Source: https://www.linqsdata.com/u-s-cbp-changes-tsca-certification-requirements/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 18:50:58+00:00

Document:
On December 27, 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) amended the regulations regarding the requirement to file a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) certification when importing into the customs territory of the United States chemicals in bulk form or as part of mixtures and articles containing a chemical or mixture. The proposed amendments were intended to clarify the description, scope, and definitions of the requirements for the importation of chemical substances, mixtures and articles containing a chemical substance or mixture, as well as the requirements associated with TSCA-excluded chemicals.
Amendments revise the proposed change in § 12.119 regarding the scope of the regulation. To clarify the regulation based on the public comments, the term “Chemicals not subject to TSCA” in proposed § 12.119(b) is changed in the final rule to “TSCA-excluded chemicals”. In addition, because the proposed revision of the scope in § 12.119(c) was confusing with respect to the application of the regulations to articles in §§ 12.120 through 12.127, CBP is adding the phrase, “if so required by the Administrator by specific rule under TSCA” to § 12.119(c), which mirrors the current language of the regulation prior to the proposed amendment.
The final rule replaces the existing definition of the term “chemical substance in bulk form” in § 12.120(b) with a definition of “TSCA chemical substance in bulk form”, and adds new definitions for the terms “TSCA chemical substance as part of a mixture” in § 12.120(c) and “TSCA-excluded chemicals” in § 12.120(d). These definitions are revised and added to clarify that the certification obligations apply to both chemical substances and mixtures that are subject to TSCA, which require a positive certification, as well as those chemicals and mixtures that are not subject to TSCA, which require a negative certification (unless clearly identified as a TSCA-excluded chemical), and to ensure that terms used in the regulatory text are defined when necessary. “Mixture” is a statutory term in TSCA that does not apply to TSCA-excluded chemicals. TSCA-excluded chemicals require a negative certification whether imported as a single TSCA-excluded chemical mixed with other TSCA-excluded chemicals. Proposed amendment also adds a definition of the term “Administrator” to mean the Administrator of the EPA, and “covered commodity” to include any merchandise that is an article, a TSCA chemical substance in bulk form, TSCA-excluded chemicals (as those terms are defined in § 12.120(a), (b), or (d)), or that is a mixture as defined in TSCA and describe a commodity that is subject to actions under § 12.122, et seq. and § 127.28.

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