so that lower risk chemical substances may be marketed more quickly. To ensure that these chemical substances will not present an unreasonable risk, EPA has included procedural safeguards, including a 30-day review, and other conditions in the exemption. DATES: This rule is effective May 30, 1995. This rule shall be promulgated for purposes of judicial review at 1 p.m. eastern time, on April 12, 1995.