EPA's New Rule: Electronic Chemical Reporting Only

Portsmouth, NH April 6, 2011 -- EPA has a new rule: electronic chemical reporting only for certain chemical notifications.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will now require electronic submissions for new chemical notices under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Beginning today (April 6, 2011) companies can no longer submit new chemical notices and support documents on paper for EPA’s review. This is aligned with Europe, China, and the U.S. EPA's mission to modernize chemical reporting and eliminate out-dated modes of chemical data management.
Chris Nowak and chemical data management
"Paper based systems always produce duplicates and deviant versions of data," said Chris Nowak, Director at Actio and longtime industry insider. "For accurate substance data management and distribution, data about potentially hazardous substances must be electronic. It's that simple.

"There are far too many regulations, protocols and enforcements these days to proceed with chemical data gathering and distribution any way besides a database-driven electronic service," Nowak said. "Thankfully, the top supply chain management software addresses these types of challenges. Actio has updated its databases to reflect the regulatory update."

The legal details

On January 6, 2010, EPA issued a final rule requiring that TSCA section 5 Premanufacture Notice (PMN) forms would be available as of April 6, 2010. As part of that rule, use of e-PMN software to fill out those forms is mandatory.

What's being phased in is the mandatory use of EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX) to electronically submit PMNs and other documents under TSCA section 5. As of April 6, 2011: All new TSCA section 5 PMNs must be submitted electronically through CDX -- or on optical CD -- and must use e-PMN software. The same rule applies to support documents for Notices submitted after April 6, 2010. The agency has said that optical discs can no longer be used after April 6, 2012.

“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,” Owens said.

On April 6, 2010, EPA issued a final rule that put in place a two-year plan to entirely phase out 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.

Resources:

For further information on Actio's electronic chemical management software for gathering data from suppliers and for reporting it to the correct agencies: Actio Solutions

For further information on EPA’s electronic reporting software and CDX: EPA

For further information on EPA’s efforts to increase access to chemical information: EPA2

EPA modernizes chemical reporting - background

Under TSCA, companies are required to submit new chemical notices. These include pre-manufacture notices (PMNs). With PMNs, new chemical notices must be submitted to EPA at least 90 days prior to the manufacture or import of the chemical.

EPA is putting significant effort into modernizing chemical reporting requirements. In February of this year, the agency notified five (5) companies that the identities of 14 chemicals associated with a number of health and safety studies submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and claimed as confidential are not eligible for confidential treatment [see article EPA rejects confidential chemical claims].

Chris Nowak added, "The current and pending regulatory demands surrounding chemical ingredients in products and supply chains continue to put an extraordinary burden on manufacturers. What Actio software does is create a single, independent 3rd-party portal where suppliers can log in and upload their documents, and manufacturers can track and manage the chemical-level data."

This simple innovation is poised to revolutionize greener manufacturing. This type is software is timely in today's world where legalities and associated risks surround yesterday's product development processes.

"Actio is redefining what's possible electronically in environmentally responsible and legally compliant international supply networks," Nowak said.

About Actio chemical management and reporting solutions
Since 1996, Actio has been helping companies and their supply chain networks both upstream and downstream to cost-effectively manage the complexities surrounding environmental compliance and the exchange of information, substances and chemicals along the global manufacturing supply chain. Actio’s supply chain materials information management solutions are delivered as SaaS and encourage a lean or “best practices” approach for analyzing and managing component and chemical data in today’s complex regulatory environment. Actio solutions track raw material and part composition for compliance with global mandates under EPA's TSCA, REACH, RoHS, and WEEE. For more information about Actio Corporation, please visit http://www.actio.net.

MSDS VAULT, ACTIO REGULATOR and INTELLIGENTEXT are registered trademarks of Actio Corporation. REACHTRACKER, BOMTRACKER, MSDSXCHANGE, ACTIO GATEKEEPER, MSDS VAULT LABELMAKER and MATERIAL DISCLOSURE.COM are trademarks of Actio Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

PR Contact:
Kathleen Hurley, Director, Corporate Communications
603-433-2300 x350
khurley@actio.net
www.actio.net
http://www.actio.net/default/index.cfm/contact-us/ or email contact@actio.net

Pictured at top: Chris Nowak, Director, Actio Corporation, with over 7 years at the Director-level in software for supply chain chemical data management & compliance.