The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on February 20, 2020, a proposed supplemental significant new use rule (SNUR) issued under Section 5(a)(2) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylate (LCPFAC) chemical substances to make inapplicable the exemption for persons who import a subset of LCPFAC chemical substances as part of surface coatings on articles.  Under the proposed supplemental SNUR, this subset of LCPFAC chemical substances also includes the salts and precursors of these perfluorinated carboxylates.  The supplemental proposal would require importers to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing the import of these chemical substances in certain articles for the significant new use described in the proposed SNUR.  The required significant new use notification would initiate EPA’s evaluation of the conditions of use associated with the intended significant new use.  Manufacturing (including import) or processing for the significant new use would be prohibited from commencing until EPA has conducted a review of the notice, made an appropriate determination on the notice, and taken such actions as are required in association with that determination.  EPA posted a pre-publication version of the proposed supplemental SNUR on its website.  Once EPA publishes the proposed supplemental SNUR in the Federal Register, a 45-day comment period will begin.

In a January 21, 2015, proposed LCPFAC SNUR, EPA proposed to require notification of significant new uses from persons who import a subset of LCPFAC chemical substances as part of all articles.  The supplemental proposal narrows the category of articles to which the proposed LCPFAC SNUR would apply to those where the subset of LCPFAC chemicals are part of a surface coating.  EPA states that it is proposing this action to be responsive to the article consideration provision at Section 5(a)(5), added with the passage of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which states that articles can be subject to notification requirements as a significant new use provided that EPA makes an affirmative finding in a rule that the reasonable potential for exposure to a chemical from an article or category of articles justifies notification.