California’s toxics department has abruptly withdrawn its proposed emergency rule to regulate metal shredding operations under strict hazardous waste management requirements, after receiving strong pushback from the metal recycling industry and continued confusion from environmentalists and others about its practical effects.
“To improve clarity in proposed metal shredder regulations, [the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)] has withdrawn its request for emergency rulemaking with the Office of Administrative Law [OAL],” the department said in a Sept. 10 statement.
“A new proposal will be submitted in the coming weeks, which will trigger a new public comment period. Stakeholders will be notified according to the requirements set forth in the rulemaking process,” the statement adds.
The withdrawal comes only a few weeks after DTSC, under mounting pressure from environmentalists and others, submitted the emergency rulemaking proposal to OAL.