42 USC 11023 - Toxic chemical release forms

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 28, 2024

§ 11023.

Toxic chemical release forms

(a)

Basic requirement

(b)

Covered owners and operators of facilities

(1)

In general

(A)

The requirements of this section shall apply to owners and operators of facilities that have 10 or more full-time employees and that are in Standard Industrial Classification Codes 20 through 39 (as in effect on July 1, 1985) and that manufactured, processed, or otherwise used a toxic chemical listed under subsection (c) in excess of the quantity of that toxic chemical established under subsection (f) during the calendar year for which a release form is required under this section.

(B)

The Administrator may add or delete Standard Industrial Classification Codes for purposes of subparagraph (A), but only to the extent necessary to provide that each Standard Industrial Code to which this section applies is relevant to the purposes of this section.

(C)

For purposes of this section—

(i)

The term “manufacture” means to produce, prepare, import, or compound a toxic chemical.

(ii)

The term “process” means the preparation of a toxic chemical, after its manufacture, for distribution in commerce—

(I)

in the same form or physical state as, or in a different form or physical state from, that in which it was received by the person so preparing such chemical, or

(II)

as part of an article containing the toxic chemical.

(2)

Discretionary application to additional facilities

(c)

Toxic chemicals covered

The toxic chemicals subject to the requirements of this section are—

(1)

the chemicals on the list in Committee Print Number 99–169 of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, titled “Toxic Chemicals Subject to Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986” [42 U.S.C. 11023] (including any revised version of the list as may be made pursuant to subsection (d) or (e)); and

(2)

the chemicals included on such list under subsections (b)(1), (c)(1), and (d)(3) of section 8921 of title 15.

(d)

Revisions by Administrator

(1)

In general

(2)

Additions

A chemical may be added if the Administrator determines, in his judgment, that there is sufficient evidence to establish any one of the following:

(A)

The chemical is known to cause or can reasonably be anticipated to cause significant adverse acute human health effects at concentration levels that are reasonably likely to exist beyond facility site boundaries as a result of continuous, or frequently recurring, releases.

(B)

The chemical is known to cause or can reasonably be anticipated to cause in humans—

(i)

cancer or teratogenic effects, or

(ii)

serious or irreversible—

(I)

reproductive dysfunctions,

(II)

neurological disorders,

(III)

heritable genetic mutations, or

(IV)

other chronic health effects.

(C)

The chemical is known to cause or can reasonably be anticipated to cause, because of—

(i)

its toxicity,

(ii)

its toxicity and persistence in the environment, or

(iii)

its toxicity and tendency to bioaccumulate in the environment,

a significant adverse effect on the environment of sufficient seriousness, in the judgment of the Administrator, to warrant reporting under this section. The number of chemicals included on the list described in subsection (c) on the basis of the preceding sentence may constitute in the aggregate no more than 25 percent of the total number of chemicals on the list.

A determination under this paragraph shall be based on generally accepted scientific principles or laboratory tests, or appropriately designed and conducted epidemiological or other population studies, available to the Administrator.

(3)

Deletions

(4)

Effective date

(e)

Petitions

(1)

In general

Any person may petition the Administrator to add or delete a chemical from the list described in subsection (c) on the basis of the criteria in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (d)(2). Within 180 days after receipt of a petition, the Administrator shall take one of the following actions:

(A)

Initiate a rulemaking to add or delete the chemical to the list, in accordance with subsection (d)(2) or (d)(3).

(B)

Publish an explanation of why the petition is denied.

(2)

Governor petitions

A State Governor may petition the Administrator to add or delete a chemical from the list described in subsection (c) on the basis of the criteria in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of subsection (d)(2). In the case of such a petition from a State Governor to delete a chemical, the petition shall be treated in the same manner as a petition received under paragraph (1) to delete a chemical. In the case of such a petition from a State Governor to add a chemical, the chemical will be added to the list within 180 days after receipt of the petition, unless the Administrator—

(A)

initiates a rulemaking to add the chemical to the list, in accordance with subsection (d)(2), or

(B)

publishes an explanation of why the Administrator believes the petition does not meet the requirements of subsection (d)(2) for adding a chemical to the list.

(f)

Threshold for reporting

(1)

Toxic chemical threshold amount

The threshold amounts for purposes of reporting toxic chemicals under this section are as follows:

(A)

With respect to a toxic chemical used at a facility, 10,000 pounds of the toxic chemical per year.

(B)

With respect to a toxic chemical manufactured or processed at a facility—

(i)

For the toxic chemical release form required to be submitted under this section on or before July 1, 1988, 75,000 pounds of the toxic chemical per year.

(ii)

For the form required to be submitted on or before July 1, 1989, 50,000 pounds of the toxic chemical per year.

(iii)

For the form required to be submitted on or before July 1, 1990, and for each form thereafter, 25,000 pounds of the toxic chemical per year.

