EPA proposes updated reporting requirements for nanoscale materials

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to propose a one-time requirement for chemical companies to report information about nanoscale chemical substances already on the market on Wednesday.

Chemical companies sometimes produce nanoscale varieties of material already assessed by the EPA that, due to their size, have different properties. These nanoscale chemicals provide greater strengths at lighter weights, but only those that are originally manufactured or processed in nanoscale form are currently evaluated before being introduced to the market.

“We want to continue to facilitate the trend toward this important technology,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Jim Jones. “Today’s action will ensure that EPA also has information on nano-sized versions of chemicals that are already in the marketplace.”

Chemical manufacturers and processors would need to report, among other things, the specific chemical identity, production volumes, health and safety data and information about the chemicals’ manufacturing and use.

This marks the first time that the EPA has proposed collecting existing information about materials already in the marketplace. The reports gathered would be used to determine the need for further TSCA action and are not intended to malign nanoscale materials in general.