Memoranda

EPA states: "The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) initiated and recently completed an internal review of the use of conditional registrations. The review looked at the variability in the use of the term "conditional registration" in the program, how the internal computer coding associated with conditional registrations has been applied, the status of actions that have been characterized as conditional registrations, and the potential for improvements and clarifications." EPA begins by...

MAY 9, 2011 -- SAVE THE DATE Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C), B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM), The Acta Group, L.L.C. (Acta), and The Acta Group EU, Ltd (Acta EU) are pleased to announce that B&C will host a webinar to discuss Senator Frank Lautenberg's (D-NJ) recently reintroduced bill to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, on Monday, May 9, 2011, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT). This...

On April 14, 2011, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, which is intended to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require chemical companies to demonstrate the safety of industrial chemicals and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate safety based on the best available science. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Lautenberg previously introduced...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on April 13, 2011, chemical action plans for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and related compounds. According to EPA, Americans may be exposed to these chemicals when they are used in certain applications, such as spray foam insulation, sealing concrete, or finishing floors. EPA states that diisocyanates are used to make polyurethane polymers. Most polyurethane products, such as foam mattresses or bowling...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on April 13, 2011, that it has updated REACH-IT to allow the submission of notifications for substances in articles. Beginning June 1, 2011, companies must notify to ECHA substances present in articles they produce or import that were included on the substances of very high concern (SVHC) Candidate List before December 1, 2010, if both of the following conditions are met: The SVHC is present in those articles at a volume of...

Three Subcommittees of the Green Ribbon Science Panel (Panel) have scheduled several teleconferences between April 4 and April 19, 2011, to discuss potential revisions to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control's (DTSC) Safer Consumer Product Alternatives (SCPA) regulations. These teleconferences are open to the public and comments may be provided. The three Subcommittees and the scheduled teleconferences are as follows: Chemical Identification and...

On April 1, 2011, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the availability of an update to the Guidance on Requirements for Substances in Articles. The update replaces the previous Guidance. Beginning June 1, 2011, companies must notify to ECHA substances present in articles they produce or import that were included on the substances of very high concern (SVHC) Candidate List before December 1, 2010, if both of the following conditions are...

Two of the trade associations named as negotiators by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its proposal for the imposition of generic drug user fees have filed comments regarding the proposal that may frame their negotiating posture with the Agency going forward. The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates' (SOCMA) Bulk Pharmaceutical Task Force and the European Chemical Industry Council's (CEFIC) Fine Chemicals Group urged FDA to impose a registration fee on each...

On March 29, 2011, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing entitled "Oversight Hearing on Disease Clusters and Environmental Health." Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health Subcommittee, introduced the Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act (S. 76), also known as Trevor's Law, on January 25, 2011. The bill would require the U.S....

On March 30 and 31, 2011, the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a Food Advisory Committee meeting on the possible link between synthetic dyes in food products and behavioral issues in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Members of the Food Advisory Committee have been charged to "consider available relevant data on the possible association between consumption of...