January 30, 2024

EPA Holds Webinar on PFAS Reporting Rule Requirements

On January 25, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a webinar on EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a)(7) rule on the reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). During the webinar, EPA provided an overview of the rule’s requirements. EPA also answered questions from webinar participants and stated that it is preparing a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document that it intends to circulate in early summer...
January 29, 2024

Senate Committee Holds Hearing on TSCA Implementation

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on January 24, 2024, on “Oversight of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Amendments Implementation.” Michal Freedhoff, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator (AA) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) was the Committee’s sole witness. Committee Chair Tom Carper (D-DE) and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) provided opening statements. On the whole, no...
January 23, 2024

ECHA Adds Five Chemicals to Candidate List of SVHCs for Authorization

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on January 23, 2024, that it added five chemicals to the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC) for authorization and updated the existing entry for dibutyl phthalate to include its endocrine-disrupting properties for the environment: Substance Name Reason for Inclusion Examples of Uses 2,4,6-Tri-tert-butylphenol Toxic for reproduction (Article 57(c))   Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) (Article 57(d)) Manufacture...
January 17, 2024

HSE Recommends Adding DIHxP to UK REACH Authorization List

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced in its January 17, 2024, UK REACH ebulletin that it recommended that diisohexyl phthalate (DIHxP) be added to the list of substances subject to authorization (Annex 14) for UK REACH. As reported in our October 13, 2023, blog item, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) prioritized DIHxP and included DIHxP in its April 12, 2023, recommendation for the inclusion of substances in the European Union (EU)...
January 16, 2024

Lynn L. Bergeson, “Global Chemical Regulations: 2024 Will Be a Consequential Year,” Chemical Processing, January 15, 2024.

First, let’s look at U.S. policy and regulatory developments. In this election year, competing priorities will dominate U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actions. The agency will seek to complete as many actions as possible while tempering its expectations to avoid any significant pre-election missteps. While there is no consensus on whether the Biden administration’s commitment to policy shifts in chemical management has elicited desirable results, reasonable people will agree it...
January 12, 2024

EPA Issues Final SNUR to Prevent Inactive PFAS from Reentering Commerce

On January 11, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final significant new use rule (SNUR) to prevent companies from starting or resuming the manufacture (including import) or processing of 329 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are designated as inactive on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory. 89 Fed. Reg. 1822. The final rule notes that persons subject to the final SNUR are required to notify EPA at least...
January 3, 2024

Forecast for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2024

Click here for a PDF brochure of the memorandum Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its global consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) and consortia management affiliate B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) are delighted to share with you our Forecast 2024. This carefully curated document represents our seasoned team’s collective take on what to expect regarding global industrial, agricultural, and biocidal chemical initiatives in the New Year. Given the global state of...
December 29, 2023

Draft CoRAP Update Lists 28 Chemicals for Evaluation by EU Member States for 2024-2026

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released a draft Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) update for 2024-2026. The draft CoRAP contains 28 substances, including 11 new substances compared to the current CoRAP for 2023-2025; ten substances are planned for evaluation in 2024, including evaluation of four substances as a group, and 18 are divided for evaluation in 2025 and 2026. The draft update states that from the 24 substances included in the CoRAP update published...
December 28, 2023

EPA Begins TSCA Prioritization Process for Five Chemicals, Requires Reporting on MBOCA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 18, 2023, that it is beginning the process to prioritize five additional toxic chemicals for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 88 Fed. Reg. 87423. The chemicals are acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine, 4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA), and vinyl chloride. EPA seeks relevant information, including but not limited to, the chemical substance’s hazard and exposure potential; the...
December 21, 2023

EPA Proposes to Determine That TCEP, as a Whole Chemical Substance, Presents Unreasonable Risk to Human Health and the Environment

On December 15, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and solicited public comment on its draft risk evaluation for tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and related draft charge questions. 88 Fed. Reg. 86894. EPA states on its website that it reviewed the exposures and hazards of TCEP uses and made risk findings on TCEP. EPA considered relevant risk-related factors, including, but not limited to: the hazards and exposure, magnitude of risk, exposed...