April 30, 2014

TSCA Reform: House Subcommittee Discusses Revised Draft of Chemicals in Commerce Act

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...
April 24, 2014

TSCA Reform: An In-Depth Analysis of the Revised Chemicals in Commerce Act Discussion Draft

On April 22, 2014, Representative John Shimkus (R-IL), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, announced that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on April 29, 2014, to review a revised draft of the Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA2). According to Shimkus, the revised draft "reflects suggestions from members on both sides of the aisle, as well as stakeholders and the administration." CICA would reform the Toxic Substances Control...
April 24, 2014

EU Biocidal Products Regulation Webinar: What It Means for Industry and How It Compares to U.S. Regulation

The European Union (EU) Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) dramatically changes the way biocidal active substances and products, as well as many products not traditionally considered biocidal products, are regulated under European law. Practical aspects of this new regulatory system are subtly different from those in other jurisdictions, EU neighboring countries, and the U.S. Companies exporting to the EU as a component of their global business must ensure that their supply chains and product...
April 23, 2014

Enforceable Consent Agreement: EPA Issues Testing Enforceable Consent Order for D4 — With Some Interesting Twists

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice on April 4, 2014, announcing that it issued a testing consent order that incorporates an enforceable consent agreement (ECA) for octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), a chemical intermediate and component of personal care products. 79 Fed. Reg. 18822. There are two big take away messages here. First, that EPA issued a testing order at all under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 4 is big news as none has been issued in a...
April 3, 2014

The Acta Group and SHES Chemical Consulting of South Korea Form Global Alliance

The Acta Group, L.L.C. (Acta), a regulatory consulting firm with offices in the U.S., UK, and China, and Sustainable Health, Environment, and Safety Chemical Consulting (SHES) of South Korea announced today the formation of a new strategic alliance. By joining Acta's exceptional capabilities in China, Europe, and the Americas with SHES' broad experience in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and South Asia, the Acta-SHES alliance offers clients expanded, seamless access to a comprehensive...
April 1, 2014

Proposition 65: OEHHA Releases Pre-Regulatory Proposal for Revised Proposition 65 Warning Regulations

On March 7, 2014, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) released a pre-regulatory proposal for a potential draft regulation amending Proposition 65 regulations. Significantly -- and likely controversially -- the proposal seeks changes to the warning requirements to require more detailed information, including the names of the chemicals covered by individual warnings, the ways that individuals are exposed to these chemicals, and how individuals can avoid or reduce their...
March 27, 2014

California Regulators Optimistic About Prevailing on Priority Products

Lynn L. Bergeson was quoted in a Chemical Watch article regarding the priority products listed in March under California’s Safer Consumer Products Regulations (SCPR): “Spray polyurethane foam products containing unreacted diisocyanates are different in an important aspect. Spray foams are primarily used in the construction industry by smaller and mid-sized companies represented by a wide range of small trade associations, said Lynn...
March 27, 2014

Leslie S. MacDougall to Speak at European and Asian Chemical Regulatory Conferences in April

Leslie S. MacDougall, Director of Regulatory Affairs for The Acta Group (Acta), has been invited to speak at ChemCon Europe 2014 in Istanbul, Turkey, and the International Conference on Chemical Policy (ICCP) 2014 in Seoul, South Korea. ChemCon, a global platform that brings together more than 400 companies, governmental authorities, and international organizations in the field of international chemical control, is holding its 2014 European meeting March 31 - April 4, 2014, in Istanbul. Ms....
March 26, 2014

Manufacturers Urge EPA to Apply TSCA Consistently in Final Rules for Six Mixtures

Kathleen M. Roberts was quoted in an article in Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report titled “Manufacturers Urge EPA to Apply TSCA Consistently in Final Rules for Six Mixtures.” “Chemical manufacturers are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to apply Toxic Substances Control Act policies consistently to both biobased and petroleum-based chemical mixtures as it finalizes a proposed rule that would restrict uses of six chemicals designed for...
March 18, 2014

Draft List of Products Will Test California’s Safer Consumer Products Program, Markets

Lynn L. Bergeson was quoted in a Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report article, “Draft List of Products Will Test California’s Safer Consumer Products Program, Markets.“   “Draft Could Trigger Litigation. The draft list could trigger litigation challenging the regulations, the listed products or even DTSC’s implementation of the program rules, Washington D.C.-based attorney Lynn Bergeson of Bergeson & Campbell told Bloomberg BNA March...