[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 237 (Friday, December 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77026-77028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31336]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00300; FRL-6747-6]


Proposed National Action Plan for Hexachlorobenzene; Notice of 
Availability and Solication of Public Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: EPA has developed a draft National Action Plan to promote 
further voluntary reductions of releases and exposure to 
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB). This Notice announces the availability of the 
draft HCB National Action Plan for public review and comment. 
Hexachlorobenzene is currently formed as an inadvertent by-product at 
trace levels in the production of chlorinated solvents, pesticides, and 
in other chlorinated processes. This chemical is a persistent, 
bioaccumulative and toxic halogenated compound that persists in the 
environment and bioaccumulates in animal tissue. It is considered a 
probable human carcinogen and is toxic by all routes of exposure. The 
general population appears to be exposed to very low concentrations of 
HCB, primarily through ingestion of meat, dairy products, poultry and 
fish. The strategic approach of the Agency,

[[Page 77027]]

therefore, will involve voluntary initiatives to reduce releases and 
minimize media transfers, collect information to verify sources and 
sinks, and increase involvement with and assistance to international 
groups and other countries to reduce atmospheric deposition in the 
United States. This plan was developed pursuant to the Agency's 
Multimedia Strategy for Priority PBT Pollutants.

DATES: Comments, identified by docket control number OPPTS-00300, must 
be received on or before January 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure proper 
receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket control 
number OPPTS-00300 in the subject line on the first page of your 
response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Barbara Cunningham, Director, Office of Program Management and 
Evaluation, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7401), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    For technical information contact: Paul Matthai, Pollution 
Prevention Division, Mail Code 7409, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 260-3385; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to persons who are involved in the production 
of chlorinated solvents, pesticides and in other chlorinated processes 
which could form HCB as an inadvertent by product at trace levels. This 
Action Plan may also be of interest to persons involved in the use of 
hexachloroethane in secondary aluminum operations which could release 
HCB. 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 
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document or Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document, and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/pbt. To access this document, on the PBT Home Page, select ``What's 
new.'' You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings at 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPPTS-00300. The official 
record consists of the documents specifically referenced in this 
action, any public comments received during an applicable comment 
period, and other information related to this action, including any 
information claimed as confidential business information (CBI). This 
official record includes the documents that are physically located in 
the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in those 
documents. The public version of the official record does not include 
any information claimed as CBI. The public version of the official 
record, which includes printed, paper versions of any electronic 
comments submitted during an applicable comment period, is available 
for inspection in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, North 
East Mall Rm. B-607, Waterside Mall, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC. The Center is open from noon to 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Center 
is (202) 260-7099.

C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or 
electronically. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that 
you identify docket control number OPPTS-00300 in the subject line on 
the first page of your response.
    1. By mail. Submit your comments to: Document Control Office 
(7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    2. In person or by courier. Deliver your comments to: OPPT Document 
Control Office (DCO) in East Tower Rm. G-099, Waterside Mall, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
DCO is (202) 260-7093.
    3. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically by 
e-mail to: [email protected], or mail your computer disk to the address 
identified in this unit. Do not submit any information electronically 
that you consider to be CBI. Electronic comments must be submitted as 
an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of 
encryption. Comments and data will also be accepted on standard disks 
in WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. All comments in electronic 
form must be identified by docket control number OPPTS-00300. 
Electronic comments may also be filed online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.

D. How Should I Handle CBI Information that I Want to Submit to the 
Agency?

    Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to 
be CBI. You may claim information that you submit to EPA in response to 
this document as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as 
CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete 
version of the comment that includes any information claimed as CBI, a 
copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as 
CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public version of the 
official record. Information not marked confidential will be included 
in the public version of the official record without prior notice. If 
you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, 
please consult the technical person identified under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    We invite you to provide your views on the various options we 
propose, new approaches we have not considered, the potential impacts 
of the various options (including possible unintended consequences), 
and any data or information that you would like the Agency to consider 
during the development of the final action. You may find the following 
suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.

