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News and Announcements

Be Ready for a Flood - The Department of Ecology offers information on what this agency does during a flood, what you can do to prepare for winter weather, and several resources at www.ecy.wa.gov. Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program provides additional guidance for businesses and households on preparing for floods and what to do after an event at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/floods. Note that a business that has had a release of a hazardous substance or oil above a reportable quantity has a legal obligation to report the release to the National Response Center (NRC) and, in most instances, to the Washington State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), even if the release is due to a natural event. Notification phone numbers and a follow-up reporting form are available at www.ecy.wa.gov/epcra/section304.html. It is recommended that businesses report all releases, since it is often difficult to determine if a reportable quantity has been released.

2007 Chemicals in Washington State Summary released - A printable copy of the 2007 Chemicals in Washington State Summary report is now available at www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0904020.pdf. On November 20, 2009, this summary and supporting data will be available in a new web report on the EPCRA web site.

EPA Considers Mercury Ban - Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to take regulatory action to protect against unreasonable risk of injury to human health or the environment due to the manufacture, import, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of a chemical substance or mixture. EPA used Section 6 of TSCA to set stringent controls on the use and manufacture of products containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and asbestos.

EPA is now evaluating whether an action (or combination of actions) under Section 6(a) is supportable for mercury used in products for which available information indicates that effective and economically feasible alternatives exist, including switches, relays, flame sensors, button cell batteries, manometers (other than natural gas manometers), barometers, and psychrometers/hygrometers. As appropriate, such an action(s) would involve a group(s) of these products. The agency will determine whether the continued use of mercury in one or more of these products would pose an unreasonable risk to human health and the environment.

EPA has conducted both a preliminary analysis and a Risk-Based Prioritization of Mercury in Certain Products. By compiling data pertaining to the stated costs, advantages, and disadvantages associated with mercury-free alternatives to certain mercury-containing products, EPA made a preliminary judgment that effective and economically feasible alternatives exist.

These products include switches, relays/contactors, flame sensors, button cell batteries, and measuring devices (e.g., nonfever thermometers, manometers, barometers, pyrometers, flow meters, and psychrometers/hygrometers).

Mercury is well-documented as a toxic, environmentally persistent substance that demonstrates the ability to bioaccumulate and to be atmospherically transported on a local, regional, and global scale. In addition, mercury can be environmentally transformed into methyl mercury which biomagnifies and is highly toxic.

Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) is a competitive grant program that offers an innovative way for a community to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in its local environment. Through CARE, a community creates a partnership that [implements solutions to reduce releases of toxic pollutants and minimize people's exposure to them. By providing financial and technical assistance, EPA helps CARE communities get on the path to a renewed environment. Read more.

Air Release Exemption - EPA announces a final rule to provide an exemption for an administrative reporting exemption for air releases from animal waste at farms of any hazardous substance at or above the reportable quantities under CERCLA regulations and reduces the burden for reporting under EPCRA. To read more, go to www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/epcra/index.htm.

eDisclosure - The US EPA now offers a new web-based Audit Policy Self-Disclosure software, eDisclosure, allows companies to electronically self-disclose violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) including: Emergency Release Notification, Hazardous Chemical Inventory (Tier Two), and Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting. EPA’s voluntary disclosure policies provide incentives for regulated entities to voluntarily discover, disclose, and correct non-compliance. More information available at www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/auditing/edisclosure.html.

October 17, 2008 - EPA finalized changes to EPCRA regulations that were proposed on June 8, 1998 (63FR 31268). The changes include clarification on how to report hazardous chemicals in mixtures, and facilities are now required to report their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code on their Tier Two form. Also, the chemical or common name of the chemical as provided on the Material Safety Data Sheet must be provided on the Tier Two form. Read more...

Coming for July 2009 -- Facilities that are subject to TRI reporting will be required to use 2007 NAICS codes for releases and waste management quantities at a facility for RY 2008. Read more...

Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards - On November 2, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released Appendix A of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), a critical element of its chemical security efforts. For Press Release click here. With the publication of a final Appendix A in the Federal Register on November 20, 2007, all provisions of 6 CFR Part 27, including section 27.210(a)(1)(i), are operative and in effect. The deadline in the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards interim final rule for submission of required "Top Screens" will be 60 calendar days from the date of publication of Appendix A in the Federal Register. More details available at the DHS website at http://www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/programs/gc_1169501486179.shtm.

Private Sector Emergency Preparedness - Did you know legislation was signed into law on August 3, 2007 that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide for the development of a private sector led voluntary certification program for all-hazards business emergency preparedness? This program is to be developed in consultation with key stakeholders reflecting existing best practices and standards. The program represents a significant opportunity to link preparedness activities by business with bottom-line market based incentives. The Law: The law is titled “Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007” and is also referred to as H.R. 1 and Public Law 110-53. Title IX of the Act addresses private sector preparedness and the certification program. The full text can be found at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=summary&bill=h110-1.

Business Continuity - Looking for training opportunities to recommend to businesses that will help them prepare and train their own Disaster Recovery person/team? Links available on our Resources page at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/epcra/resources.html.

EPA Calls for Partnering on School Chemical Safety - What should a school do with outdated chemicals that may have been sitting in the lab cabinet or storage closet for 20 years or more? EPA's program helps schools safely manage chemicals and avoid costly, and possibly dangerous, accidental chemical spills. The campaign provides schools with a free Web-based toolkit and connects school officials with local experts and industry leaders in chemical management who can assist in safely removing the chemicals from school property. Read more http://www.epa.gov/sc3/.