SOCMA Asks EPA to Uphold Revisions Made in 2019 RMP Final Rule

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Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates

Jul 09, 2021, 10:15 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., July 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) on Thursday called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to uphold revisions made in 2019 to the Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rulemaking, which has the support of specialty and batch chemical manufacturers.

The RMP rule is designed to prevent accidental releases at facilities manufacturing specific chemicals and requires plants that use extremely hazardous substances to develop a plan to identify the potential effects and emergency response procedures should an accident occur.

"The specialty chemical industry is dedicated to working closely with EPA on RMP," said Robert Helminiak, Vice President, Legal & Government Relations. "SOCMA and our member companies have a significant stake in this issue and want to ensure it is properly shaped, specifically in relation to Safer Technologies and Alternatives Analyses/Inherently Safer Technology, third-party audits and information disclosures."

During his testimony, Helminiak outlined three areas under consideration by EPA that are of importance to specialty and batch chemical manufacturers:

Safer Technologies and Alternatives Analyses/Inherently Safer Technology – The requirement is duplicative, as industry continues to adopt inherently safer processes and technologies without EPA mandate. Many procedures in the batch and specialty chemical industry are governed by FDA, EPA or customer specifications, and the manufacturer is not free to alter them.
Third-Party Audits – EPA's resources would be more effectively deployed through implementation of existing audit requirements.
Information Disclosure – The requirement for information-sharing imposes significant security risks. SOCMA members have long provided Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) and the public with the information necessary to understand the processes and hazards at facilities and prepare for and respond to releases – as required by the original RMP rule, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Hazardous Communication Standard.

SOCMA looks forward to working with EPA on the RMP rule and other regulatory matters impacting the specialty chemical industry.

About SOCMA
Solely dedicated to the specialty and fine chemical industry, SOCMA focuses on building commercial connections, supporting manufacturing and operations and advocating for regulatory and legislative policies that advance our members' ability to grow their businesses. For more information on this innovative organization, visit www.socma.org.

SOURCE Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates