EPA has published in the Federal Register two Notices of Availability for Public Comment on proposed National Action Plans that identify Alkyl-lead and Octachlorostyrene as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals.
Alkyl-lead is used as a fuel additive to reduce "knock" in combustion engines and also to help lubricate internal engine components. The largest uses of alkyl-lead are in aviation and racing gasoline.
The proposed action plan promotes the development of alternative fuel additives as a substitute for leaded fuels.
Octachlorostyrene (OCS) is a PBT halogenated aromatic compound with no known commercial use. It is, however, an inadvertent by-product that persists in the environment and bioaccumulates in animal tissue. Because of limited data on sources and levels of OCS emissions, the proposed action plan outlines an approach to investigate OCS levels in the environment including its potential sources.
Once determined, the agency would share the information with its stakeholders and form partnerships to reduce OCS emissions. The two proposed National Action Plans, developed under the Agency's Multimedia Strategy for PBT Pollutants, are available via the EPA PBT Initiative web site at http:/www.epa.gov/pbt/ocs-pb.htm. Comment will be accepted for 30 days.
SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.