Category: General

January 1, 2021

Global Regulatory Update for January 2021

B&C Publishes 2021 Forecast: 2021 brings a new Administration to Washington, D.C., and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) Forecast of the key chemical law and policy developments we are likely to see in 2021 is available now. The PDF version delivers 83 pages of detailed and helpful content regarding what to expect concerning regulatory programs and regions, including the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Insecticide,...
December 30, 2020

EPA Intends Proposed Rule to Increase Flexibility and Reduce Burdens under TSCA Fees Program

On December 21, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule that would amend the 2018 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) fees rule. According to EPA, the proposed rule “reflects real-world situations, narrows the broad scope of current requirements, significantly reduces the burden on American businesses, and increases the flexibility for surrounding TSCA fees requirements.” Under TSCA, EPA collects fees from chemical manufacturers and...
December 29, 2020

EPA Releases Final Chemical Risk Evaluation for NMP

On December 23, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final risk evaluation for N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). Of the 37 conditions of use that EPA reviewed, EPA found that 26 present unreasonable risks to workers and consumers. These uses include an unreasonable risk to workers when domestically manufacturing or importing NMP, processing NMP for a variety of uses, and when used in a variety of industrial and commercial conditions of use. These uses also include an...
December 23, 2020

EPA Releases Final TSCA Section 6(h) Rules for Five PBT Chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on December 22, 2020, final rules under Section 6(h) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for five persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals -- decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE); phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)); 2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2,4,6-TTBP); hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD); and pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP). TSCA required EPA to take expedited action on specific...
December 23, 2020

Comments by Lynn L. Bergeson and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Featured in Bloomberg Environment Article “Fuel-Chemicals Advisory Seen as ‘Unwanted’ EPA Parting Gift”

On December 23, 2020, comments by Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, B&C, were featured by Bloomberg Environment regarding a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance advisory describing how the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) applies to certain petroleum-based chemicals, along with renewable substitutes made from crops, fats, and waste oil....
December 21, 2020

K-OSHA Amendments Effective January 16, 2021

We write to alert you to an important and imminent deadline. Consideration for confidential business information (CBI) for hazardous substance ingredient disclosure on safety data sheets (SDS) will require formal submission and approval in South Korea starting January 16, 2021. Background On January 15, 2019, the South Korean government announced a major amendment to the South Korean Occupational Safety and Health Act (K-OSHA). The amendment...
December 17, 2020

Final Risk Evaluation for Perchloroethylene Finds 59 Conditions of Use Pose Unreasonable Risks to Workers, ONUs, Consumers, and Bystanders

On December 14, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final risk evaluation for perchloroethylene. Of the 61 conditions of use that EPA reviewed, EPA found that 59 present unreasonable risks to workers, occupational non-users (ONU), consumers, and bystanders. The conditions of use that EPA determined do not present an unreasonable risk are distribution in commerce and industrial and commercial use in lubricants and greases for penetrating lubricants and cutting...
December 17, 2020

Lynn L. Bergeson Quoted in Bloomberg Environment Article “Virus Prompts EPA to Let Chemical Makers Split Risk Analysis Fees”

On December 17, 2020, Bloomberg Environment featured comments by Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) regarding a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to allow chemical manufacturers to split certain risk evaluation fee payments to the agency. [T]he due date for the second payment offers some clarity for clients, said Lynn L. Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson and Campbell, PC, which specializes in...
December 16, 2020

Important Changes to Annex II to REACH Come into Force January 1, 2021

As 2021 begins, new safety data sheet (SDS) requirements in the European Union (EU) will enter into force. Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/878 of June 18, 2020, amends Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). The requirements for SDS layout and content appear in REACH, while the hazard classification criteria and labeling requirements are derivative of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on the Classification,...
December 14, 2020

EPA Publishes Draft Compliance Guide Addressing Surface Coatings under PFAS SNUR

On December 10, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of a draft compliance guide that outlines which imported articles are covered by EPA’s July 2020 final significant new use rule (SNUR) that prohibits companies from manufacturing, importing, processing, or using certain long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) without prior EPA review and approval. The draft guide will be “the official compliance guide for imported...