General Updates - May 2000

United States

The HPV Challenge Program
The U.S. EPA's challenge program for High Production Volume (HPV) Chemicals is a major component of the ambitious Chemical Right-to-Know initiative. The HPV Challenge program invites chemical companies to make voluntary commitment to test HPV (greater than 1 million pounds) chemicals. The CPIA has formally notified EPA that it will address data needs for the following chemicals identified on EPA's list of HPV chemicals:

Chemical Name	CAS Number	Start Year Date
Alkanes, chloro	61788-76-9	2002
Paraffin waxes and hydrocarbon waxes, chloro	63449-39-8	2002
Alkanes, C6-18, chloro	68920-70-7	2002
Alkene, C12-24, chloro	68527-02-6	2002

Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
On November 30, 1994, EPA expanded the list of chemicals subject to annual reporting as part of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) (59 FR 61432). Included on the expanded list was the category of “polychlorinated alkanes (C10-C13),” which encompasses short-chain chlorinated paraffins.
Reports are due to EPA on July 1 of each year and cover the prior years activities. (Specific guidance on the TRI reporting for polychlorinated alkanes can be found at: www.epa.gov/tri/guidance.htm.)

Canada

The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI)
On April 24, 1999, Environment Canada expanded the NPRI list for release reporting for the 1999 reporting year. Two categories of chlorinated paraffins, (alkanes, C6-18, chloro, CAS # 68920-70-7; alkanes, C10-13, chloro, CAS# 85535-84-8) were added to the NPRI. Generally, any facilities in Canada that manufacture, process and otherwise uses chlorinated paraffins in an amount greater than 10 metric tons are subject to this rule and are required to file the NPRI form describing environmental releases and off-site transfers. Small facilities whose employees work less than 20,000 hours are exempted from the requirements of this rule.

First Priority Substances List (PSL 1) Assessment for SCCPs
Canada decided to defer Track I listing for SCCPs (Canada Gazette, Part I, July 4, 1998) due to the lack of sufficient scientific basis to declare SCCPs as a Track 1 substance. CPIA is working closely with Environment Canada and monitoring any new development that may affect the future of status of SCCPs.

European Union

The EU issued the latest draft of its risk assessment on short-chain chlorinated paraffins in August 1997. The panel of experts concluded that the carcinigenicity of SCCPs observed in lab animal studies was not relevant to humans except for the kidney effects. Studies are now underway to assess the significance of these kidney effects. The EU is conducting a similar risk assessment on mid-chain chlorinated paraffins.

United Nations

United Nations, Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
There have been few regulatory activities in the United Nations since the UNECE decided not to include short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in its initial list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP shows no intention to include SCCPs into its POPs protocol at this time.