[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 145 (Thursday, July 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38013-38015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18195]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0180; FRL-8426-1]


Product Stewardship Program for Six Siloxanes Conducted Under a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Signed by EPA and The Dow Corning 
Corporation; Notice of Receipt and Availability of the MOU Data

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  This document announces the receipt of toxicity and exposure 
data and information that were developed through a Product Stewardship 
Program (PSP) agreed upon under a

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Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by EPA and Dow Corning 
Corporation. The MOU covered six siloxanes deemed representative of a 
broad class of siloxanes that have widespread use in a variety of 
industrial and consumer applications. A docket has been established to 
make data and information developed through this MOU available to the 
public.

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) 564-8182; e-mail 
address: [email protected].
    For technical information contact: Robert Jones, Chemical Control 
Division (7405M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number (202) 564-8161; 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, and may be of 
particular interest to those persons who are or may be interested in 
the information developed on the six siloxane chemicals subject to the 
PSP MOU. If you have any questions regarding the completion of the MOU 
or the availability of the information from this effort, 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 a docket for this action under 
docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0180. All documents 
in the docket are listed in the docket index available at http://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index, some information is 
not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain 
other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly 
available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are 
available electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only 
available in hard copy, at the OPPT Docket. The OPPT Docket is located 
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room 
hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. The telephone number of the EPA/DC Public 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT 
Docket is (202) 566-0280. Docket visitors are required to show 
photographic identification, pass through a metal detector, and sign 
the EPA visitor log. All visitor bags are processed through an X-ray 
machine and subject to search. Visitors will be provided an EPA/DC 
badge that must be visible at all times in the building and returned 
upon departure.
    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.

II. Background

    The 30th Report of the TSCA Interagency Testing Committee (ITC) to 
the EPA Administrator recommended 56 silicone chemicals for health 
effects testing to meet data needs expressed by the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration (57 FR 30608, July 9, 1992). The six siloxanes covered 
by this MOU between EPA and the Dow Corning Corporation are included 
among the 56 silicone chemicals recommended by the ITC in its 30th 
Report to EPA. In response to that ITC recommendation, EPA issued a 
final TSCA section 8(d) information reporting rule (58 FR 28511, May 
14, 1993) requiring manufacturers, importers, and processors of the 56 
silicone chemicals to submit to EPA unpublished health and safety data 
on those chemicals; information concerning the uses of and exposure to 
the chemicals was submitted voluntarily by industry directly to the 
ITC. On review of the TSCA section 8(d) information materials received, 
the ITC considered the need for formal designations for testing under 
section 4 of TSCA. EPA issued a notice titled Testing Consent 
Agreement; Development for Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS); 
Solicitation of Interested Parties (53 FR 11341, April 6, 1988) and a 
final rule titled Testing Consent Order for 
Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (54 FR 818, January 10, 1989) docket 
number OPTS-42071B.
    These actions lead to the more broadly based discussion of an 
appropriate PSP based on the Responsible Care principles developed by 
the Chemical Manufacturers Association--now the American Chemistry 
Council. Dow Corning Corporation agreed to develop a specific PSP for 
six siloxane chemicals including: Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) CAS 
No. 556-67-2; decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) CAS No. 541-02-6; 
dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) CAS No. 540-97-6; 
hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS) CAS No. 107-46-0; polydimethylsiloxane 
(PDMS 10 cst) CAS No. 63148-62-9; and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS 350 
cst) CAS No. 63148-62-9. These were selected because they are 
representative of the broad class of siloxane materials that have 
widespread use in industrial and consumer applications. Dow Corning 
Corporation and EPA signed the formal PSP MOU on April 9, 1996. The MOU 
was initiated in 1996 with a baseline report, and a Project Plan for 
assessing exposure. The MOU was monitored through annual progress 
reports and regular scientific briefings with EPA.
    This notice acknowledges that work agreed upon in the MOU has been 
received and announces that the data and information produced under the 
MOU is available in the public docket at http://www.regulations.gov at 
docket number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0180. Materials include annual progress 
reports, over 88 reports assessing potential toxicity and exposures 
concerning the six siloxanes, and related TSCA section 8(e) notices and 
FYI submissions. The MOU and a baseline report describe the PSP based 
on ``Implementing Product Stewardship: a Resource Guide,'' Chemical 
Manufacturers Association (CMA), 1992. The program included a 
description of the PSP goals, plans for communicating health and safety 
information, toxicity testing, exposure assessment and monitoring, 
identifying any additional data needs for risk assessment, development 
and implementation of pollution prevention, waste minimization, and 
exposure reduction plans, and exercising its environmental 
responsibility through design of processes, products, packaging, etc. 
to minimize the consumption of natural resources and energy and 
eliminate, where feasible, generation of waste materials and releases 
to the environment.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Hazardous chemicals, Siloxanes.


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    Dated: July 21, 2009.
Jim Willis,
Director, Chemical Control Division, Office of Prevention, Pesticides 
and Toxic Substances.

[FR Doc. E9-18195 Filed 7-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S