2016 Chemical Data Reporting

THE BASICS

Who reported in 2016?

•	Manufacturers
(including importers) of
chemicals on the TSCA
Inventory that reached
or exceeded the
reporting threshold at a
site during any of the
calendar years 2012,
2013, 2014 or 2015,

What were the 2016

reporting thresholds?

•	Chemical substances
manufactured with an
annual volume of
25,000 lbs (11,340 kg) or
more.

•	Lower thresholds
applied for certain
chemical substances
with an annual volume
of 2,500 lbs (1,134 kg)
or more.

What information was

reported in 2016?

•	Production volumes for
2012, 2013, 2014, and
2015.

•	2015 domestically
manufactured and
imported volumes, plus
other basic
manufacturing
information.

•	Processing and use
information for 2015.

When is the next CDR

reporting period?

•	The next submission
period will be in 2020,
during which
information for
manufacture (including
import) occurring in
2016 through 2019 will
be reported to EPA.

Since 1976, EPA has been responsible for protecting the public from chemical risks
under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which was amended in 2016 by the
Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. To help carry out its
responsibility, EPA collects information on
the types and quantities of chemicals
manufactured (including imported) in the
United States under the Chemical Data
Reporting (CDR) rule requirements pursuant
to section 8 of TSCA. This fact sheet
highlights key information about the 2016
CDR results, including what data are
reported to EPA and how the data are used.

2016

CDR DATA
OVERVIEW

8,707

chemicals

4,917

sites

2,247

companies

Background

Under the CDR rule, EPA collects manufacturing (including import), processing, and use
information about chemicals in commerce in the United States. For the 2016 CDR
submission period, manufacturers (including importers) of certain chemicals reported
information about those chemicals manufactured (including imported) in amounts of
25,000 pounds (lbs) or more at their site during the calendar years 2012 to 2015. A
lower reporting threshold of 2,500 lbs. applied to chemicals that were the subject of
certain TSCA actions.

Why Does EPA Collect Data on Chemicals?

CDR is the most comprehensive source of basic exposure-related information on
chemicals in commerce. Using the CDR data, EPA can construct a picture of the types,
amount, end uses, and possible exposure to chemicals in commerce. The data include
information on the manufacture (including import), industrial processing and use, and
consumer and commercial use of certain chemicals currently on the TSCA Chemical
Substance Inventory (TSCA Inventory). The TSCA Inventory is a list of chemicals
manufactured (including imported) or processed in the United States. EPA uses the CDR
data to inform chemical risk screening, assessment, priority setting, and management
activities.

In addition, EPA makes the non-confidential business information (non-CBI) in CDR
available publicly. In this way, states, tribes, other agencies, industry, NGOs, and the
general public can use CDR data to understand chemicals in commerce.


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What Information was Reported in 2016?

The initial 2016 CDR data contain the following information on chemical substances manufactured
(including imported) for the year 2015:

•	Production volume, reported separately as domestically manufactured volume and imported volume;

•	Manufacturing information, including the number of workers reasonably likely to be exposed, the
physical form of the chemical substance, and other manufacturing-related data;

•	Industrial processing and use data, including chemical-specific industrial function categories and
the number of sites; and

•	Consumer and commercial use information, including chemical-specific product categories, and
whether the chemical was used in products intended for children.

For the years 2012, 2013, and 2014, manufacturers (including importers) also reported total annual
production volume (domestically manufactured plus imported) of each reportable chemical.

How are the Data Used?

EPA uses the data reported to CDR to support health, safety, and environmental protection activities
related to chemical manufacturing. Processing and use information helps EPA and other agencies
understand potential exposures to chemicals by workers and others and to more accurately evaluate
potential human health and environmental effects. As required by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical
Safety for the 21st Century Act, EPA has identified the first 10 chemicals it will evaluate under the new
law, and has initiated those risk evaluations. Information from 2012 and 2016 CDR has been used to
identify current uses and production volumes for these chemicals as part of the scope of these risk
evaluations. The CDR data will continue to inform future prioritization, risk evaluation, and risk
management work under new TSCA.

What's Different from the Data Collection in 2012?

The CDR rule phased in a series of changes to the data collection that were fully implemented with the
2016 submission period. CDR's improved reporting requirements enhance the Agency's ability to more
effectively identify and address potential risks. Most changes became effective for the 2012 submission;
however, some were implemented for the 2016 submission. These include:

•	Reporting is now triggered based on the volumes for any calendar year since the last principle
reporting year. For 2016, reporting was triggered based on the production volume for 2012,
2013, 2014 or 2015. In contrast, reporting for 2012 was triggered based only on the production
volume for 2011.

•	A new, lower reporting threshold of 2,500 lbs (1,134 kg) or more became effective for chemical
substances subject to certain TSCA actions. As of June 1, 2016, this threshold applied to
chemicals subject to:

o TSCA section 5(a)(2) Significant New Use Rule(s) (SNURs)
o TSCA section 5(b)(4) Chemical of Concern List rules

o TSCA section 6 rules containing prohibitions/restrictions arising from unreasonable risk findings
o An order in effect under TSCA sections 5(e) or 5(f)

o Relief that has been granted under a civil action under TSCA sections 5 or 7

Chemical Data Reporting | May 2017

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The reporting threshold of 25,000 lbs for chemical substances not subject to these actions
remains the same as it was for the 2012 CDR.

•	Processing and use information is now required for all reported chemical substances, unless the
chemical substance is one of the listed partially exempted chemical substances. For the 2012
CDR, processing and use information was required only for chemical substances with a
production volume of 100,000 lbs or greater.

•	Manufacturers (including importers) were required to report annual production volume for
years prior to the principal reporting year. For the 2016 CDR, the prior years included 2012,
2013, and 2014. In contrast, for the 2012 CDR, the prior years only included 2010.

Comparison Between 2012 and 2016 CDR

Number of...

2012

2016*

Total Form U's Reported**

4,935

5,603

Companies Reporting

1,987

2,247

Sites Reporting

4,305

4,917

Chemicals Reported

7,970

8,707

Chemicals Reported as Domestically Manufactured

5,881

5,919

Chemicals Reported as Imported

4,118

4,415

Chemicals with Downstream Processing and Use Information

5,858

7,930

Chemicals with Reported Industrial Process and Use Information

5,773

7,730

Chemicals with Reported Consumer/Commercial Use Information (total)

4,716

7,106

Consumer Use Only

687

1,012

Commercial Use Only

2,571

3,874

Both Commercial and Consumer Use

1,458

2,220

Chemicals Reported as Used in Children's Products

377

465

*These data are considered preliminary or provisional and are subject to revision.

**Manufacturers (including importers) are required to submit one "Form U" report per site. Where more than
one chemical is produced at a site, the report contains information for multiple chemicals.

For additional information:

•	How to Report Under Chemical Data Reporting: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-data-
reporting/how-report-under-chemical-data-reporting

•	Instructions for Reporting 2016 TSCA Chemical Data Reporting:https://www.epa.gov/chemical-
data-reporting/instructions-reporting-2016-tsca-chemical-data-reporting

•	Learn more about the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act: _
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/frank-r-lautenberg-
chemical-safetv-21st-centurv-act

Chemical Data Reporting | May 2017

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