Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA Targets Five Chemical Groups,” Chemical Processing, April, 2012.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on March 20, 2012, proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) that would require companies to report all new uses of five groups of chemicals, including domestic and imported products and articles. This would give EPA the opportunity, if warranted, to prohibit or limit the activity. The chemicals, which were part of the EPA’s Chemical Action Plans from 2009 through 2011, are polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), benzidine dyes, short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP), and di-n-pentyl phthalate (DnPP). This column summarizes key points in the proposals.