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COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED ON PROPOSED RULE FOR LOWERING LEAD THRESHOLDS
Release Date: 09/23/99
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THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 1999
COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED ON PROPOSED RULE FOR
LOWERING LEAD THRESHOLDS
EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed rule that would lower the reporting threshold on lead under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). The comment period will be extended 45 days from the original closing date of Sept. 17, 1999. The new comment period will close on Nov. 1, 1999. Lowering the reporting threshold is appropriate for lead based on its persistence and bioaccumulation potential. Children and developing fetuses are known to absorb lead more readily than adults, and, once in the body, lead is distributed to the blood, soft tissue and bone. Currently, facilities are not required to report their lead and lead compound releases to the air, water and land unless they manufacture or process more than 25,000 pounds annually or use more than 10,000 pounds annually. These high thresholds severely limit the reporting of lead and lead compounds. Under this proposal the reporting threshold would be lowered to 10 pounds per facility per year and substantially increase the amount of information made available to the public. This would be a proposed increase of reporting under the TRI Program by about 13 percent, or about 15,000 reports. The extension of the comment period for the proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on or about Sept. 23, 1999. A copy of the notice will be available at: https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr or by calling 1-800-553-0202. General information about lead is available at: https://www.epa.gov/lead. General information about the TRI program is available at: https://www.epa.gov/opptintr/tri
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