. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/USA/652 
17 November 2011  
 (11-5950) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (669) 
Name and address (including telephone 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 :    
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Chemical substances 
(ICS: 13.020, 19.020, 71.100) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Certain High 
Production Volume Chemicals; Test Rule and Significant New Use Rule; Fourth Group of 
Chemicals (29 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:  EPA is proposing to issue a test  rule under Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSCA) section 4(a)(1)(B) to requ ire manufacturers and processors of 23 high 
production volume (HPV) chemic al substances to develo p screening-level health, 
environmental, and fate data based on the potential for substa ntial exposures of workers and 
consumers to these chemicals. EPA is also proposing to issue simultaneously a significant 
new use rule (SNUR) for another 22 HPV chemic al substances under TSCA section 5(a)(2). 
The SNUR would require persons to file a significant new use notice (SNUN) with EPA prior 
to manufacturing, importing, or processing any of these chemical substances for use in a 
consumer product or for any use, or combinatio n of uses, that is reasonably likely to expose 
1,000 or more workers at a single corporate entity. The required notification would provide 
EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intend ed use and, if necessa ry, to prohibit or limit 
that activity before it occurs. EPA is also soliciting comment on a number of issues with regard to both the test rule and the SNUR. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of the environment and human life.  
8. Relevant documents:   76 Federal Register (FR) 65580, 21 October 2011; Title 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 721 and 799. Wi ll appear in the Federal Register when 
adopted. New Chemicals Program - Consent Orders and Significant New Use Rules 
(SNURS) - http://www.epa.gov/ oppt/newchems/pubs/cnosnurs.htm   G/TBT/N/USA/652 
Page 2  
 
  9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    To be determined    
10. Final date for comments:  19 January 2012 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addres ses, if available of the other body:    
Internet URL's: 
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ FR-2011-10-21/html/2011-26894.htm  
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-10-21/pdf/2011-26894.pdf