Exemption of chemical mixtures. Final rule

On December 15, 2004, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published a Final Rule corrected January 4, 2005) that implemented new regulations concerning chemical mixtures that contain any of the 27 listed chemicals. The Final Rule added a new provision not previously raised by DEA in any proposed rulemaking. This newly introduced provision exempted domestic and import transactions in chemical mixtures that are regulated solely due to the presence of the List II solvent chemicals acetone, ethyl ether, 2-butanone, or toluene from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Because this exemption was not previously proposed in any rulemaking, DEA implemented this exemption on an interim basis and requested public comment on this exemption provision. Based upon a review of all comments, DEA is finalizing this exemption. As such, domestic and import transactions in chemical mixtures containing the List II chemicals acetone, ethyl ether, 2-butanone, and toluene shall be exempt from CSA chemical recordkeeping and reporting requirements.