Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA); TSCA Section 21 Petition for Rulemaking; Reasons for Agency Response; Denial of Requested Rulemaking
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Issuing agencies
Abstract
On January 26, 2023, EPA received a petition from Blueland, Plastic Pollution Coalition, and partners, including Beyond Plastics, Plastic Oceans International, The Shaw Institute, Lonely Whale, 5 Gyres, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Oceanic Global Foundation, The Last Beach Cleanup, Rio Grande International Study Center, Inland Ocean Coalition, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Friends of the Earth, Surfrider, and Made Safe. The petition requests under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that EPA require manufacturers and processors of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) affiliated with EPA's Safer Choice certification program to fund and conduct health and environmental safety testing using independent, third-party scientists. The petition also requests under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) that EPA update the status of PVA on EPA's Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) from ``green circle'' to ``gray square'' until the testing is complete and reviewed by EPA. The Safer Choice program is a voluntary EPA program that certifies cleaning and other products made with ingredients that meet criteria for human health and the environment and manages these safer ingredients on the SCIL. After careful consideration, the EPA has denied the TSCA petition and APA petition requests for reasons discussed in this document.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.