November 30, 2022

EPA Proposes Significant TSCA Fee Increase

November 28, 2022
Government Affairs
Contact: Riaz Zaman

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On Nov. 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) fee rule, modifying its 2021 proposal for an increase in fees set in 2018. Under TSCA, EPA can collect fees from the regulated community to offset 25% of program costs for implementation of TSCA Sections 4, 5 and 6.

EPA’s new cost estimates would expect agency collection of collecting $45.5 million each year, as compared to the $22 million expected from the 2021 proposed rule.

EPA based the revised fee rule on estimates and information collected since the 2016 amendments, noting that it previously estimated fees based on data collected prior to 2016.

EPA proposes significant increases in fees, summarized in Table 5 of the proposed rule, including:

PMN fee of $45,000 increased from $19,020.
LVE fee of $13,200 increased from $5,590.
EPA-initiated risk evaluation fee of $5,081,000 collectively, increased from $2,560,000.
Test order fee $25,000, increased from $11,650.

Because of adverse feedback received, including comments from ACA, EPA is not finalizing fees for submission of a Bona Fide Notice or a Notice of Commencement as it had previously proposed.

EPA is holding a public webinar on Dec. 6, from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (EST) to provide an overview to stakeholders about the proposed rulemaking. Register for the webinar here. EPA will accept public comments on the supplemental proposed rule through Jan.17, 2023 via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0493 at www.regulations.gov.

ACA will be submitting comments by the EPA deadline.

Details of the Proposal

Exemptions from Fee Payment

EPA is including exemptions it proposed in 2021, with minor changes. Exemptions apply to fees for test orders, test rules, and risk evaluations. The following would be exempted:

Import of articles;
Production of a chemical as a byproduct that is not used or distributed for a commercial purpose;
Manufacture of intermediates;
Manufacture of small quantities used for research and development; and
Manufacture (including import) of a chemical in a quantity below 1,100 lbs./yr. for test orders and test rule fees and 2,500 lbs./yr. for risk evaluation fees.

Exemptions apply to fee payment only. They do not impact scope of test orders, test rules or risk evaluations that can include consideration of small amounts. To qualify for the exemptions for manufacture and import of small quantities, a company must meet thresholds by averaging manufacture and import volumes over the prior five years and the subsequent five years. Qualifying companies must also submit records of manufacture / import volumes for the three years prior to EPA’s publication of a preliminary list of manufacturers and importers. The exemption would not apply when the manufacturers and importers of small quantities are the only manufacturers and importers of a chemical.

EPA will use records to identify manufacturers and importers of small quantities for fee payment, if necessary. ACA had previously commented that small quantity thresholds, although useful, can lead to a regulatory gap where a downstream user relies on a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) where trace amounts are not disclosed, and the chemical is inadvertently imported in amounts above proposed thresholds over a year. ACA had requested an additional threshold based on SDS disclosure requirements.

Partial Refunds of the PMN Fee

EPA is proposing changes to partial Premanufacture Notice (PMN) fee refunds, so that 75% of the PMN fee would be refunded if the submitter withdraws a PMN within 10 days after the agency initiates review. EPA also proposes refunding 20% if the PMN submitter withdraws a PMN within five (5) days after receiving notification of EPA’s completion of the PMN review process, but prior to initiating risk mitigation activities. Withdrawal would require the PMN submitter to resubmit as a new PMN, if it intends to conduct any commercial activity with the chemical in the future.

Risk Evaluation Fee Calculation for Manufacturers and Importers

Where manufacturers and importers do not form a consortium for fee payment, EPA proposes that it will allocate fees so that companies with manufacture and import volumes in the top 20^th percentile will be responsible for 80% of the risk evaluation fee, split equally amongst those companies. The bottom 80% of companies ranked by production volume would be responsible for 20% of the risk evaluation fee. Both fees would be reduced by an adjusted amount paid by small business, subject to the 80% discount for small businesses.

Contact ACA’s Riaz Zaman for more information.

https://www.paint.org/tsca-fees-nov-22/

November 26, 2022

Wow

Brenntag Is Said to Explore Takeover of Chemicals Rival Univar

Michelle F. Davis, Kiel Porter and Aaron Kirchfeld, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) — Germany’s Brenntag SE is exploring a potential acquisition of US rival Univar Solutions Inc. that would cement its position as the world’s biggest chemical distributor and create a company with more than $30 billion in sales, people familiar with the matter said.

The two firms have held preliminary talks about the feasibility of a combination, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. If discussions go smoothly, Brenntag and Univar may decide as soon as the next couple months whether to proceed with a transaction, the people said.

Brenntag has declined 14% this year, valuing the Essen-based firm at €10.6 billion ($11 billion). Downers Grove, Illinois-based Univar is up more than 9%, giving it a market capitalization of more than $5 billion.

Deliberations are at a preliminary stage and there’s no certainty they will lead to a transaction, the people said. Representatives for Brenntag and Univar couldn’t immediately comment.

The potential tie-up would rank as a top three transaction in the chemical industry this year and mark a late bright spot for big cross-border dealmaking. Global mergers and acquisitions are down almost 30% this year to $2.4 trillion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, hurt by economic headwinds and difficult financing markets.

While Brenntag is a serial acquirer of smaller assets, a Univar takeover would mark its largest purchase by far and be a bold move for Chief Executive Officer Christian Kohlpaintner. The German company unveiled a new growth plan earlier this month to “shape the future of its industry” including organic re-investments and “value creating M&A activities.”

Univar is no stranger to dealmaking itself. It merged with rival Nexeo Solutions Inc. in 2018 and then sold its plastics business in 2019. David Jukes has served as Univar’s CEO since 2018.

A combination would create an opportunity to boost growth and cut costs, but could also face tough antitrust reviews as national governments more closely scrutinize sector tie-ups.

Brenntag reported $20.3 billion of sales over the trailing 12 months, compared with $11.4 billion at Univar, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The German company is the global market leader in chemical and ingredients distribution with over 17,000 employees in 78 companies, according to its website.

Univar boasts one of the industry’s largest private transportation fleets as well as a sales force and logistics team that helps connect chemical makers and buyers across sectors.

–With assistance from Eyk Henning and Dinesh Nair.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/brenntag-is-said-to-explore-takeover-of-chemicals-rival-univar-1.1851291