Category: General

August 1, 2022

Global Regulatory Update for August 2022

EVENTS Recording Available For “TSCA New Approach Methodologies” Webinar: The Acta Group (Acta®) affiliate Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) August 3, 2022, webinar “TSCA New Approach Methodologies” is now available for on-demand viewing at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/8166994675079284995. During this one-hour webinar, panelists shared a comprehensive review of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s...
July 28, 2022

EPA Holds Kick-Off Meeting for TSCA New Chemical Engineering Outreach Initiative

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New Chemicals Program held a webinar on July 27, 2022, to provide an in-depth look at its analysis of common issues that cause EPA to have to reconduct risk assessments (“rework”) of new chemicals. As reported in our June 27, 2022, memorandum, in June 2022, EPA announced a broad outreach effort to describe and to discuss with stakeholders how EPA evaluates engineering data (i.e., data related to environmental release and worker...
July 22, 2022

Lynn L. Bergeson Quoted by Bloomberg Law in Article “Three Lawsuits Aim to Shape EPA’s Use of Chemical Test Orders”

On July 22, 2022, Bloomberg Law quoted Lynn L. Bergeson, President, The Acta Group (Acta®), regarding three lawsuits that challenge the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to order chemical manufacturers to generate information on their products. “The Lanxess and Vinyl Institute cases are, to me, a predictable result of a chaotic rollout of EPA Section 4 Test Order efforts,” said Lynn L. Bergeson, managing partner with Bergeson &...
July 22, 2022

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Quoted by Bloomberg Law in Article “Cutting Industry Negotiation Said to Speed EPA Chemical Controls”

On June 29, 2022, Bloomberg Law quoted Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, The Acta Group (Acta®), discussing the use of chemical consent orders to speed up the new chemical review process. Directly issuing orders would not resolve all the delays new chemical manufacturers experience, said Richard Engler, director of chemistry for Bergeson & Campbell, PC. The EPA’s new chemicals office already has negotiated nearly 200 consent orders for new...
July 21, 2022

Draft Revision to Risk Determination for 1-BP Finds 1-BP, as a Whole Chemical Substance, Presents an Unreasonable Risk

On July 20, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and requested public comment on a draft revision to the risk determination for the 1-bromopropane (1-BP) risk evaluation issued under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 87 Fed. Reg. 43265. EPA states that the draft revision to the 1-BP risk determination reflects its announced policy changes to ensure the public is protected from unreasonable risks from chemicals in a way that is supported...
July 19, 2022

EPA Requires TRI Reporting for Five Additional PFAS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on July 18, 2022, updating the list of chemicals subject to toxic chemical release reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA). 87 Fed. Reg. 42651. The final rule updates the regulations to identify five per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that must be reported pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA)...
July 18, 2022

Defra Begins Public Consultation on Extending the UK REACH Transitional Registration Deadlines

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has begun a public consultation on extending the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) submission deadlines for transitional registrations -- the registrations under UK REACH of substances that were registered in the European Union (EU) in accordance with EU REACH on or before December 31, 2020, the end of the Brexit transition period. Defra seeks comment on two options to extend...
July 13, 2022

Superfund Tax on Chemicals: What You Need to Know to Comply

As reported in our May 19, 2022, memorandum, the Superfund excise tax on certain chemical substances was reinstated beginning on July 1, 2022, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The newly reinstated tax has caught many off guard, and most subject to the tax are struggling with computing and reporting the tax. We offer some guidance below and stand ready to assist. Overview There are two separate Superfund chemical excise taxes: a tax on the sale or use of...
July 12, 2022

Lynn L. Bergeson Quoted by Chemical Week in Article “Supreme Court curbs EPA’s ability to regulate power plant emissions”

On July 11, 2022, Chemical Week quoted Lynn L. Bergeson, President, The Acta Group (Acta®), regarding a Supreme Court ruling that limits the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to combat climate change by regulating emissions from existing power plants. Legal experts say the decision could have broader implications for EPA’s ability to regulate chemicals. “The Court seems to have put a name to what some believe is a pretext for...
July 12, 2022

EPA Releases Draft Revisions to Risk Determinations for PCE, NMP, Methylene Chloride, and TCE, Finding that Each, as a Whole Chemical Substance, Presents an Unreasonable Risk of Injury to Health

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released draft revisions to the risk determinations for perchloroethylene (PCE) (87 Fed. Reg. 39085), N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) (87 Fed. Reg. 39511), methylene chloride (87 Fed. Reg. 39824), and trichloroethylene (TCE) (87 Fed. Reg. 40520). Each draft revision to the risk determinations for these chemicals reflects EPA’s announced policy changes to ensure the public is protected from unreasonable risks from chemicals in a way that is...