EPA Extends Reporting Deadline for Chemical Data Rule

News Flash - The USEPA has announced an extension of the reporting deadline for the CDR (formerly the IUR):

Jim Jones, EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, has today signed a Federal Register Notice under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to extend the Chemical Data Rule (CDR) reporting period by six weeks to August 13, 2012, from the original due date of June 30, 2012.

More details are available in the prepublication version of the Federal Register notice.

EPA Will Not Change Chemical Data Reporting Deadline Despite House Request

EPA has decided that it will would not change the reporting deadline for the new Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule despite a letter from Republican Representative Fred Upton, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  The CDR requires chemical manufacturers to provide data during the period from February 1 to June 30, 2012.  The letter from Upton, along with fellow Republican John Shimkus, argued that the reporting rule - which had been delayed by nearly a year already - was overly burdensome to industry.  In their January 30, 2012 response, acting EPA toxics chief Jim Jones noted that “the EPA provided a five month reporting period for this first round of reporting to provide additional time for companies to review and understand changes in the reporting requirements, gather the necessary information, and file through the agency's electronic reporting system.”

Jones also noted that, “we believe that the current five month window for companies to report, along with their ability to engage the agency directly on any questions or issues they may have, provides an adequate opportunity for reporting by June 30, 2012.”

The final CDR was published on August 15, 2011, thus giving substantial time for industry to understand their obligations and prepare for the submission.  EPA also recently provided guidance for submitting byproduct data, a key concern expressed in the Upton/Shimkus letter.  Overall, EPA believes that it has provided substantial lead time and guidance for industry to comply and that the additional delays requested by the Republican members of the House are both unwarranted and would reduce the availability of vital, and Congressionally-mandated, health and safety information from the public.

More information on Chemical Data Reporting can be found on EPA's web site.

EPA Provides Guidance for Reporting Byproduct Data Under the Chemical Data Reporting Rule

The USEPA will be providing additional information related to the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) Rule, which was formerly the Inventory Update Rule (IUR).  Many companies have been confused about what they actually have to report.  And a recent workshop dealt with one specific type of chemical - byproducts. 

More information will be coming sometime in January.  Until then, those companies who are still trying to figure out their obligations can check EPA's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on the 2012 CDR, which can be found here.


Additional useful information is available from a workshop held January 19, 2012 at the Washington University Law School.  The workshop, sponsored by law firm Bergeson & Campbell and the USEPA, looked specifically on how to report byproducts and recycled substances under the CDR.  An overview and slide presentations, as well as case studies and an audio playback, can be downloaded here.

More information on the CDR can be found on EPA's web site.