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On April 3, 2012, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released Version 2.0 of its Guidance on Data Sharing to provide further assistance to companies placing substances onto the European Union (EU) market under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation (EC regulation 1907/2006). The revised Guidance, available online, is a must read for entities wishing to optimize and protect their investment in chemical testing data. The original version...
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on March 20, 2012, that it has revised the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), aligning it with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). The final HCS rule will be implemented in various phases with full implementation by 2016 and, according to OSHA, will benefit workers by reducing confusion about chemical hazards in the workplace,...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on March 20, 2012, proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) that would require companies to report all new uses of five groups of chemicals, including in domestic and imported products and articles, to give EPA the opportunity, if warranted, to prohibit or limit the activity. The chemicals, which were part of the existing chemical action plans that EPA released in 2009 through 2011, are polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE),...
On March 16, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of the long-awaited final test guidelines for Series 810 -- Product Performance Test Guidelines, specifically public health uses of antimicrobial agents (OCSPP 810.2000), sterilants (OCSPP 810.2100), disinfectants (OCSPP 810.2200), and sanitizers (OCSPP 810.2300). These test guidelines are part of a series established by EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) for use in testing...
On March 1, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) announced a work plan of 83 chemicals for further review under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA identified seven chemicals for risk assessment in 2012, and intends to complete some of these assessments this year and initiate new assessments from the work plan in the coming years. EPA stated that, this Spring, it plans to identify specific chemicals...
February 23, 2012
Presidential Memorandum Calls for Increased Federal Procurement of Biobased Products
President Obama signed a February 21, 2012, memorandum entitled "Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement." The BioPreferred Program, which was established by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) and amended by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill), is intended to increase federal procurement of biobased products, which will promote rural economic development, create new...
If anyone is thinking big penalties under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) are a thing of the past, think again. On February 7, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Dover Chemical Corporation has agreed to pay a $1.4 million civil penalty for the unauthorized manufacture of chemical substances at facilities in Dover, Ohio, and Hammond, Indiana. The settlement resolves alleged violations of TSCA premanufacture notice (PMN) obligations for the production of...
On January 19, 2012, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) and B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) convened a workshop at which invited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff reviewed case studies on reporting obligations for byproduct and recycled materials under the Chemical Data Reporting rule. For those of you who were unable to listen in, the recorded audio for the workshop is available on B&C's website....
On January 18, 2012, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) issued final regulations that "specify the hazard traits, toxicological and environmental endpoints and other relevant data to be included" in the Toxics Information Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) will develop. The Clearinghouse will be used, in part, to help DTSC identify chemicals of concern in consumer products as part of its Green Chemistry...