|  | Water Science             Recent Additions                     | Contact                     Us |                     Print                     Version                     Search:                     EPA                     Home > Water                     > Water Science                     > Analytical                     Methods >Administrative Determination: EPA Clarifies                     that Ferric Ferrocyanide is one of the "Cyanides"                     in the Clean Water Act's List of Toxic Pollutants |
|--|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Analytical MethodsAdministrative Determination:         EPA Clarifies that Ferric Ferrocyanide is one of the "Cyanides"         in the Clean Water Act's List of Toxic Pollutants
**Fact Sheet (EPA-821-F-03-012)**
- Summary
- Background
-  Preliminary Administrative Determination
- Final Administrative Determination
- Beneficial Uses of FFC
- How to get more information

EPA has responded to a U.S. District Court referral         and determined that ferric ferrocyanide is one of the "cyanides"         in the list of toxic pollutants under Section 307(a) of the Clean Water         Act. EPA's final administrative determination does not mean that FFC is         a newly added pollutant to the toxic pollutant list. The determination         is not a regulation nor does it change existing regulations under the         CWA or CERCLA. This determination clarifies the Agency's interpretation.       

**Background**

In 1987, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts sued Blackstone Valley Electric         (now Narragansett Electric Corporation, or NEC) under Section 107 of the         Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act         (CERCLA). The suit was brought to recover costs incurred during clean-up         of a waste site containing ferric ferrocyanide (FFC). The Commonwealth         relied on the list of CERCLA hazardous substances, which includes a list         of toxic pollutants established under the Clean Water Act. The category         "cyanides" is on that list. Massachusetts interpreted the category         "cyanides" to include FFC which is the contaminant at the NEC         site.

In 1995, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that it could not, as a matter         of law, determine whether FFC is a one of the "cyanides" and         ordered the District Court to refer the issue to EPA for an "appropriate         administrative determination" as to whether FFC falls in the toxic         pollutant category of "cyanides."

**EPA's Preliminary Administrative Determination**

On January 25, 2001, EPA announced and asked for comment on the Agency's         preliminary administrative determination that FFC is one of the "cyanides."         EPA's determination was based on a plain reading of the toxic pollutant         category "cyanides," historical records, materials relevant         to the Blackstone Valley case, approved analytical methods, scientific         articles, and case studies of FFC-contaminated sites. In 2002, EPA discovered         additional materials that might be relevant to the decision, and asked         for comments on the additional materials. The Agency also conducted a         peer review of the preliminary determination in April 2003.

**EPA's Final Administrative Determination**

EPA has evaluated the available information and has responded to all         comments, including those submitted by Peer Reviewers, litigants, and         stakeholders. EPA found no statements that FFC was specifically excluded         as one of the "cyanides" in the Toxic Pollutant List. EPA did         find evidence that FFC can release free cyanide under certain environmental         conditions, such as pH greater than 7 and exposure to sunlight. EPA also         found evidence that EPA historically has been aware of this potential         environmental threat and has interpreted "cyanides" to include         cyanide compounds. After considering this information, EPA determined         that FFC is one of the "cyanides" on the list of toxic pollutants         under Section 307(a) of the Clean Water Act and codified at 40 CFR 401.15,         302.4, and Table 302.4.

**Beneficial Uses of FFC**

A number of industrial, consumer, and medicinal uses have been developed         for FFC, including as a pigment in printing inks, paints, paper dye, cosmetics,         and as an anti-caking agent in road salt. More recently, the Federal Government         has announced FFC as a recommended treatment for radiation exposure and         metal poisoning. The beneficial use of compounds and their classification         as toxic pollutants are not contradictory. EPA recognizes that even compounds         with beneficial uses can have toxic effects under certain environmental         conditions.

**How to Get Additional Information**

For more information about this administrative determination, please         contact Marion Kelly at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office         of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), 1200 Pennsylvania         Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. You can also reach Ms. Kelly at         (202) 566-1045, by fax (202) 566-1053, or by e-mail to [email protected].         You can also visit the Agency's website at: http://epa.gov/waterscience/methods/

  |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|                                                                         |  | Wastewater Management | Drinking Water | Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                    |
|                                                                         |
| EPA Home | 				Privacy and 				Security Notice | 				Contact Us

  |