BLOG
EPA announces review of Hazardous Air Pollutant nPB [US]
- #Clean Air Act (CAA)
Health & environmental impacts assessments to be conducted
EPA is requesting comments on the petitions and additional data on sources, emissions, exposure, health effects, and environmental impacts associated with nPB. EPA is accepting comments until March 9, 2015, and will then evaluate whether to add nPB as a HAP. The United States EPA has received petitions from the Halogenated Solvent Industry Alliance and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to place nPB (Chemical Abstract Service No. 106-94-5) on the Clean Air Act’s list of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs). EPA announced that the petitions are now complete, allowing EPA to begin its review process. A complete petition is one that gives the agency sufficient information to conduct an assessment on the health impacts of people living near nPB emissions.Conditions for EPA to add the chemical nPB to the HAP list
The Clean Air Act allows any person to petition the EPA to add or delete a chemical from the list of HAPs, and the agency must grant or deny the petition within 18 months of receipt. EPA must add the substance to the HAP list if it is shown “that the substance is an air pollutant and that emissions, ambient concentrations, bioaccumulation, or deposition of the substance are known to cause or may reasonably be anticipated to cause adverse human health or adverse environmental effects.” If EPA grants such a petition, EPA will then proceed with promulgating national technology-based emissions control standards, or maximum achievable control technology (MACT) under 40 CFR 63.Comments and data on health effects & environmental impacts associated with nPB accepted until March 9
EPA is requesting comments on the petitions and additional data on sources, emissions, exposure, health effects, and environmental impacts associated with nPB. EPA is accepting comments until March 9, 2015, and will then evaluate whether to add nPB as a HAP. Red-on-line EHS Legal ExpertSources:
Proposed Rule, Petition to Add nPB to the List of Hazardous Air Pollutants, Federal Register, 80 FR 6676, February 6, 2015