§8921 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

Adds several PFAS chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory and sets reporting rules. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, GenX, certain salts tied to those chemicals, and other PFAS that were listed as active in February 2019 and covered by certain EPA rules must be treated as on the inventory starting January 1, 2020. For those chemicals, companies must report releases if they meet a 100‑pound reporting threshold. The EPA must review that 100‑pound threshold within 5 years after December 20, 2019 and start a formal change if it decides a different amount is needed. Other PFAS will be added automatically on January 1 of the year after the EPA finalizes a toxicity value for them, makes a “significant new use” rule for them, or lists them as active on the chemical inventory. Those added PFAS also have a 100‑pound reporting threshold, and EPA must review that threshold within 5 years after each addition. The EPA must decide within 2 years after December 20, 2019 whether a set of additional named PFAS meet the inventory criteria, and if so must add them within 2 years of that decision. If a company claims a PFAS’s exact chemical identity is a trade secret, EPA must review and require the company to confirm the claim; if the claim is valid, EPA will list the substance without revealing the protected identity.

Title 15, §8921

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “toxics release inventory” means the list of toxic chemicals subject to the requirements of section 11023(c) of title 42.

(b)(1)Subject to subsection (e), beginning January 1 of the calendar year following December 20, 2019, the following chemicals shall be deemed to be included in the toxics release inventory:

(A)Perfluorooctanoic acid (commonly referred to as “PFOA”) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 335–67–1).

(B)The salts associated with the chemical described in subparagraph (A) (Chemical Abstracts Service Nos. 3825–26–1, 335–95–5, and 68141–02–6).

(C)Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (commonly referred to as “PFOS”) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 1763–23–1).

(D)The salts associated with the chemical described in subparagraph (C) (Chemical Abstracts Service Nos. 2795–39–3, 29457–72–5, 56773–42–3, 29081–56–9, and 70225–14–8).

(E)A perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances that is—

(i)listed as an active chemical substance in the February 2019 update to the inventory under section 2607(b)(1) of this title; and

(ii)on December 20, 2019, subject to the provisions of—

(I)section 721.9582 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations; or

(II)section 721.10536 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations.

(F)Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (commonly referred to as “GenX”) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 13252–13–6).

(G)The compound associated with the chemical described in subparagraph (F) identified by Chemical Abstracts Service No. 62037–80–3.

(H)Perfluorononanoic acid (commonly referred to as “PFNA”) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 375–95–1).

(I)Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (commonly referred to as “PFHxS”) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 355–46–4).

(2)(A)Subject to subparagraph (B), the threshold for reporting the chemicals described in paragraph (1) under section 11023 of title 42 is 100 pounds.

(B)Not later than 5 years after December 20, 2019, the Administrator shall—

(i)determine whether revision of the threshold under subparagraph (A) is warranted for any chemical described in paragraph (1); and

(ii)if the Administrator determines a revision to be warranted under clause (i), initiate a revision under section 11023(f)(2) of title 42.

(c)(1)(A)Subject to subsection (e), notwithstanding section 11023 of title 42, a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances not described in subsection (b)(1) shall be deemed to be included in the toxics release inventory beginning January 1 of the calendar year after any of the following dates:

(i)The date on which the Administrator finalizes a toxicity value for the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances.

(ii)The date on which the Administrator makes a covered determination for the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances.

(iii)The date on which the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances is added to a list of substances covered by a covered determination.

(iv)The date on which the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances to which a covered determination applies is—

(I)added to the list published under paragraph (1) of section 2607(b) of this title and designated as an active chemical substance under paragraph (5)(A) of such section; or

(II)designated as an active chemical substance on such list under paragraph (5)(B) of such section.

(B)For purposes of this paragraph, a covered determination is a determination made, by rule, under section 2604(a)(2) of this title that a use of a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances is a significant new use (except such a determination made in connection with a determination described in section 2604(a)(3)(B) or section 2604(a)(3)(C) of this title).

(2)(A)Subject to subparagraph (B), notwithstanding subsection (f)(1) of section 11023 of title 42, the threshold for reporting under such section 11023 of title 42 the substances and classes of substances included in the toxics release inventory under paragraph (1) is 100 pounds.

(B)Not later than 5 years after the date on which a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances is included in the toxics release inventory under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall—

(i)determine whether revision of the threshold under subparagraph (A) is warranted for the substance or class of substances; and

(ii)if the Administrator determines a revision to be warranted under clause (i), initiate a revision under section 11023(f)(2) of title 42.

(d)(1)Not later than 2 years after December 20, 2019, the Administrator shall determine whether the substances and classes of substances described in paragraph (2) meet any one of the criteria described in section 11023(d)(2) of title 42 for inclusion in the toxics release inventory.

(2)The substances and classes of substances referred to in paragraph (1) are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and classes of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances not described in subsection (b)(1), including—

(A)perfluoro[(2-pentafluoroethoxy-ethoxy)acetic acid] ammonium salt (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 908020–52–0);

(B)2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro 2–(1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro)–2–(trifluoromethoxy) propanoyl fluoride (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 2479–75–6);

(C)2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro 2–(1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro)–2–(trifluoromethoxy) propionic acid (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 2479–73–4);

(D)3H-perfluoro-3-[(3-methoxy-propoxy) propanoic acid] (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 919005–14–4);

(E)the salts associated with the chemical described in subparagraph (D) (Chemical Abstracts Service Nos. 958445–44–8, 1087271–46–2, and NOCAS 892452);

(F)1-octanesulfonic acid 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8-tridecafluoro-potassium salt (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 59587–38–1);

(G)perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 375–73–5);

(H)1–Butanesulfonic acid, 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluoro-potassium salt (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 29420–49–3);

(I)the component associated with the chemical described in subparagraph (H) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 45187–15–3);

(J)heptafluorobutyric acid (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 375–22–4);

(K)perfluorohexanoic acid (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 307–24–4);

(L)the compound associated with the chemical described in subsection (b)(1)(F) identified by Chemical Abstracts Service No. 2062–98–8;

(M)perfluoroheptanoic acid (commonly referred to as “PFHpA”) (Chemical Abstracts Service No. 375–85–9);

(N)each perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances for which a method to measure levels in drinking water has been validated by the Administrator; and

(O)a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances other than the chemicals described in subparagraphs (A) through (N) that is used to manufacture fluorinated polymers, as determined by the Administrator.

(3)Subject to subsection (e), if the Administrator determines under paragraph (1) that a substance or a class of substances described in paragraph (2) meets any one of the criteria described in section 11023(d)(2) of title 42, the Administrator shall revise the toxics release inventory in accordance with such section 11023(d) of title 42 to include that substance or class of substances not later than 2 years after the date on which the Administrator makes the determination.

(e)(1)Prior to including on the toxics release inventory pursuant to subsection (b)(1), (c)(1), or (d)(3) any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances the chemical identity of which is subject to a claim of a person of protection from disclosure under subsection (a) of section 552 of title 5, pursuant to subsection (b)(4) of that section, the Administrator shall—

(A)review any such claim of protection from disclosure; and

(B)require that person to reassert and substantiate or resubstantiate that claim in accordance with section 2613(f) of this title.

(2)If the Administrator determines that the chemical identity of a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances qualifies for protection from disclosure pursuant to paragraph (1), the Administrator shall include the substance or class of substances, as applicable, on the toxics release inventory in a manner that does not disclose the protected information.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section is comprised of section 7321 of Pub. L. 116–92. Subsec. (f) of section 7321 of Pub. L. 116–92 amended section 11023 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

§8921 Additions to toxics release inventory

Summary

Title 15, §8921

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata