Download PDF
December 18, 2019

EPA Extends Comment Period for Draft Risk Evaluation for NMP

Lynn L. Bergeson Carla N. Hutton

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 18, 2019, that it is extending the public comment period for the draft risk evaluation of N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) to give stakeholders more time to review and comment on the draft document.  Comments are now due January 21, 2020.  EPA states that it will use feedback received from the public comment process, along with input from the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC), to inform the final risk evaluation for NMP.  If the final risk evaluation for NMP finds there are unreasonable risks under any of the specific conditions of use, EPA will propose actions to address those risks within the timeframe required by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  EPA notes that these actions could include proposed regulations to prohibit or limit the manufacture, processing, distribution in the marketplace, use, or disposal of this chemical, as applicable.  EPA will publish a Federal Register notice announcing the comment period extension.  More information on the draft risk evaluation is available in our November 5, 2019, memorandum, “EPA Releases Draft Risk Evaluation for NMP, Schedules SACC Review for December.”