Prop.65 Clearinghouse
NEWS
TSCA News Roundup, December 2016
By LANA BECKETT
December 30, 2016
EPA Has Proposed a New Rule to Add an NPEs Category to TRI List
On November 16, 2016, the the EPA proposed a rule that would add a nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) category to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of reportable chemicals.
NPEs are nonionic surfactants used in adhesives, wetting agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers, dispersants, defoamers, cleaners, paints, and coatings.
The EPA proposed this rule (pdf) because the agency believes that longer-chain NPEs can break down in the environment to short-chain NPEs and nonylphenol, both of which are highly toxic to aquatic organisms.
EPA's website said that the agency believes that NPEs meet the ECPRA section 313(d)(2)(C) environmental effects listing criteria based on the available toxicity data, which indicate that short-chain NPEs are highly toxic to aquatic organisms. Long-chain NPEs, while not as toxic as short-chain NPEs, degrade in the environment to produce products that include highly toxic short-chain NPEs and nonylphenol. Nonylphenol is even more toxic to aquatic organisms than short-chain NPEs, and the EPA added it to the TRI toxic chemical list in September 2014.
Definition of the NPEs Category
The EPA is proposing to create an NPEs category that would cover the following 13 NPEs as identified through Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Numbers (CASRNs) and names:
7311-27-5 Ethanol, 2-[2-[2-[2-(4-nonylphenoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy]ethoxy]-
9016-45-9 Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), α-(nonylphenyl)-ω-hydroxy-
20427-84-3 Ethanol, 2-[2-(4-nonylphenoxy)ethoxy]-
26027-38-3 Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), α-(4-nonylphenyl)-ω-hydroxy-
26571-11-9 3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24-Octaoxahexacosan-1-ol, 26-(nonylphenoxy)-
27176-93-8 Ethanol, 2-[2-(nonylphenoxy)ethoxy]-
27177-05-5 3,6,9,12,15,18,21-Heptaoxatricosan-l-ol, 23-(nonylphenoxy)-
27177-08-8 3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24,27-Nonaoxanonacosan-1-ol, 29-(nonylphenoxy)-
27986-36-3 Ethanol, 2-(nonylphenoxy)-
37205-87-1 Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), α-(isononylphenyl)-ω-hydroxy-
51938-25-1 Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), α-(2-isononylphenyl)-ω-hydroxy-
68412-54-4 Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), α-(nonylphenyl)-ω-hydroxy-, branched
127087-87-0 Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), α-(4-nonylphenyl)-ω-hydroxy-, branched
If this rule is finalized, facilities that manufacture, process or otherwise use NPEs covered under these names and CASRNs would file just one TRI reporting form.
TSCA is Proposing a New SNUR for N-ethylpyrrolidone (NEP) and N-isopropylpyrrolidone (NiPP)
US EPA TSCA is proposing a significant new use rule (SNUR) for two alkylpyrrolidones: N-ethylpyrrolidone (NEP) and N-isopropylpyrrolidone (NiPP). The announcement of the proposed rule appeared in the Federal Register (pdf) on November 14.
Industries that may potentially be affected by this action include:
• Ship Building and Repairing
• Aircraft Manufacturing
• Museums
• Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
• Reupholster and Furniture Repair
• Automotive Body Paint and Interior Repair Maintenance
• Flooring Contractors
• Painting and Wall Covering Contractors
• Adhesive Tape Manufacturing
• Adhesive Manufacturing
• Denture Adhesive Manufacturing
• Basic Chemical Manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
• Printing Ink Manufacturing
• Textile Leather Manufacturing
• Textile Manufacturing
The proposed significant new uses cover any use of NiPP and any use of NEP except for the ongoing uses as a reactant, in silicone seal remover, coatings, consumer and commercial paint primer, and adhesives.
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