United States: EPA Withdraws Proposed Significant New Use Rules for Chemical Substances Derived from Plastic Waste

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has withdrawn proposed significant new use rules (SNURs) for 18 chemical substances derived from plastic waste.

These rules were initially proposed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and required notification to the EPA before manufacturing or processing these substances.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initially proposed significant new use rules (SNURs) for 18 chemical substances derived from plastic waste under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), requiring manufacturers and processors to notify the EPA at least 90 days before engaging in significant new uses.

These rules aimed to regulate activities not conforming to existing restrictions, including the use of feedstocks with harmful substances like heavy metals.

However, the EPA has withdrawn these proposed rules following a court order and public feedback due to potential issues with the original TSCA section 5(e) Order, which was the basis for the SNURs.

The court granted the EPA’s request for a voluntary remand to reconsider the order, resulting in the proposed rules no longer being in effect, and the manufacturing of these chemical substances has not commenced.

The withdrawal follows a petition for review and a court order highlighting potential problems with the TSCA section 5(e) Order, along with 30 comments, including adverse ones, urging the agency to reconsider the order and the proposed SNURs.

The EPA’s decision to withdraw the rules aligns with these developments and the need to address the identified issues.

SOURCE:

Environmental Protection Agency, 90 FR 30216, Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical Substances (23-2.5e); Withdrawal, (July 14, 2025)