710.1—Scope and compliance.
(a)
This part establishes regulations governing reporting and recordkeeping by certain persons who manufacture, import, or process chemical substances for commercial purposes under section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2607(a)) (TSCA). Section 8(a) authorizes the Administrator to require reporting of information necessary for administration of the Act and requires EPA to issue regulations for the purpose of compiling and keeping current an inventory of chemical substances manufactured or processed for a commercial purpose, as required by section 8(b) of the Act. Following an initial reporting period, EPA published an initial inventory of chemical substances manufactured, processed, or imported for commercial purposes. In accordance with section 8(b), EPA periodically amends the inventory to include new chemical substances which are manufactured or imported for a commercial purpose and reported under section 5(a)(1) of the Act. EPA also revises the categories of chemical substances and makes other amendments as appropriate.
(b)
The regulations in this part apply to the activities associated with the compilation of the TSCA Chemical Inventory and the update of information on a subset of the chemical substances included on the Inventory. The Inventory Update regulations were amended in 2002; however, these amendments apply to updates after 2002, not to the 2002 update. In order to prevent confusion as to which regulations apply to which update, EPA has preserved the provisions that apply to the 2002 update in subpart B. The new and revised requirements that apply to updates after 2002 appear in subpart C. Prior to January 1, 2003, the regulations in subpart B of this part are effective for purposes of Inventory update activities. As of January 1, 2003, subpart C is effective for purposes of Inventory update activities. The Agency intends to remove subpart B from the CFR once the 2002 update is complete.
(c)
Section 15(3) of TSCA makes it unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to submit information required under these reporting regulations. In addition, section 15(3) makes it unlawful for any person to fail to keep, and permit access to, records required by these regulations. Section 16 provides that any person who violates a provision of section 15 is liable to the United States for a civil penalty and may be criminally prosecuted. Pursuant to section 17, the Government may seek judicial relief to compel submission of section 8(a) information and to otherwise restrain any violation of section 15. (EPA does not intend to concentrate its enforcement efforts on insignificant clerical errors in reporting.)
(d)
Each person who reports under these regulations must maintain records that document information reported under these regulations and, in accordance with the Act, permit access to, and the copying of, such records by EPA officials.