§ 725.234 - Activities conducted inside a structure.

§ 725.234 Activities conducted inside a structure.

A person who manufactures, imports, or processes a microorganism is not subject to the reporting requirements under subpart D of this part if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The microorganism is manufactured, imported, or processed solely for research and development activities.

(b) The microorganism is used by, or directly under the supervision of, a technically qualified individual, as defined in § 725.3. The technically qualified individual must maintain documentation of the procedures selected to comply with paragraph (d) of this section and must ensure that the procedures are used.

(c) There is no intentional testing of a microorganism outside of a structure, as structure is defined in § 725.3.

(d) Containment and/or inactivation controls.

(1) Selection and use of containment and/or inactivation controls inside a structure for a particular microorganism shall take into account the following:

(i) Factors relevant to the organism's ability to survive in the environment.

(ii) Potential routes of release in air, solids and liquids; in or on waste materials and equipment; in or on people, including maintenance and custodial personnel; and in or on other organisms, such as insects and rodents.

(iii) Procedures for transfer of materials between facilities.

(2) The technically qualified individual's selection of containment and/or inactivation controls shall be approved and certified by an authorized official (other than the TQI) of the institution that is conducting the test prior to the commencement of the test.

(3) Records shall be developed and maintained describing the selection and use of containment and/or inactivation controls, as specified in § 725.235(c). These records, which must be maintained at the location where the research and development activity is being conducted, shall be submitted to EPA upon written request and within the time frame specified in EPA's request.

(4) Subsequent to EPA review of records in accordance with paragraph (d)(3) of this section, changes to the containment/inactivation controls selected under paragraph (d)(1) of this section must be made upon EPA order. Failure to comply with EPA's order shall result in automatic loss of eligibility for an exemption under this section.

(e) The manufacturer, importer, or processor notifies all persons in its employ or to whom it directly distributes the microorganism, who are engaged in experimentation, research, or analysis on the microorganism, including the manufacture, processing, use, transport, storage, and disposal of the microorganism associated with research and development activities, of any risk to health, identified under § 725.235(a), which may be associated with the microorganism. The notification must be made in accordance with § 725.235(b).