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  • Recommended approach for reporting lead acid batteries when complying with Tier II reporting

    Does EPA have a standard or recommended reporting approach for lead acid batteries when complying with EPCRA Section 312 Chemical Inventory Reporting (i.e., Tier II reporting)? EPA suggests that facilities report for lead acid batteries in the same manner they used when complying with EPCRA Section 311 MSDS reporting requirements…

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  • How are releases during transportation or storage incident to transportation covered under Section 304?

    Section 304 covers all releases of listed hazardous or extremely hazardous substances, including those involved in transportation in excess of the reportable quantity (RQ). Owners or operators of transportation facilities may call 911 or the local telephone operator, in order to satisfy Section 304 notification requirements when a release occurs…

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  • Purchases but never receives or stores a hazardous chemical over threshold amount

    If a facility purchases more than 10,000 pounds of a hazardous chemical for which OSHA requires an MSDS in a calendar year but never actually receives or stores more than the 10,000 pound threshold at one time, must the facility report under EPCRA Sections 311 and 312? The MSDS and…

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  • How are mixtures handled for Sections 311 and 312 reporting?

    The owner or operator of a facility may meet the requirements of Sections 311 and 312 by choosing one of two options: • Providing the required information on each component that is a hazardous chemical within the mixture. In this case, the concentration of the hazardous chemical in weight percent…

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  • State refusing to comply with the emergency planning provisions

    What will happen if a State refuses to comply with the emergency planning provisions? A governor who does not designate a State emergency response commission becomes the commission by default. While the governor could choose not to fulfill any of the Title III provisions, the public could still request information…

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  • Can the de minimis concept be used with Section 304 release reporting?

    Can the "de minimis" concept used in determining the threshold planning quantities in mixtures be applied in the determination of the reportable quantity for emergency release notification? No. The "de minimis" quantity was set in place for threshold planning quantities simply to make the calculation of the total amount of…

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  • Section 302 notification requirements and mixtures with unknown components

    Are facilities exempt from Section 302 notification requirements if they produce, use, or store mixtures whose extremely hazardous substance component information is not available on the MSDS provided by the manufacturer? If the facility which produces, uses, or stores mixtures knows or reasonably should know the components of the mixture…

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  • Why are industries exempt under OSHA's PSM subject to RMP?

    The Program 3 prevention program requirements under 40 CFR Part 68 are almost identical to the requirements of OSHA's process safety management (PSM) standard. OSHA exempts certain industries from the PSM standard. Why does EPA not exempt those same industries from the CAA §112(r) risk management program requirements? EPA and…

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  • What if the quantity in the process fluctuates?

    What if the quantity in the process fluctuates? I may not have a threshold quantity now, but I will intermittently exceed the threshold quantity. You do not need to comply with the rule and file an RMP unless you have more than threshold quantity in a process; however, once you…

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  • Process identification and distance between vessels

    How far apart do separate vessels have to be to be considered different processes? There is no hard and fast rule for how great this distance should be before you do not need to consider the vessels as part of one process. Two vessels at opposite ends of a large…

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  • What does "same industrial group" mean?

    Operations at a site that belong to the same three-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code prefix (which has replaced the old SIC codes) belong to the “same industrial group. In addition, where one or more operations at the site serve primarily as support facilities for the main operation…

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  • Updating RMP if EPA lists a new substance

    What if EPA lists a new substance? You will have three years from the date on which the new listing is effective to come into compliance for any process that is covered because EPA has listed a new substance.

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  • Should tank capacity be considered when determining thresholds?

    When determining whether a threshold amount of a regulated substance is present in a process (e.g., a tank), must the owner or operator of a stationary source consider the total capacity of the process, or the actual amount of regulated substance contained in the process? The threshold determination is based…

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  • EPCRA 312 Back Reporting for Previous Years

    Facilities subject to EPCRA section 312 (40 CFR part 370) must submit an inventory form annually to the state emergency response commission (SERC), local emergency planning committee (LEPC), and local fire department. Do facilities have to report for previous years if they were subject to hazardous chemical inventory reporting but…

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  • EPCRA 311 / 312 Applicability to Brine / Salt Solutions

    Are facilities required to prepare or have available a material safety data sheet/safety data sheet (MSDS/SDS) for brine/salt solutions under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) ( 29 CFR 1910.1200 )? Yes, facilities are required to prepare or have available an MSDS/SDS for brine/salt solutions…

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