More
The
EPA is proposing to incorporate the most recent versions of the American
Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standard into EPA
regulations for alternatives to mercury-containing industrial thermometers.
The EPA is proposing to incorporate the most recent versions of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standard into EPA regulations for alternatives to mercury-containing industrial thermometers. Announced in the Jan. 12, 2011, Federal Register, the proposed amendments will allow the use of such alternatives in certain limited field and laboratory applications previously impermissible as part of compliance with EPA regulations.
Additionally, the agency is seeking public input on the need to address the remaining EPA regulations that incorporate by reference ASTM standards that do not allow the use of alternatives to mercury-containing industrial thermometers. The agency said in its notice that it believes these embedded ASTM standards may unnecessarily impede the use of effective, comparable and available mercury alternatives.
Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to: testing laboratories, petroleum refineries, and analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing.
The EPA is also soliciting responses from the public to specific questions relating to the need to revise the remaining ASTM standards embedded within EPA regulations that require the use of mercury-containing thermometers. The agency is specifically interested in public responses that address the following questions:
SOURCE: Federal Register
The EPA is proposing to incorporate the most recent versions of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standard into EPA regulations for alternatives to mercury-containing industrial thermometers. Announced in the Jan. 12, 2011, Federal Register, the proposed amendments will allow the use of such alternatives in certain limited field and laboratory applications previously impermissible as part of compliance with EPA regulations.
Additionally, the agency is seeking public input on the need to address the remaining EPA regulations that incorporate by reference ASTM standards that do not allow the use of alternatives to mercury-containing industrial thermometers. The agency said in its notice that it believes these embedded ASTM standards may unnecessarily impede the use of effective, comparable and available mercury alternatives.
Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to: testing laboratories, petroleum refineries, and analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing.
The EPA is also soliciting responses from the public to specific questions relating to the need to revise the remaining ASTM standards embedded within EPA regulations that require the use of mercury-containing thermometers. The agency is specifically interested in public responses that address the following questions:
- How can EPA provide additional flexibility in the use of mercury-free thermometers to comply with the agency's relevant regulations?
- Are requirements to use mercury-containing thermometers necessary for performance reasons or should flexibility be provided in most if not all measurement applications?
- Does the use of data-loggers for temperature measurement in autoclaves provide a viable alternative to the use of mercury-containing thermometers?
- What else can the EPA do to help expedite the use of alternatives to mercury-containing thermometers where feasible, comparable and available?
SOURCE: Federal Register
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