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EPA Proposes Ban on 1-Bromopropane in Most Consumer Uses

SafeGuardSAutomotive, Electrical & Electronics, Hardgoods, Personal and Protective Equipment, Softlines, Toys and Juvenile ProductsAugust 15, 2024

SG 131/24

The proposal is looking to ban 1-bromopropane in all consumer product uses except one and place workplace requirements on most industrial and commercial uses.

In November 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a list of the first 10 chemicals for risk evaluation under its amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). If the risk evaluation determined an unreasonable risk posed by those chemicals, the agency is required to mitigate that risk. Following this process, the EPA has already proposed rules for carbon tetrachloride, N-methylpyrrolidone, Perchloroethylene and Trichloroethylene (SG 96/24, SG 76/23, SG 154/23), and finalized rules for asbestos and methylene chloride (SG 77/24).

On July 31, 2024 the EPA announced a proposed rule (89 FR 65066) for the solvent 1-bromopropane (1-BP), which is now the seventh chemical on the list for which the agency is initiating rulemaking. 1-BP is a solvent that is widely used in cleaning and degreasing applications, adhesives, sealants and insulation. Consumer uses for 1-BP include aerosol degreasers, adhesives, automotive care products and insulation.

The EPA determined that exposure to the chemical can cause serious adverse health effects ranging from cancer to damage to the liver, kidneys and nervous system, as well as reduced fertility. The EPA is looking to mitigate that risk under the proposed rule through prohibitions and a workplace chemical protection program (WCPP). Table 1 highlights details of these proposed measures.


Type of proposed measure
Requirement
Affected Applications
Proposed Effective Date

Prohibition

  • Prohibition

  • All consumer uses except in building/construction materials (insulation)

  • Industrial or commercial uses such as other than listed under the WCPP, such as:
    • Dry cleaning, spot cleaning and stain removers
    • Adhesives and sealant
    • Coin and scissor cleaners
    • Automotive care products
    • Anti-adhesive agents
    • Functional fluids used as refrigerants or cutting oils
    • Art, craft and hobby materials

6-18 months after publication of the final rule (staggered phase-out for manufacturing, processing, distributing and commercial/industrial uses)

Workplace Chemical Protection Program (WCPP)

  • ≤ 0.05 ppm of 1-BP airborne concentration as an eight-hour time weighted average (TWA)

  • Domestic manufacturing

  • Processing into formulation, mixture or reaction products
  • Industrial and commercial use as solvent for open-top and in-line batch vapor degreasing
  • Industrial and commercial use as solvent for closed-loop batch vapor degreasing
  • Industrial and commercial use as solvent for cleaning and degreasing in cold cleaners
  • Industrial and commercial use as solvent in aerosol spray degreaser/cleaner
  • Industrial and commercial uses in other uses, in electronic and electronic products and metal products; asphalt extraction; laboratory chemicals; temperature indicator coatings

12 months after publication of final rule for non-federal workplaces

36 months after publication of final rule for federal agencies and federal contractors

60 months after publication of final rule for the Department of Defense

  • Glove requirement for any person likely to be dermally exposed to 1- BP

  • Manufacturing (import)

  • Processing as a reactant
  • Processing for incorporation into articles
  • Processing as repackaging
  • Processing as recycling
  • Disposal

6 months after publication of final rule for non-federal workplaces

36 months after publication of final rule for federal agencies and federal contractors

In contrary to other EPA proposed or finalized rules on solvents, the 1-BP proposed rule does not include a de minimis level for formulations. The proposal also provides certain self-certification, notification and recordkeeping requirements to demonstrate compliance. Comments are accepted until September 23, 2024.

SGS is committed to providing information about development in regulations for consumer products as complimentary services. Through a global network of laboratories, SGS provides a wide range of services including physical/mechanical testing, analytical testing and consultancy work for technical and non-technical parameters applicable to a comprehensive range of consumer products. Contact us for more information or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. This publication or website is a property of SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. All contents including website designs, text, and graphics contained herein are owned by or licensed to SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The information provided is for technical and general information purposes only and offers no legal advice. The information is no substitute for professional legal advice to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. All information is provided in good faith “as is”, and SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, and does not warrant that the information will be error-free or meet any particular criteria of performance or quality.

For further information, please contact:

Melanie Tamayo

Melanie

Tamayo

Senior Technical Manager, SGS NA
HingWo Tsang

Dr.

Hingwo

Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

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