[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 88915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28376]



[[Page 88915]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0127; FRL-11623-01-OCSPP]


2023 Report; Inventory of Mercury Supply, Use, and Trade in the 
United States; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of the 2023 mercury inventory report, which summarizes 
information on mercury supply, use, and trade in the United States that 
is required to be reported to EPA by rule directly from mercury 
manufacturers, importers, and processors. The Toxic Substances Control 
Act (TSCA) directs the EPA to carry out and publish in the Federal 
Register every three years an inventory of mercury supply, use, and 
trade in the United States. TSCA defines ``mercury'' as ``elemental 
mercury'' or ``a mercury compound.''

ADDRESSES: The docket for this action, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0127, is available online 
at http://www.regulations.gov. Additional instructions for visiting the 
docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is 
available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    For technical information contact: Thomas Groeneveld, Existing 
Chemicals Risk Management Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 566-1188; 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. Does this action apply to me?

    This action applies to the public in general and may be of interest 
to a wide range of stakeholders including members of the public 
interested in elemental mercury or mercury compounds generally. Other 
topics of interest include the supply, use, or trade of elemental 
mercury or mercury compounds, including mercury-added products and 
manufacturing processes. As such, the Agency has not attempted to 
describe all the specific entities that may be interested in this 
action.

II. What is the Agency's authority for taking this action?

    TSCA section 8(b)(10), 15 U.S.C. 2507(b)(10), directs EPA to carry 
out and publish in the Federal Register not later than April 1, 2017, 
and every three years thereafter, an inventory of mercury supply, use, 
and trade in the United States. TSCA section 8(b)(10)(A) defines 
``mercury'' as ``elemental mercury'' or ``a mercury compound'' (15 
U.S.C. 2507(b)(10)(A)). In carrying out the mercury inventory, EPA is 
to ``identify any manufacturing processes or products that 
intentionally add mercury'' (15 U.S.C. 2607(b)(10)(C)(i)) and 
``recommend actions, including proposed revisions of Federal law or 
regulations, to achieve further reductions in mercury use'' (15 U.S.C. 
2607(b)(10)(C)(ii)).

III. What action is the Agency taking?

    EPA is publishing the 2023 report of the inventory of mercury 
supply, use, and trade in the United States (15 U.S.C. 2507(b)(10)(B)). 
This is the second report in which the supply, use, and trade of 
mercury is presented based on data collected by EPA under the mercury 
reporting requirements under TSCA that are codified in 40 CFR part 713. 
Persons subject to the reporting requirements in 40 CFR part 713 
submitted information directly to EPA via the Mercury Electronic 
Reporting (MER) application, which is accessed through the Agency's 
Central Data Exchange (CDX). For reporting activities that occurred in 
the calendar year 2021, the deadline for reporting mercury information 
to EPA was July 1, 2022, and the inventory collection, reporting, and 
publication cycle will continue every three years thereafter.

IV. How can I access this report?

    The 2023 inventory report, and the previously published report in 
2020, may be found in the docket for this action and on the EPA mercury 
website at https://www.epa.gov/mercury.
    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2607(b)(10)(B).

    Dated: December 20, 2023.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-28376 Filed 12-22-23; 8:45 am]
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