EPA moves to electronic reporting of new chemical notices

WASHINGTON – As part of EPA’s commitment to promote transparency and eliminate paperwork burden, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require electronic submissions for new chemical notices under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Beginning today, companies can no longer submit their new chemical notices and support documents on paper for EPA’s review.

“This is the latest in a series of actions that EPA is taking to improve the reporting of information on chemicals, and, importantly, increase the public’s access to that information,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “The agency used an out-dated process that depended on paper filings for far too long,”

On April 6, 2010, EPA issued a final rule that put in place a two-year phaseout of paper and optical disc reporting for new chemical notices to the agency. The rule included a one-year phaseout of paper reporting and a two-year phaseout of optical disc reporting.

 Under TSCA, companies are required to submit new chemical notices, including pre-manufacture notices (PMNs), to EPA at least 90 days (in the case of PMNs) prior to the manufacture or import of the chemical. EPA reviews the notice and can set conditions to be placed on the use of a new chemical before it enters into commerce.

EPA typically receives 1,000 new chemical notices each year, which can include hundreds of pages of supporting material. Companies are required to submit these notices using EPA's electronic PMN software either on optical disk (for one more year) or via EPA’s Central Data Exchange (CDX).

More information on EPA’s electronic reporting software and CDX: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/newchems//epmn/epmn-index.htm

More information on EPA’s efforts to increase access to chemical information: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/transparency.html