Category: General

January 16, 2013

EPA Seeks Comment on Draft PR Notice on Web-Distributed Labeling

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on January 16, 2013, a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of and seeking public comment on a draft Pesticide Registration (PR) Notice entitled "Web-Distributed Labeling for Pesticide Products." EPA states that the draft PR Notice provides "guidance concerning the process by which registrants can make legally valid versions of pesticide labeling available through the Internet." According to EPA,...
January 10, 2013

EPA Issues Long-Awaited Final Rule Revising Standards for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units and Revising the Definition of Nonhazardous Secondary Materials

On December 20, 2012, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Jackson signed a much-anticipated rulemaking package revising the emission standards for commercial and industrial solid waste incineration units (CISWI). The rule has not yet been published in the Federal Register. The final rule accomplishes two broad goals: it revises the Clean Air Act (CAA) emission limits for CISWIs, and it revises the definition under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act...
January 7, 2013

EPA Announces Availability of Draft Chemical Risk Assessments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 4, 2013, the availability of the first draft risk assessments developed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan. The draft risk assessments are for particular uses of five chemicals found in household products: methylene chloride or dichloromethane (DCM) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) in paint stripper products; trichloroethylene (TCE) as a degreaser and a spray-on protective coating; antimony trioxide (ATO) as a...
January 4, 2013

EPA Issues Draft Pesticide Registration Notice on Mold-Related Label Claims

On December 12, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in a Federal Register notice the availability of a draft Pesticide Registration (PR) Notice entitled "Guidance for Antimicrobial Pesticide Products with Mold-Related Label Claims (Draft PR Notice). 77 Fed. Reg. 74003. The Draft PR Notice has some potentially alarming implications regarding the continued use of certain claims under the treated articles exemption that any registrants of active...
January 2, 2013

Predictions for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention

The Acta Group's (Acta) thoughts are below on what may be headed our way in 2013 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). Although the 2012 Presidential Election is over, environmental issues will continue to be used to make distinctions between the two parties (or between the House and Senate). Speculation is currently rife with what directions a re-elected Obama Administration might take: seek a middle-ground approach to...
January 1, 2013

Global Regulatory Update for January 2013

OECD Updates Environmental Risk Assessment Toolkit: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced on December 12, 2012, that it updated its environmental risk assessment toolkit. According to OECD, the toolkit provides practical tools for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals. The toolkit describes the general process of environmental risk assessment and provides examples of risk assessment. The toolkit also provides links to...
December 31, 2012

EPA Proposes Revisions to Minimum Risk Exemption for Pesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed on December 31, 2012, a new rule intended to address a long-standing enforcement issue that has vexed federal and state inspectors for years. 77 Fed. Reg. 76979. The proposed rule would require that active and inert ingredients permitted in products eligible for the exemption from registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 25(b)(2) for minimum risk pesticides be described more clearly on...
December 18, 2012

FDA Compliance Update: Dietary Supplements

This is the first in a series of updates concerning compliance initiatives underway by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that affect various segments of the regulated industry. This issue focuses on court actions, Warning Letters, recalls, and other matters pertaining to dietary supplements. We will periodically outline actions and issues affecting prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, medical device and diagnostic products, food, cosmetics, animal drugs, and biologics....
December 14, 2012

EPA Withdraws TSCA Section 8(d) Cadmium Rule

Today, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) Director Wendy Cleland-Hamnett announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) decision to withdraw the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(d) immediate final rule published on December 3, 2012. According to EPA's letter responding to various entities' request for either withdrawal or an extension of time within which to persuade EPA to remove the listing of cadmium and cadmium compounds from the model 8(d) rule, it...
December 11, 2012

Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee Convenes Semi-Annual Meeting

On May 3-4, 2012, the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) convened its semiannual meeting in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offices in Arlington, Virginia. This memorandum summarizes the presentations and topics discussed during the meeting, which were organized into 12 sessions: Update Regarding Strategic Plans, Budget, and PRIA 3  Pollinator Protection  Integrated Pest Management  Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program  PPDC Workgroup and OPP Program...