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Attachment B. <br />C. CHARACTERISTIC CHEMICALS <br />Characteristic chemicals include any chemicals that do not appear on the Federal lists comprising <br />th-E), <br />but that are known by the reporting facility <br />characteristics of a hazardous waste, as defined in 40 CFR 261.20 through §261.24, authorized <br />(see Appendix D). <br />Characteristic chemicals are reportable. <br />Reporting entities are not expected to take extraordinary steps to determine whether substances <br />are characteristic, but often this can be determined either by examining the MSDS for a <br />substance or by observing the substance's behavior. <br />24. QUESTION: <br />Some paints, stains, dyes, and inks may contain petroleum distillates that <br />have ignitable characteristics (flash point <140 degrees Fahrenheit), but when combined <br />with the pigments may raise the flash point to more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as <br />stated on the MSDSs. If the CAS numbers are not on the Eugene list, are these products <br />exempt from reporting? <br />ANSWER: <br />If the MSDS lists a flash point above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, then the <br />business using the material does not need to report the material as a characteristic <br />material, if the material's CAS number is not in the list already, and if the flash point of <br />the material does not fall below 140 degrees during its life cycle in Eugene. <br />This answer follows the principle of using MSDS information and not having to obtain <br />information that is not already available to the business; i.e., flash point information for <br />the component must be (a) on the MSDS from the supplier of the product they are using, <br />(b) be their own information on the material because that business has manufactured the <br />product from its component parts, for which it would have an MSDS showing the under <br />140degrees Fahrenheit flash point of the component, or (c) be otherwise known by the <br />manufacturer, or else the material is not reportable. <br />Thus, even if the information exists in a reference book, the business is not obligated to <br />look for the information in a book that they may or may not have, or do other research <br />into the flash points. If the flash point of a substance is known and/or documented, and it <br />or its <br />is below 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the business is expected to report that substance <br />reportable components. <br />25. QUESTION: <br />My business uses a substance whose composition is a trade secret of the <br />supplier, but which I know to be hazardous and reportable as a characteristic chemical. <br />How should I report this? <br />ANSWER: <br />Report the substance in your regular materials balance accounting report <br />under the appropriate generic characteristic substance category. <br /> You do not need to <br />- 61- <br />