BANNOCKBURN, IL – The US Environmental Protection Agency’s reporting requirements for manufacturing byproducts sent for recycling are “burdensome, unnecessary, and actually discourage recycling,” an industry expert told Congress today.

Addressing the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, which is considering an overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act, Viasystems VP of quality Dr. Brent Grazman asserted, “It is critical that Congress reform TSCA in a way that directs the EPA to prioritize its regulation of chemicals.

"Substances that exhibit the greatest hazards,” he added, "and those that pose the greatest exposure to consumers, should be given priority for review, testing and, as necessary, regulation.”

Grazman appeared on behalf of more than 2,000 US electronics manufacturers that are members of IPC. He said that the association’s members are advocates of scientifically based regulations that improve environmental conditions, protect human health and stimulate the economy. On those grounds, he said, the industry has concerns about the way EPA has implemented Section 8 of the TSCA. 

The EPA’s treatment of manufacturing byproducts does not reflect sound priorities, he said. Under the EPA’s interpretation of TSCA, byproducts are considered to be new chemicals if sent for recycling, creating a compliance burden for substances that are already regulated under other statutes.

“As a nation, we recognize ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ as goals. But the EPA is undercutting those goals with regulations that discourage the beneficial recycling and reuse of valuable metals in manufacturing byproducts,” Grazman said. “We encourage Congress to directly exempt all byproducts from Section 8, including those that are sent for recycling.”

Dr. Grazman’s complete testimony is available at www.ipc.org/EHS-testimony.