(a) Claims applicable to the period prior to commencement of manufacture or import for general commercial use -
(1) MCAN, TME, Tier I certification, and Tier II exemption request requirements. Any person who submits a MCAN, TME, Tier I certification, or Tier II exemption request should strictly limit confidentiality claims to that information which is confidential and proprietary to the business.
(i) If any information in the submission is claimed as confidential business information, the submitter must substantiate each claim by submitting written answers to the questions in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section at the time the person submits the information.
(ii) If the submitter does not provide written substantiation as required in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, the submission will be considered incomplete and the review period will not begin in accordance with § 725.33.
(2) TERA requirements. Any person who submits a TERA, should strictly limit confidentiality claims to that information which is confidential and proprietary to the business. If any information in such a submission is claimed as confidential business information, the submitter must have available for each of those claims, and agree to furnish to EPA upon request, written answers to the questions in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section.
(b) Claims applicable to the period after commencement of manufacture or import for general commercial use.
(1) If a submitter claimed portions of the microorganism identity confidential in the MCAN and wants the identity to be listed on the confidential Inventory, the claim must be reasserted and substantiated at the time the Notice of Commencement (NOC) is submitted under § 725.190. Otherwise, EPA will list the specific microorganism identity on the public Inventory.
(2) The submitter must substantiate the claim for confidentiality of the microorganism identity by answering all of the questions in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) in this section. In addition, the following questions must be answered:
(i) What harmful effects to the company's or institution's competitive position, if any, would result if EPA publishes on the Inventory the identity of the microorganism? How could a competitor use such information given the fact that the identity of the microorganism otherwise would appear on the TSCA Inventory with no link between the microorganism and the company or institution? How substantial would the harmful effects of disclosure be? What is the causal relationship between the disclosure and the harmful effects?
(ii) Has the identity of the microorganism been kept confidential to the extent that competitors do not know it is being manufactured or imported for general commercial use by anyone?
(c) General questions. The following questions must be answered in detail for each confidentiality claim:
(1) For what period of time is a claim of confidentiality being asserted? If the claim is to extend until a certain event or point in time, indicate that event or time period. Explain why the information should remain confidential until such point.
(2) Briefly describe any physical or procedural restrictions within the company or institution relating to the use and storage of the information claimed as confidential. What other steps, if any, apply to use or further disclosure of the information?
(3) Has the information claimed as confidential been disclosed to individuals outside of the company or institution? Will it be disclosed to such persons in the future? If so, what restrictions, if any, apply to use or further disclosure of the information?
(4) Does the information claimed as confidential appear, or is it referred to, in any of the following questions? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, indicate where the information appears and explain why it should nonetheless be treated as confidential.
(i) Advertising or promotional materials for the microorganism or the resulting end product?
(ii) Material safety data sheets or other similar materials for the microorganism or the resulting end product?
(iii) Professional or trade publications?
(iv) Any other media available to the public or to competitors?
(v) Patents?
(vi) Local, State, or Federal agency public files?
(5) Has EPA, another Federal agency, a Federal court, or a State made any confidentiality determination regarding the information claimed as confidential? If so, provide copies of such determinations.
(6) For each type of information claimed confidential, describe the harm to the company's or institution's competitive position that would result if this information were disclosed. Why would this harm be substantial? How could a competitor use such information? What is the causal connection between the disclosure and harm?
(7) If EPA disclosed to the public the information claimed as confidential, how difficult would it be for the competitor to enter the market for the resulting product? Consider such constraints as capital and marketing cost, specialized technical expertise, or unusual processes.
(d) Microorganism identity and production method. If confidentiality claims are asserted for the identity of the microorganism or information on how the microorganism is produced, the following questions must be answered:
(1) Has the microorganism or method of production been patented in the U.S. or elsewhere? If so, why is confidentiality necessary?
(2) Does the microorganism leave the site of production or testing in a form which is accessible to the public or to competitors? What is the cost to a competitor, in time and money, to develop appropriate use conditions? What factors facilitate or impede product analysis?
(3) For each additional type of information claimed as confidential, explain what harm would result from disclosure of each type of information if the identity of the microorganism were to remain confidential.
(e) Health and safety studies of microorganisms. If confidentiality claims are asserted for information in a health or safety study of a microorganism, the following questions must be answered:
(1) Would the disclosure of the information claimed confidential reveal: confidential process information, or information unrelated to the effects of the microorganism on health and the environment. Describe the causal connection between the disclosure and harm.
(2) Does the company or institution assert that disclosure of the microorganism identity is not necessary to interpret any health and safety studies which have been submitted? If so, explain how a less specific identity would be sufficient to interpret the studies.