The Environmental Protection Agency is setting new significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 329 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have not been imported, manufactured or processed for many years and are designated as inactive on the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, it said in a final rule released Jan. 10. As a result of the SNURs, anyone planning to manufacture, import or process any of the chemical substances for an activity designated as a significant new use by this rule are required to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. Importers of chemicals subject to these SNURs will need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements, and exporters of these chemical substances will now become subject to export notification requirements. The final rule takes effect March 11.
On Jan. 9, the FDA posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The FDA is proposing to end the use of four chemical solvents under its color additive regulations, it said in a pair of notices released Jan. 10. In one notice, the agency said that it filed a petition to remove provisions from the regulations for ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride and trichloroethylene. In the other, the FDA said it filed a petition to remove benzene, as well as other uses of ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride and trichloroethylene. The petitions say the chemicals have been found to cause cancer. Comments are due March 11.
The FDA on Jan. 8 announced the availability of new ways to submit cosmetic facility registrations and cosmetic product listings that will be required from foreign and domestic facilities beginning in July 2024. One is a new electronic submission method using a structured product labeling tool, as mandated by the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, which created the cosmetics registration requirements. FDA Forms 5066 and 5067 are also now available as a tool to provide cosmetic product facility registration and product listing information to the FDA. “While electronic submission is not required, FDA strongly encourages electronic submissions to facilitate efficiency and timeliness of data submission and management for the agency,” the FDA said. The original deadline for submission of cosmetics facilities was the end of 2023, but FDA extended it in November (see 2311080085).
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board issued the following notices on Jan. 10:
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
A listing of recent Commerce Department antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted on CBP's website Jan. 9, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at CBP's ADCVD Search page.
CBP has released its Jan. 10 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 58, No. 1). While it contains recent court decisions, no customs rulings are included.
House Ways and Means Committee Trade Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith, R-Neb., said he thinks the chances are good for renewing the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program in 2024, due to bipartisan interest in the legislation. "A lot of members have examples from their district of why we need GSP." He added that a three-year lapse of the benefit program is "inexcusable."
Alba Wheels Up International acquired customs broker John A. Steer, Alba said in a news release Jan. 9. The acquisition will “broaden the companies’ geographic reach” and fortify “Alba’s position as a dominant force in the customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and related industries with significant regulatory and logistics expertise across a handful of end markets,” the release said. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.