[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 159 (Tuesday, August 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49997-49999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20370]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0068, 2014-0730, 2015-0081, 2015-0491; FRL-9929-31]
Availability of Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and
Initial Assessment and Data Needs Assessment Documents for Flame
Retardant Clusters; Notice and Public Comment Periods
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the availability and opening of a 60-day
public comment period for TSCA Work Plan Chemical problem formulation
and initial assessment documents for three flame retardant clusters.
EPA is also making available and opening a 120-day public comment
period for the TSCA Work Plan Chemical data needs assessment document
for the Brominated Phthalates flame retardant cluster. Based on
experience in conducting TSCA Work Plan Chemical assessments and public
input, starting in 2015 EPA will publish a problem formulation and
initial assessment, or a data needs assessment, for each TSCA Work Plan
assessment as a stand-alone document to facilitate public input prior
to conducting further risk analysis. EPA believes publishing problem
formulation and initial assessment documents for TSCA Work Plan
assessments will increase transparency about EPA's thinking and
analysis process, provide opportunity for the public to comment on
EPA's approach, and give EPA the opportunity to receive additional
information/data prior to EPA conducting detailed risk analysis
[[Page 49998]]
and risk characterization. There are three clusters of flame retardant
on the TSCA Work Plan for which there are problem formulation and
initial assessment documents: Brominated Bisphenol A, Chlorinated
Phosphate Esters, and Cyclic Aliphatic Bromides. In addition, there is
a data needs assessment document for the Brominated Phthalates flame
retardant cluster. There is a separate docket assigned to each TSCA
Work Plan Chemical flame retardant cluster.
DATES: Comments on the three problem formulation and initial assessment
documents (Brominated Bisphenol A (TBBPA), Chlorinated Phosphate Esters
(CPE), and Cyclic Aliphatic Bromides (HBCD)) must be received on or
before October 19, 2015. Comments on the data needs assessment document
for Brominated Phthalates (TBB & TBPH) must be received on or before
December 16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number for the corresponding TSCA Work Plan chemicals as
identified in this document, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted
by statute.
Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the
instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.
Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along
with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information contact:
Stanley Barone, Risk Assessment Division (7403M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(202) 564-1169; email address: [email protected].
For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill,
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202)
554-1404; email 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
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including those interested in
environmental and human health; the chemical industry; chemical users;
consumer product companies and members of the public interested in the
assessment of chemical risks. Since others also may be interested, the
Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may
be affected by this action.
B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the
information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or
CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that includes 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 docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting
your comments, see the commenting tips at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html.
II. What action is the Agency taking?
EPA is announcing the availability of and opening of a public
comment period for three problem formulation and initial assessment
documents, and a data needs assessment document, for the following TSCA
Work Plan Chemicals: Brominated Bisphenol A; Chlorinated Phosphate
Esters; Cyclic Aliphatic Bromides; and Brominated Phthalates flame
retardant clusters. This Federal Register Notice identifies the
individual Work Plan Chemical problem formulation and initial
assessment documents and the data needs assessment document by title,
docket ID number, and chemical or chemicals covered. Use the specific
docket ID number provided in this Federal Register Notice to locate a
copy of the chemical-specific document, as well as to submit comments
via http://www.regulations.gov.
A. Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0068
Title: TSCA Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and Initial
Assessment: Chlorinated Phosphate Esters Cluster.
Chemicals covered: Ethanol, 2-chloro-, phosphate (3:1) (TCEP)
(CASRN: 115-96-8); 2-Propanol, 1-chloro-, 2,2',2''-phosphate (TCPP)
(CASRN: 13674-84-5); and 2-Propanol, 1,3-dichloro-, phosphate (3:1)
(TDCPP) (CASRN: 13674-87-8).
Summary: Chlorinated phosphate esters are high production volume
chemicals that have been used as flame retardants in furniture foams,
textiles, paints and coatings. EPA initiated scoping and problem
formulation to determine the feasibility of conducting a quantitative
risk assessment. During problem formulation, EPA reviewed previous
assessments by EPA and other organizations and additional published
studies on the exposure and hazard for members of the CPE cluster. EPA
examined likely exposure and hazard scenarios based on current
production, use, and fate information to identify scenarios amenable to
a risk analysis.
B. Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0081
Title: TSCA Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and Initial
Assessment: Cyclic Aliphatic Bromides Cluster.
Chemicals covered: Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD, CASRN 25637-99-4);
1,2,5,6,9,10-Hexabromocyclododecane (CASRN 3194-55-6); and 1,2,5,6-
Tetrabromocyclooctane (CASRN 3194-57-8).
Summary: Cyclic Aliphatic Bromides have been used as a flame
retardant in: extruded and expanded polystyrene foams (EPS/XPS),
polystyrene (PS) products, textiles, paints and coatings. EPA initiated
scoping and problem formulation to determine the feasibility of
conducting a quantitative risk assessment. During problem formulation,
EPA reviewed previous assessments by EPA and other organizations and
additional published studies on the exposure and hazard for members of
this flame retardant cluster. EPA examined likely exposure and hazard
scenarios based on current production, use, and fate information to
identify scenarios amenable to a risk analysis. During problem
formulation, EPA identified inhalation, dermal and lifetime exposure
assessments as data gaps that add uncertainty to EPA's risk
[[Page 49999]]
assessment of HBCD. EPA welcomes comment on addressing these data gaps.
C. Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0730
Title: TSCA Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and Initial
Assessment: Tetrabromobisphenol A and Related Chemicals Cluster.
Chemicals covered: Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA, CASRN 79-94-7);
TBBPA-bis(dibromopropyl ether) (CASRN 21850-44-2); TBBPA-bis(ally
ether) (CASRN 25327-89-3); and TBBPA-bis(methyl ether) (CASRN 37853-61-
5).
Summary: Tetrabromobisphenol A is a compound commonly used as a
flame retardant in plastics/printed circuit boards for electronics and
has been found in children's products and other consumer products. EPA
initiated scoping and problem formulation to determine the feasibility
of conducting a quantitative risk assessment. During problem
formulation, EPA reviewed previous assessments by EPA and other
organizations and additional published studies on the exposure and
hazard for members of this flame retardant cluster. EPA examined likely
exposure and hazard scenarios based on current production, use, and
fate information to identify scenarios amenable to a risk analysis.
D. Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0491
Title: TSCA Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and Data Needs
Assessment: Brominated Phthalates Cluster.
Chemicals covered: 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, 3,4,5,6-
tetrabromo-, 1,2-bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (TBPH) (CASRN 26040-51-7);
Benzoic acid, 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-, 2-ethylhexyl ester (TBB) (CASRN:
183658-27-7); 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, 3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-, 1-[2-
(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl] 2-(2-hydroxypropyl) ester (CASRN: 20566-35-2);
1,2-Benzene dicarboxylic acid, 3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-, mixed esters with
diethylene glycol and propylene glycol (CASRN: 77098-07-8); 1,2-
Benzenedicarboxylic acid, 1,2-bis(2,3-dibromopropyl) ester (CASRN:
7415-86-3); Chemical A--Chemical Identity claimed confidential by
manufacturer; Chemical B--Chemical Identity claimed confidential by
manufacturer.
Summary: The Brominated Phthalates Cluster is a group of seven
chemicals at least two of which, TBB and TBPH, are found in commercial
flame retardant formulations. During problem formulation, EPA reviewed
previous assessments by EPA and other organizations and additional
published studies on the exposure and hazard for members of the
Brominated Phthalates Cluster. This review identified critical data
gaps and uncertainties that limit EPA's ability to conduct a
quantitative risk assessment for any of the chemicals in the Brominated
Phthalates cluster. Specifically, the review identified numerous gaps
in toxicity data and exposure data, testing conducted on limited
commercial mixtures but not all constituents of the mixtures, and
uncertain attribution of toxicity for commercial mixtures. As an
initial step toward conducting a robust risk assessment, EPA is
releasing a ``Data Needs Assessment'' for the Brominated Phthalates
Cluster. This Data Needs Assessment is intended to guide the collection
of additional data and information to fill the critical data gaps and
reduce uncertainties identified during problem formulation.
If you have any questions about any of these problem formulation
and initial assessment documents and the data needs assessment
document, or the Agency's programs in general, please contact the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.
Dated: August 12, 2015.
Wendy C. Hamnett,
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 2015-20370 Filed 8-17-15; 8:45 am]
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