Welcome to the Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket

What is a Docket?

A docket is the repository for information related to regulatory or administrative actions taken by a Federal government agency. Dockets typically contain copies of Federal Register notices, supporting and background documentation prepared or compiled by the agency, docket indices, and public comments.

Agencies most commonly use dockets for regulatory actions but dockets may also be used for various non-rule activities, such as Federal Register notices announcing public meetings or hearings, seeking public comment on certain subjects, publishing draft or final guidance or policy statements, establishing or renewing information collection requests under the Paperwork Reduction Act, and other similar non-rule activities.

What is in the Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket?

The Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket houses docket records established by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) in support of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) rulemaking actions. The Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket also maintains the collection of non-regulatory OPPT or TSCA administrative records and non-confidential industry submissions (e.g., PMNs, Notices of Substantial Risk, health and safety studies, etc.). All non-confidential records located in the Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket are available for public review and copying.

How Do I Access the Docket?

The Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket website contains an index of docket records established by OPPT from October 1, 2000 to May 31, 2002. You may obtain paper copies of documents contained in the docket for this period for your information and review. Except as noted below, electronic copies of these documents are not yet available at this website. For detailed information on obtaining or ordering copies of documents, please refer to the Ordering Information page at this site. For the location of the docket, hours of operation and other related information, please refer to the Location and Hours page at this site.

How Do I Submit Comments to the Docket?

You may submit comments to the Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket electronically, by facsimile (fax), by regular mail, in person or by courier. Certain considerations apply if you wish to submit comments that contain confidential business information (CBI). Please refer to the Submitting Comments page at this site for detailed procedures for submitting your comments. You should also consult the Federal Register notice on which you are commenting for more specific information on submitting comments.

EPA's Electronic Docket

The Environmental Protection Agency has developed an electronic docket and on-line comment system, known as EDOCKET, to enhance public access to major Agency dockets. EDOCKET is the electronic version of the Agency's official public, paper-based dockets maintained by EPA offices such as the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. You may use EDOCKET to access the index listing of the contents of the official public dockets, to search for, download and print material found in the electronic docket, and to submit or view on-line public comments on pending EPA actions.

Electronic docket information is currently available on EDOCKET for all new OPPT docket records established after May 31, 2002. A full index for these new docket records is available electronically, i.e., information about all of the documents included in the docket are listed in the system. However, EDOCKET may not contain all of the documents related to a specific action. Information claimed as CBI, or information the disclosure of which is restricted by statute, is not and will not be available electronically. Also it is EPA's policy that copyrighted material will only be available in paper form in the official public dockets. Only the official public, paper-based dockets contain comprehensive collections of all supporting documents. The collections of materials found in official public dockets are available for public viewing at the docket address listed in the Federal Register notice announcing a specific action.

For information about EDOCKET, please follow the EDOCKET link.

Other Information

For additional information you may wish to contact the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Assistance Information Service, also known as the TSCA Hotline, at 202-554-1404, or by e-mail, www.tsca-hotline@epa.gov.

For electronic access to specific Federal Register environmental documents, please follow the Federal Register Environmental Documents link.

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