The following groups or categories of chemical substances are exempted from some or all of the reporting requirements of this subpart, with the following exception: A chemical substance described in paragraph (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(4), or (b) of this section is not exempted from any of the reporting requirements of this subpart if that substance is the subject of a rule proposed or promulgated under section 4, 5(a)(2), 5(b)(4), or 6 of the Act, or is the subject of an order issued under section 5(e) or 5(f) of the Act, or is the subject of relief that has been granted under a civil action under section 5 or 7 of the Act.

(a) Full exemptions. The following categories of chemical substances are exempted from the reporting requirements of this subpart.

(1) Polymers. (i) Any chemical substance described with the word fragments “*polym*”, “*alkyd”, or “*oxylated” in the Chemical Abstracts Service Index or Preferred Nomenclature in the Chemical Substance Identities section of the 1985 edition of the Inventory or in the Master Inventory File, where the asterisk (*) indicates that any sets of characters may precede, or follow, the character string defined.

(ii) Any chemical substance which is identified in the 1985 edition of the Inventory or the Master Inventory File as siloxane and silicone, silsesquioxane, a protein (albumin, casein, gelatin, gluten, hemoglobin), an enzyme, a polysaccharide (starch, cellulose, gum), rubber, or lignin.

(iii) This exclusion does not apply to a polymeric substance that has been hydrolyzed, depolymerized, or otherwise chemically modified, except in cases where the intended product of this reaction is totally polymeric in structure.

(2) Microorganisms. Any combination of chemical substances that is a living organism, and that meets the definition of “microorganism” at § 725.3 of this chapter. Any chemical substance produced from a living microorganism is reportable under this subpart unless otherwise excluded.

(3) Naturally occurring chemical substances. Any naturally occurring chemical substance, as described in § 710.4(b). The applicability of this exclusion is determined in each case by the specific activities of the person who manufactures the substance in question. Some chemical substances can be manufactured both as described in § 710.4(b) and by means other than those described in § 710.4(b). If a person described in § 710.48 manufactures a chemical substance by means other than those described in § 710.4(b), the person must report regardless of whether the substance also could have been produced as described in § 710.4(b). Any chemical substance that is produced from such a naturally occurring chemical substance described in § 710.4(b) is reportable unless otherwise excluded.

(4) Certain forms of natural gas. Chemical substances with the following Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) Registry Numbers: CAS No. 64741-48-6, Natural gas (petroleum), raw liquid mix; CAS No. 68919-39-1, Natural gas condensates; CAS No. 8006-61-9, Gasoline natural; CAS No. 68425-31-0, Gasoline (natural gas), natural; CAS No. 8006-14-2, Natural gas; and CAS No. 68410-63-9, Natural gas, dried.

(b) Partial exemptions. The following groups of chemical substances are partially exempted from the reporting requirements of this subpart (i.e., the information described in § 710.52(c)(4) need not be reported for these substances). Such chemical substances are not excluded from the other reporting requirements under this subpart. A chemical substance described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section qualifies for a partial reporting exemption during the 2006 submission period; in subsequent submission periods, the chemical substances described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section will be subject to full reporting under this subpart (i.e., all of the information described in this subpart must be reported), unless otherwise exempted.

(1) Petroleum process streams. EPA has designated the following chemical substances, listed by CAS Number, as partially exempt from reporting under the IUR.

(2) Specific exempted chemical substances—(i) Exemption. EPA has determined that, at this time, the information in § 710.52(c)(4) associated with the chemicals listed in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section is of low current interest.

(ii) Considerations. In making its determination of whether this partial exemption should apply to a particular chemical substance, EPA will consider the totality of information available for the chemical substance in question, including but not limited to, one or more of the following considerations:

(A) Whether the chemical qualifies or has qualified in past IUR collections for the reporting of the information described in § 710.52(c)(4) (i.e., at least one site manufactures 300,000 pounds or more of the chemical).

(B) The chemical substance's chemical and physical properties or potential for persistence, bioaccumulation, health effects, or environmental effects (considered independently or together).

(C) The information needs of EPA, other federal agencies, tribes, states, and local governments, as well as members of the public.

(D) The availability of other complementary risk screening information.

(E) The availability of comparable processing and use information.

(F) Whether the potential risks of the chemical substance are adequately managed by EPA or another agency or authority.

(iii) Amendments. EPA may amend the chemical list in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section on its own initiative or in response to a request from the public based on EPA's determination of whether the information in § 710.52(c)(4) is of low interest.

(A) Any person may request that EPA amend the chemical list in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section. Your request must be in writing and must be submitted to the address provided in § 710.59(d). Requests must identify the chemical in question, as well as its CAS Number or other chemical identification number as identified in § 710.52(c)(3)(i). Your request should provide sufficient information for EPA to determine whether collection of the information in § 710.52(c)(4) for the chemical in question is of low interest. In preparing your request, please refer to the considerations outlined in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section. If a request related to a particular chemical is resubmitted, any subsequent request must clearly identify new information contained in the request. EPA may request other information that it believes necessary to evaluate the request. EPA will issue a written response to each request within 120 days of receipt of the request, and will maintain copies of these responses in a public docket that will be established for each reporting cycle.

(B) As needed, the Agency will initiate rulemaking to make revisions to the list in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section.

(C) To assist EPA in reaching a decision regarding a particular request prior to a given reporting year, requests must be submitted to EPA no later than 12 months prior to the start of the reporting year, i.e., by January 1, 2004, or by each January 1 at 4-year intervals thereafter.

(iv) List of chemical substances. EPA has designated the following chemical substances, listed by CAS Number, as partially exempt from reporting under the IUR.

(3) Inorganic chemical substances. For purposes of this subpart, an inorganic chemical substance is any chemical substance which does not contain carbon or contains carbon only in the form of carbonato [=CO3], cyano [--CN], cyanato [--OCN], isocyano [--NC], or isocyanato [--NCO] groups or the chalcogen analogues of such groups. During the 2006 submission period, manufacturers are excluded only from the reporting requirements under § 710.52(c)(4) for inorganic chemical substances. During the 2006 submission period, manufacturers of inorganic chemical substances are not excluded from the other reporting requirements under this part. During submission periods following the 2006 submission period, manufacturers of inorganic chemical substances are subject to all of the reporting requirements in this subpart.