June 27, 2022

EPA Announces New Chemical Engineering Initiative Intended to Increase Transparency and Reduce Rework

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 24, 2022, that it is “conducting a broad outreach effort to describe and discuss with stakeholders how the Agency evaluates data provided for new chemicals submissions and common issues that cause EPA to have to reconduct risk assessments (‘rework’) for these submissions.” According to EPA, its goal is to reduce rework of initial risk assessments for new chemicals submissions that is caused by submitters...
June 24, 2022

Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Implementation of TSCA Amendments

On June 22, 2022, the sixth anniversary of the enactment of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg Act), the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on “Toxic Substances Control Act Amendments Implementation.” The Committee’s only witness was Michal Freedhoff, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Freedhoff’s written testimony...
June 10, 2022

EPA Seeks Information on End-of-Life Management of Batteries and Current Labeling Standards and Requirements Regarding Their End-of-Life

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) published a request for information (RFI) on June 9, 2022, seeking information on the end-of-life management of batteries, including their generation, collection, recycling, and reuse, as well as the current labeling standards and requirements for batteries regarding their end-of-life. 87 Fed. Reg. 35202. According to the RFI, EPA is developing best practices with respect to the collection...
June 9, 2022

High Level Roundtable on the CSS Holds Third Meeting in May 2022

On May 18, 2022, the High Level Roundtable on the Implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) held its third meeting. During the meeting, the European Commission (EC) provided an update on the state of implementation of the CSS. According to the written report, main achievements since the last meeting of the High Level Roundtable include: Promoting Safe and Sustainable-by-Design Chemicals: The EC proposal for an update of the Industrial Emission Directive was adopted in...
June 8, 2022

EPA Issues First in Series of TSCA Test Orders for PFAS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 6, 2022, that it issued the first in a series of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) test orders to require companies to conduct and submit testing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EPA issued the order as part of its PFAS Strategic Roadmap. When EPA announced the Strategic Roadmap to confront PFAS contamination nationwide, it also released the National PFAS Testing Strategy to help identify...
June 2, 2022

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Quoted in Chemical Watch Article “TSCA: EPA unlikely to defer risk management to other federal agencies”

On May 31, 2022, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry with The Acta Group (Acta®), was quoted by Chemical Watch regarding a recent proposed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk management rule that provides insights into the potentially limited extent to which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will defer to other agencies, despite concern from industry that this could lead to duplicative requirements. Richard Engler, director of chemistry...
June 1, 2022

Register Now for “TSCA Reform — Six Years Later” on June 29, 2022

The Acta Gruop (Acta®) affiliate Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health are pleased to present “TSCA Reform - Six Years Later.” This complimentary virtual conference marks the sixth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Annual Conference, reflecting on the accomplishments and challenges since the implementation of the 2016 Lautenberg Amendments and where...
June 1, 2022

Global Regulatory Update for June 2022

EVENTS Register Now For “TSCA Reform -- Six Years Later” On June 29, 2022: Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health are pleased to present “TSCA Reform - Six Years Later.” This complimentary virtual conference marks the sixth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Annual Conference, reflecting on...
May 27, 2022

Lynn L. Bergeson Quoted by Bloomberg Law in Article “First Lawsuit Challenging EPA’s Chemical Test Order Filed”

On May 26, 2022, Bloomberg Law quoted Lynn L. Bergeson, President, The Acta Group (Acta®), regarding a lawsuit filed by a coalition of companies making a solvent that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) is examining for possible regulation. The coalition is asking a federal court to overturn an agency order seeking data to understand whether the chemical could harm wildlife.  Lynn L. Bergeson, managing partner of Bergeson and Campbell...
May 24, 2022

ECHA Begins Consultation Identifying BPF, BPAF, and Eight BPAF Salts as Endocrine Disruptors

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published an item in its May 11, 2022, ECHA Weekly announcing that it is launching consultations to support the Member State Committee (MSC) in adopting an opinion on whether 4,4’-methylenediphenol (BPF), 4,4’-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol (BPAF), and eight BPAF salts meet the criteria for endocrine disrupting substances for the environment, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Program on...