Approval of Test Marketing Exemption for a Certain New Chemical

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces EPA's approval of an application for test marketing exemption (TME) under section 5(h)(1) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and 40 CFR 720.38. EPA has designated this application as TME-03-0005. The test marketing conditions are described in the TME application and in this notice.

DATES:

Approval of this TME is effective April 12, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general information contact: Colby Lintner, Regulatory Coordinator, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

For technical information contact: Miriam Wiggins-Lewis, Chemical Control Division (CCD) (7405M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-9373; e-mail address: Wigginslewis.Miriam@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed in particular to the chemical manufacturer and/or importer who submitted the TME to EPA. This action may, however, be of interest to the public in general. Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this action under docket identification (ID) number OPPT-2004-0088. The official public docket consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other information related to this action. Although a part of the official docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official public docket is the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room telephone number is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket, which is located in EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-0280.

2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet under the “Federal Register” listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/ .

An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility identified in Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select “search,” then key in the appropriate docket ID number.

II. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

Section 5(h)(1) of TSCA and 40 CFR 720.38 authorizes EPA to exempt persons from premanufacture notification (PMN) requirements and permit them to manufacture or import new chemical substances for test marketing purposes, if the Agency finds that the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, and disposal of the substances for test marketing purposes will not present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. EPA may impose restrictions on test marketing activities and may modify or revoke a test marketing exemption upon receipt of new information which casts significant doubt on its finding that the test marketing activity will not present an unreasonable risk of injury.

III. What Action is the Agency Taking?

EPA approves the above-referenced TME. EPA has determined that test marketing the new chemical substance, under the conditions set out in the TME application and in this notice, will not present any unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment.

IV. What Restrictions Apply to this TME?

The test market time period, production volume, number of customers, and use must not exceed specifications in the application and this notice. All other conditions and restrictions described in the application and in this notice must also be met.

TME-03-0005

Date of Receipt: July 31, 2003.

Notice of Receipt: August 15, 2003 (68 FR 48918) (FRL-7323-6).

Applicant: Gardere Wynn Sewell, LLP.

Chemical: Alkanes, C₈ - C₁₂ branched.

Use: Component of inks and paints, cleaning solvents, and as a carrier for insecticides and used as a heating oil.

Production Volume: 2,500,000 kilograms.

Number of Customers: Ten.

Test Marketing Period: 275 days, commencing on first day of commercial manufacture.

The following additional restrictions apply to this TME. A bill of lading accompanying each shipment must state that the use of the substance is restricted to that approved in the TME. In addition, the applicant shall maintain the following records until 5 years after the date they are created, and shall make them available for inspection or copying in accordance with section 11 of TSCA:

1. Records of the quantity of the TME substance produced and the date of manufacture.

2. Records of dates of the shipments to each customer and the quantities supplied in each shipment.

3. Copies of the bill of lading that accompanies each shipment of the TME substance.

4. To address inhalation concerns, employees exposed to the TME substance's vapor must wear a respirator with an assigned protection factor (APF) of 25.

V. What was EPA's Risk Assessment for this TME?

EPA identified concerns for inhalation exposure based on analogs. However, during processing and use, vapor or mist exposure to workers will be prevented by us of a gas/vapor respirator with an APF of 25. Therefore, the test market activities will not present an unreasonable risk of injury to health. EPA identified no significant environmental concerns for the test market substance based on no releases to water.

VI. Can EPA Change Its Decision on this TME in the Future?

Yes. The Agency reserves the right to rescind approval or modify the conditions and restrictions of an exemption should any new information that comes to its attention cast significant doubt on its finding that the test marketing activities will not present any unreasonable risk of injury to human health or the environment.

List of Subjects

• Environmental protection
• Test marketing exemptions