Eight months after EPA’s interim report on industry participation (or lack thereof) in its Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program, EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act’s ("TSCA") Interagency Testing Committee ("ITC") published a report in today’s Federal Register mentioning that EPA intends to issue a new mandatory data collection rule for nanoscale materials under TSCA Section 8(a):

"EPA intends to develop a proposed TSCA section 8(a) rule to obtain information on the production, uses, and exposures of existing nanoscale materials.  EPA has indicated that it will ensure that the chemicals where there is ITC interest as described in this unit are either included in that action or are otherwise new chemical substances subject to premanufacture notifications (PMN) reporting under TSCA.  EPA also intends to develop a proposed TSCA section 4 rule to develop needed environmental, health, and safety data."

Among other things, TSCA section 8(a) allows EPA to issue a rule requiring the mandatory submission of data regarding:

(A) The common or trade name, the chemical identity, and the
molecular structure of each chemical substance or mixture for which
such a report is required.

(B) The categories or proposed categories of use of each such
substance or mixture.

(C) The total amount of each such substance and mixture
manufactured or processed, reasonable estimates of the total amount
to be manufactured or processed, the amount manufactured or
processed for each of its categories of use, and reasonable
estimates of the amount to be manufactured or processed for each of
its categories of use or proposed categories of use.

(D) A description of the byproducts resulting from the
manufacture, processing, use, or disposal of each such substance or
mixture.

(E) All existing data concerning the environmental and health
effects of such substance or mixture.

(F) The number of individuals exposed, and reasonable estimates
of the number who will be exposed, to such substance or mixture in
their places of employment and the duration of such exposure.

(G) . . . the manner or method of its disposal, and in any
subsequent report on such substance or mixture, any change in such
manner or method.
 

Some of the nanoscale materials prompting ITC’s interest appear to be: fullerenes; titanium oxide nanowires; titanium oxide nanoparticles; nano zinc oxide; nanosilver; silica; quartz; cerium oxide; indium tin oxide; dendrimers; single-walled carbon nanotubes; multi-walled carbon nanotubes; carbon nanofibers; Se and Cd quantum dots; nanoceramic particles; and nanoclays.