(2)

Revisions

(g)

Form

(1)

Information required

Not later than June 1, 1987, the Administrator shall publish a uniform toxic chemical release form for facilities covered by this section. If the Administrator does not publish such a form, owners and operators of facilities subject to the requirements of this section shall provide the information required under this subsection by letter postmarked on or before the date on which the form is due. Such form shall—

(A)

provide for the name and location of, and principal business activities at, the facility;

(B)

include an appropriate certification, signed by a senior official with management responsibility for the person or persons completing the report, regarding the accuracy and completeness of the report; and

(C)

provide for submission of each of the following items of information for each listed toxic chemical known to be present at the facility:

(i)

Whether the toxic chemical at the facility is manufactured, processed, or otherwise used, and the general category or categories of use of the chemical.

(ii)

An estimate of the maximum amounts (in ranges) of the toxic chemical present at the facility at any time during the preceding calendar year.

(iii)

For each wastestream, the waste treatment or disposal methods employed, and an estimate of the treatment efficiency typically achieved by such methods for that wastestream.

(iv)

The annual quantity of the toxic chemical entering each environmental medium.

(2)

Use of available data

(h)

Use of release form

(i)

Modifications in reporting frequency

(1)

In general

The Administrator may modify the frequency of submitting a report under this section, but the Administrator may not modify the frequency to be any more often than annually. A modification may apply, either nationally or in a specific geographic area, to the following:

(A)

All toxic chemical release forms required under this section.

(B)

A class of toxic chemicals or a category of facilities.

(C)

A specific toxic chemical.

(D)

A specific facility.

(2)

Requirements

A modification may be made under paragraph (1) only if the Administrator—

(A)

makes a finding that the modification is consistent with the provisions of subsection (h), based on—

(i)

experience from previously submitted toxic chemical release forms, and

(ii)

determinations made under paragraph (3), and

(B)

the finding is made by a rulemaking in accordance with section 553 of title 5.

(3)

Determinations

The Administrator shall make the following determinations with respect to a proposed modification before making a modification under paragraph (1):

(A)

The extent to which information relating to the proposed modification provided on the toxic chemical release forms has been used by the Administrator or other agencies of the Federal Government, States, local governments, health professionals, and the public.

(B)

The extent to which the information is (i) readily available to potential users from other sources, such as State reporting programs, and (ii) provided to the Administrator under another Federal law or through a State program.

(C)

The extent to which the modification would impose additional and unreasonable burdens on facilities subject to the reporting requirements under this section.

(4)

5-year review

(5)

Notification to Congress

(6)

Judicial review

(7)

Applicability

(8)

Effective date

(j)

EPA management of data

(k)

Report

Not later than June 30, 1991, the Comptroller General, in consultation with the Administrator and appropriate officials in the States, shall submit to the Congress a report including each of the following:

(1)

A description of the steps taken by the Administrator and the States to implement the requirements of this section, including steps taken to make information collected under this section available to and accessible by the public.

(2)

A description of the extent to which the information collected under this section has been used by the Environmental Protection Agency, other Federal agencies, the States, and the public, and the purposes for which the information has been used.

(3)

An identification and evaluation of options for modifications to the requirements of this section for the purpose of making information collected under this section more useful.

(l)

Mass balance study

(1)

In general

(2)

Purposes

The purposes of the study are as follows:

(A)

To assess the value of mass balance analysis in determining the accuracy of information on toxic chemical releases.

(B)

To assess the value of obtaining mass balance information, or portions thereof, to determine the waste reduction efficiency of different facilities, or categories of facilities, including the effectiveness of toxic chemical regulations promulgated under laws other than this chapter.

(C)

To assess the utility of such information for evaluating toxic chemical management practices at facilities, or categories of facilities, covered by this section.

(D)

To determine the implications of mass balance information collection on a national scale similar to the mass balance information collection carried out by the Administrator under paragraph (3), including implications of the use of such collection as part of a national annual quantity toxic chemical release program.

(3)

Information collection

(A)

The Administrator shall acquire available mass balance information from States which currently conduct (or during the 5 years after October 17, 1986 initiate) a mass balance-oriented annual quantity toxic chemical release program. If information from such States provides an inadequate representation of industry classes and categories to carry out the purposes of the study, the Administrator also may acquire mass balance information necessary for the study from a representative number of facilities in other States.

(B)

Any information acquired under this section shall be available to the public, except that upon a showing satisfactory to the Administrator by any person that the information (or a particular part thereof) to which the Administrator or any officer, employee, or representative has access under this section if made public would divulge information entitled to protection under section 1905 of title 18, such information or part shall be considered confidential in accordance with the purposes of that section, except that such information or part may be disclosed to other officers, employees, or authorized representatives of the United States concerned with carrying out this section.

(C)

The Administrator may promulgate regulations prescribing procedures for collecting mass balance information under this paragraph.

(D)

For purposes of collecting mass balance information under subparagraph (A), the Administrator may require the submission of information by a State or facility.

(4)

Mass balance definition

(Pub. L. 99–499, title III, § 313, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1741; Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXIII, § 7321(f), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2281.)

cite as: 42 USC 11023