Emergency responders to oil and hazardous substance spills should appreciate updates to regulatory revisions announced by EPA.
Manufacturers of sorbents, chemicals and biological agents, on the other hand, have some work to do to comply with Subpart J of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP).
This final rule goes into effect on December 11, barring a flurry of adverse comments.
Not all spill products created equal
EPA and state regulatory agencies are frequently first on the scene of a spill, and may do most of the legwork. Often it’s the companies who caused the spill taking charge with EPA spill experts chiming in.
All parties involved have expressed their desires for:
- up-to-date product listings
- priority given to “greener” spill agents to minimize water and soil pollution, and
- easy-to-use, on-site access of product and spill guides.
Lab testing needs to be listed
Here are the highlights of the revised NCP Subpart J:
Manufacturers will need to show their products mitigate the effects of oil discharges in laboratory tests in order to be listed on the NCP product schedule from now on.
EPA also created a list for sorbents, separate from the products schedule. Both will be made available to the public online.
Product manufacturers will be required to provide more detailed health and safety info to aid responders in evaluating whether to use a particular product for a spill.
The rule revisions also establish new limitations and prohibitions on usage of agents, increase access to data on oil spill product components, and clarify duties and procedures for authorizing product use.
EPA revised Subpart J to encourage the development of safer spill mitigating products, reduce the risks of oil spills, and ensure emergency responders are informed about ecological risks of chemical and biological agents.
