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On March 28, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address to the extent necessary the unreasonable risk of injury to health presented by chrysotile asbestos based on the risks posed by certain conditions of use (COU). 89 Fed. Reg. 21970. According to the final rule, the injuries to human health include mesothelioma and lung, ovarian, and laryngeal cancers resulting from chronic inhalation exposure to chrysotile...
On March 21, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) December 2023 orders prohibiting Inhance Technologies, L.L.C. (Inhance) from manufacturing or processing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during its fluorination process. The court notes that in March 2022, EPA “charged for the first time” that Inhance’s fluorination process was subject to the significant new use rule (SNUR) regarding long-chain...
On March 6, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM). The final rule was signed on Feb. 7, 2024. New NAAQS standards are always controversial, and this one is no exception. ...
March 21, 2024
EPA Issues Draft Risk Evaluation for Formaldehyde, Preliminarily Finds That Formaldehyde Poses Unreasonable Risk to Human Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 15, 2024, the availability of and solicited public comment on the 2024 draft risk evaluation for formaldehyde prepared under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 89 Fed. Reg. 18933. EPA states that it “preliminarily finds that formaldehyde poses unreasonable risk to human health. The risk evaluation notes that these risks may not apply to everyone, everywhere and describes some of the sources of uncertainties in EPA’s...
Chemical Watch presents Product Sustainability USA, a two-day conference focusing on the most recent developments around sustainability for the chemical industry and its downstream users, and how corporate and product sustainability is being shaped to achieve a safe circular economy. Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., will present “TSCA – driver or barrier to sustainable chemistry?”...
Register now to attend in-person or virtually the complimentary “TSCA Reform – Eight Years Later” conference, presented by Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), the Environmental Law Institute, (ELI), and the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Panelists will dive into key hot topics, including chemical prioritization and risk evaluation, risk management, new chemical review, Section 21 petitions and other TSCA provisions available to third parties,...
HCPA’s Mid-Year Meeting focuses on the public policy issues that impact the household and commercial products industry. Thought leaders will discuss legislative and regulatory issues, information related to product registrations, sustainability, industry trends, and so much more. B&C is a proud sponsor....
The American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) GlobalChem Conference brings together professionals, government representatives, subject matter experts, and vendors to review the recent developments in domestic and global chemicals management. Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., will present during the New Chemicals session on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. B&C is a proud sponsor....
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued a press release on March 13, 2024, to outline how the Scientific Committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will progress in evaluating the proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Europe. As reported in our February 13, 2023, memorandum, the national authorities of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden submitted a proposal to restrict more than 10,000 PFAS under the...
On February 15, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of a new methodology for detecting 32 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers. According to EPA, the method can accurately identify PFAS contamination at levels as low as 0.002 parts per billion (ppb) (or 2 parts per trillion (ppt)). EPA states that in releasing this method to the public, it “is enabling the industries that utilize HDPE containers,...