G/TBT/N/USA/1162  
 
14 July 2016  
(16-3786)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1180] 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point 
Email: usatbtep@nist.gov   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ ], 2.10 .1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other: X 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable): Hazardous chemicals. 
Environmental protection (ICS: 13.020), Produc ts of the chemical industry (ICS: 71.100) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Hazardous 
Chemical Reporting: Community Right-to-Know; Revisions to Hazard Categories and Minor 
Corrections (6 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is 
amending its hazardous chemical reporting regulations due to the changes in the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). OSHA's HCS was recently revised to  conform to the United Nations Globally 
Harmonized System of Classification and La beling of Chemicals (GHS). Under the revised 
HCS, chemical manufacturers and importers are required to evaluate their chemicals 
according to the new criteria adopted from GH S to ensure that they are classified and 
labeled appropriately. Manufacturers and importers are also required to develop 
standardized Safety Data Sheets (formerly kn own as "Material Safety Data Sheets") and 
distribute them to downstream users of thei r chemicals. These changes in HCS affect the 
reporting requirements under sections 311 and 312 of the Emergency Planning and 
Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Based on the new classification criteria that OSHA 
adopted, EPA is revising the existing hazard  categories for hazardous chemical inventory 
form reporting under EPCRA Section 312 and for list reporting under section 311. In this 
action, EPA is also making a few minor corrections in the hazardous chemical reporting 
regulations.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of the environment; Prev ention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection  G/TBT/N/USA/1162 
 
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  8. Relevant documents:  
 81 Federal Register (FR) 38104, 13 June 2016; Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 370. Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted. 
 Hazardous Chemical Reporting: Revisions to the Emergency and Hazardous Chemical 
Inventory Forms (Tier I and Tier II) Proposed Rule published 8 August 2011: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR- 2011-08-08/html/2011-19900.htm  
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/F R-2011-08-08/pd f/2011-19900.pdf   
 G/TBT/N/USA/216 https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg /FR-2011-08- 08/pdf/2011-
19900.pdf  – Hazardous Communication – all subsequent addenda/corrigenda 
9. Proposed date of adoption: 13 June 2016 
Proposed date of entry into force: 1 January 2018   
10. Final date for comments: None 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachm ents/2016/TBT/USA/16_2799_00_e.pdf