• U.S. Chamber Comments on EPA’s Proposed Rule “Asbestos Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos; Regulation of Certain Conditions of Use under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act”

Letters
July 13, 2022

Dear Administrator. Freedhoff: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (“the Chamber”) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA’s” or “Agency’s”) proposed rule on “Asbestos Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos; Regulation of Certain Conditions of Use under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act.”1 We appreciate that EPA granted the Chamber’s request to extend the comment period by 30 days to give the regulated community more time to evaluate and provide necessary input on this important rulemaking.

The Chamber’s members include companies across all sectors that are impacted by the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”)—chemicals, coatings, refining, petrochemicals, petroleum, forestry, wood products, batteries, electronics, energy, and electricity, among many others. These companies, which manufacture and use chemicals subject to regulation under TSCA, deliver products and innovation that are integral not only to the health and well-being of the American people, but to the domestic economy and supply chain. Chemical technologies improve our quality of life in numerous ways by providing new solutions to problems in health, materials, transportation, agriculture, and energy usage. Protecting the health of workers and surrounding communities is a priority for our members. It is also a priority to ensure the availability of the critical building block chemicals, chlorine and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), produced through the chlor-alkali process, and likewise to avoid disruptive interruptions to the production of energy, fuels, pharmaceuticals, sanitizing agents, and other essential products.