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AUSTRALIA Australia Amends ICNA Regulations: The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme's (NICNAS) July 2012 Chemical Gazette includes a notice regarding amendments to the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) (ICNA) Act and regulations arising from changes to the Work Health and Safety Legislation. The Governor-General approved the amendments to the ICNA r egulations on May 24, 2012, and...
On July 27, 2012, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released proposed Safer Consumer Products Regulations (Proposed Regulations). The Proposed Regulations, subject to a 45-day comment period, are the newest iteration of the much anticipated regulatory implementation of California's Green Chemistry Initiative. The Proposed Regulations have been through several iterations, including an "informal draft" that was released in October 2011, and other drafts released on June...
In a largely symbolic vote along party lines, on July 25, 2012, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by a 10-8 vote passed an amended version of Senator Frank Lautenberg's (D-NJ) Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 (S. 847). Despite the Committee's passage of the bill, the legislation faces a headwind of opposition from Senate Republicans and the chemical industry and is unlikely to be passed this year. Republicans criticized the scheduled markup of the Safe Chemicals Act, particularly in...
On July 11, 2012, China's State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) published Order Number 53, Measures for the Administration of Registration of Hazardous Chemicals, which replaces its 2002 predecessor. Order Number 53 extends the chemical registration requirements to importers and manufacturers/producers. An increase in the number of substances defined as "hazardous chemicals" in China is also expected. The Order will enter into force on August 1, 2012, and the chemicals...
July 25, 2012
Senate Holds Hearing on Oversight of EPA Authorities and Actions to Control Exposures to Toxic Chemicals
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health held a joint hearing yesterday entitled "Oversight of EPA Authorities and Actions to Control Exposures to Toxic Chemicals." The hearing examined current initiatives related to flame retardant chemicals as a means of exploring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority over chemical safety under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). During the July 24, 2012,...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C), B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM), and The Acta Group (Acta) are pleased to announce that on October 26, 2012, Lynn L. Bergeson will Co-Chair a Practising Law Institute seminar entitled "Chemical Management Laws 2012: Business Opportunity, Public Protection or Barrier to Trade?" The seminar will be held in New York City, New York, and there will be groupcasts in Columbus, Ohio; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; New Brunswick,...
On May 22, 2012, the European Union (EU) adopted the Biocidal Products Regulation (EC Regulation 528/2012) (BPR), which will replace and repeal the Biocidal Products Directive (BPD) (98/8/EC) currently in effect for regulating biocidal active substances and biocidal products. The BPR entered into force on July 17, 2012, with many new provisions going into effect on September 1, 2013, with a transitional period for certain provisions. The BPR is...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C), B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM), and The Acta Group (Acta) are pleased to announce that on August 1, 2012, Christopher R. Bryant will speak at the Corporate e-Waste Disposal Summit during the Panel Discussion, "Understanding the Environmental Impact of e-Recycling and Discussing Emerging Take Back Programs in Organizations." The Panel will address benefits of sustainability initiatives (e.g., lowering cost,...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on June 28, 2012, an Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) "Comprehensive Management Plan," that EPA states is intended to provide strategic guidance and outline critical activities that are planned for the EDSP for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2012 and through FY 2017. EPA states that although the plan is intended as an internal planning document, it made the Plan available to the public to be consistent with EPA's stated...
On June 27, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of two sets of final test guidelines: Series 810 -- Product Performance Test Guidelines, specifically public health uses of disinfectants and sanitizers for use on fabrics and textiles (OCSPP 810.2400), air sanitizers (OCSPP 810.2500), and disinfectants and sanitizers for use in water (OCSPP 810.2600); and Series 850 -- Ecological Effects Test Guidelines (Groups B, C, D, and F). These guidelines are...