[[Page 77028]]

    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternative ways to improve the rule or collection 
activity.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this 
notice.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
control number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first 
page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

 II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    On November 16, 1998, EPA released its draft Agency-wide Multimedia 
Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) 
Pollutants (PBT Strategy). The goal of the PBT Strategy is to identify 
and reduce risks to human health and the environment from current and 
future exposures to priority PBT pollutants. This document serves as 
the Draft National Action Plan for Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), one of the 
12 Level 1 priority PBT pollutants identified for the initial focus of 
action in the PBT Strategy.
    Hexachlorobenzene (CAS number 118-74-1) is a white, crystalline 
solid. It has been synthesized and used from the 1940s to the late 
1970s as a fungicide on grain seeds such as wheat. HCB was also used in 
the past as a solvent and as an intermediate and/or additive in various 
manufacturing processes, including the production of PVC, pyrotechnics 
and ammunition, dyes, and pentachlorophenol. Although HCB is no longer 
used directly as a pesticide, it is currently formed as an inadvertent 
by-product at trace levels in the production of chemical solvents, 
chlorine-containing compounds, and several currently used pesticides.
    HCB is a highly persistent environmental toxin that degrades slowly 
in air and remains in the atmosphere through long range transport. It 
bioaccumulates in the fatty tissues and its presence in fish, plants, 
and wild game species can be a source of ingestion exposure for humans. 
HCB is considered a probable human carcinogen and is toxic by all 
routes of exposure. Short-term high exposures can lead to kidney and 
liver damage, central nervous system excitation and seizures, 
circulatory collapse, and respiratory depression. Based on studies 
conducted on animals, long-term low exposures may damage a developing 
fetus, cause cancer, lead to kidney and liver damage, and cause fatigue 
and skin irritation.
    The general population appears to be exposed to very low 
concentrations of HCB. Ingestion of HCB-contaminated fish and other 
wildlife is potentially the most significant source of exposure. 
Additional, although significantly less, exposure may occur through 
inhalation or dermal contact. However, certain subpopulations may be 
exposed to higher levels of HCB than the general population. These 
include: workers occupationally exposed to HCB; individuals living near 
facilities where HCB is produced as a by-product; individuals living 
near current or former hazardous waste sites where HCB is present; 
recreational and subsistence fishermen who consume higher amounts of 
locally caught fish and bivalves (mussels, oysters, clams) from 
contaminated waters, and native populations (including Native American 
populations such as the Inuits of Alaska) who consume caribou and other 
game species. Finally, nursing infants in these areas may also be 
particularly susceptible to effects due to the singular nature of their 
diet.
    The goal of the Action Plan is to identify and further reduce risks 
to human health and the environment from existing and future exposure 
to HCB. However, there are information gaps related to the magnitude of 
known and suspected sources of HCB, the extent of pollution resulting 
from long-range transport, and the content of HCB in sinks such as 
sediments and sewage sludge that may contribute to environmental 
cycling within Unites States boundaries. Therefore, the strategic 
approach of the Agency will involve voluntary initiatives to reduce 
releases and minimize media transfers, collect information to verify 
sources and sinks, and increase involvement with and assistance to 
international groups and other countries to reduce atmospheric 
deposition in the United States.
    EPA considers stakeholder involvement essential to reaching the 
goals of the PBT Strategy. Therefore, the Agency is seeking stakeholder 
input and invites comment on this draft National Action Plan on the 
following three areas related to HCB.
    1. The identification and implementation of voluntary initiatives 
and outreach opportunities to reduce releases of and exposure to HCB, 
while minimizing controlled and uncontrolled (e.g., volatilization from 
water to air, deposition onto soil or plants) multi-media transfers.
    2. Continued information collection and integration of data across 
media regarding sources, sinks, releases, environmental trends, and 
human food and tissue levels for HCB. Data collection will occur 
through Binational Toxics Strategy (BNS) efforts, Maximum Achievable 
Control Technology (MACT) standard development, various EPA permitting 
and reporting processes, and industry involvement.
    3. Collaborate (or partner) with international organizations and 
foreign governments to assess the significance of long-range transport 
from other countries and to foster the proliferation of pollution 
prevention or control technology measures that will reduce inputs of 
HCB to the environment.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, PBT, National Action Plan, and HCB.


    Dated: November 27, 2000.

Susan H. Wayland,

Assistant Administrator for Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic 
Substances.

[FR Doc. 00-31336 Filed 12-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S