Certain glycol ethers eliminated from toxic chemical release reporting requirements

Effective June 28, 1994, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) eliminated high molecular weight glycol ethers from the reporting requirements of section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA). EPCRA (42 U.S.C. 11023) is also referred to as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986. EPA redefined the glycol ethers category list of chemicals subject to reporting based on an EPA review of available human health data on short-chain glycol ethers. EPA is removing only the surfactant glycol ethers, which are high molecular weight glycol ethers, i.e., those with pendant alkyl groups and that typically have eight or more carbon atoms. The redefinition retains certain glycol ethers (i.e., ethylene glycol ethers where there are 1,2, or 3 repeating ethylene oxide groups) in the category. These are reasonably anticipated to cause adverse human health effects