All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The Democratic Minority has circulated a redline version of the April 22, 2014, discussion draft of the Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA2). A copy of the redline version of CICA2 is available online. The redline version is an interesting mix of substantial rewrites, deletions, and additions. The redline version, which we will refer to as CICA2-D to distinguish it from CICA2 and the original discussion draft, CICA1, proposes changes that favorably respond to numerous non-governmental...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) recently noted that it successfully completed the Agency's reorganization process and that the effective date will be sometime after June 9, 2014. The reorganization, which The Acta Group (Acta) had discussed in its "Predictions" memo, available online, represents a significant shuffle in responsibilities and also reduces the number of OPPT Divisions by one with the...

AUSTRALIA NICNAS Will Hold Training And Outreach Sessions: The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) will be conducting stakeholder training and awareness sessions in major capital cities and selected regional areas in coming months, and it seeks expressions of interest from those wishing to attend. According to NICNAS, the topics to be discussed include: Who is NICNAS?;  What does NICNAS do?; ...

“In a May 20 analysis of the ANPR, the law firm Bergeson & Campbell also flags the ‘processors’ issue, saying the notice raises a host questions relating to ‘significant and difficult legal, procedural and policy issues. Noting that the ANPR includes service companies in its discussion of the companies that may be subject to Section 8 reporting, which ordinarily would not apply to ‘users,’ the analysis says, that though such service providers may ‘process’ the chemical while...

The House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology held a hearing on May 20, 2014, on "Nanotechnology: From Laboratories to Commercial Products." The purpose of the hearing was to examine the current state of nanotechnology research and development (R&D), as well as future opportunities and challenges. In addition, the hearing discussed policy issues surrounding nanotechnology applications and activities, federal funding levels for nanotechnology R&D, and...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the May 19, 2014, Federal Register an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to seek comment on the information that should be reported or disclosed for hydraulic fracturing chemical substances and mixtures and the mechanism for obtaining this information. According to EPA, this mechanism could be regulatory (under Sections 8(a) and/or 8(d) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)), voluntary, or a combination...

Kathleen M. Roberts was quoted in an article in Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report titled “EPA, Industry Far Apart on Agency Stance on Listing Mandate for Chemical Fractions.” “Kathleen Roberts, a vice presidentwith Bergeson & Campbell Consortia Management (BCCM), said the biobased and petroleum-based chemical manufacturers she works with through the Alliance for Chemical Nomenclature she manages would like to avoid...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta) are pleased to announce the addition of Brian Xu, Ph.D., to our firms. Dr. Xu, a board-certified toxicologist and medical doctor, will assist clients in developing and managing international projects involving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulated consumer products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial and specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, and antimicrobials. Dr. Xu...

AUSTRALIA Australia Publishes Eighth Tranche Of IMAP Assessments: The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) published for public comment the eighth tranche of human health and environmental assessments for chemicals identified as part of the Stage One implementation of the Inventory Multi-Tiered Assessment and Prioritization (IMAP) Framework. NICNAS states that it seeks comments where information that has the...

On April 29, 2014, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy held a hearing to review a revised draft of the Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA2). Representative John Shimkus (R-IL), Chair of the Subcommittee, released CICA2 on April 22, 2014. According to Shimkus, since he first released the discussion draft in March 2014 (CICA1), he has been working on a bipartisan basis to find common ground to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). More information...