EPA Withdraws Immediate Final TSCA 8(d) Rule for Cadmium

TSCA:

On Friday, December 14, Wendy Cleland-Hamnett, Director of the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to withdraw the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 8(d) immediate final rule published on December 3, 2012.  In its announcment the agency said: “Based on several letters asking questions and raising concerns about the scope and extent of the immediate final rule that indicate that there is significant confusion and uncertainty within certain industrial sectors concerning the rule, EPA has decided to withdraw the immediate final rule.” EPA will announce the withdrawal in the Federal Register, no later than January 2, 2013, the original effective date of the final rule. 

EPA  also said that it “will be considering the questions and concerns raised in response to the immediate final rule and next steps with regard to this rule. EPA will also continue to work with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to reduce exposure to cadmium in consumer products generally, and especially those consumer products used by or around children, such as children’s metal jewelry.”

More information about this development is available at the agency’s website here.  Information about section 8(d) is available here.