Regulatory Relief Plan Benefits Chemical Makers

Makers of batch, custom, and specialty chemicals stand to benefit from a new program designed to streamline and eliminate rules that critics say are overly burdensome to small companies. "These rules, nominated by small business, need to be reviewed by federal agencies to determine if they are outdated, ineffective, duplicative, or overly complex," says Thomas M. Sullivan, chief counsel for advocacy at the Small Business Administration. The top 10 rules targeted by SBA's initiative include two of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association's regulatory priorities. SBA is asking EPA to review and consider simplifying the rules for recycling solid wastes so that more materials can be reused rather than disposed of as hazardous wastes. "This will result in measurable benefit to the environment and a cost savings to companies that can reuse this material rather than having to pay costly disposal fees," SOCMA says in a statement. SBA is also urging EPA to clarify its definition of "oil" in a rule that is intended to prevent oil spills. The current definition includes the creation of an "oil sheen" or discoloration on surface water. "This ambiguity relies on a judgment observation that has different meanings for each observer and could be construed to include chemicals," according to SOCMA.