Richard E. Engler Presents “U.S. Market Pressure and the Battle between Hazard and Risk” at the Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference

On June 14, 2016, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Senior Chemist at The Acta Group (Acta®), presented “U.S. Market Pressure and the Battle between Hazard and Risk” at the 2016 Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference. Dr. Engler discussed the various risk-based regulations at play in the U.S., including the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and the Plant Protection Act. Dr. Engler stated that there are also a variety of hazard-based regulations impacting markets, including the Stockholm Convention Treaty on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP), The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (California Prop 65), the Toxic Use Reduction Act in Massachusetts, and Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Europe. Risk-based regulations are more nuanced and take into account manufacturing, processing, use, and disposal methods to determine risk of harm to human health or the environment. In contrast, hazard-based regulations are less data intensive and are intended to eliminate the hazard at the source, but may also focus on low-volume substances that pose little risk or may increase exposure to hazardous substances in other life cycle stages.

For a copy of Richard E. Engler’s full presentation, e-mail hlewis@lawbc.com. Acta has the technical resources and the know-how to help companies assess substance/product hazards, exposures, and risks. Our experts can help manufacturers/processors develop risk assessments that factor a substance/product’s intrinsic human health, ecotoxicological, environmental fate and physical chemical properties, as well as its use and function. Visit our website for more information on our Hazard, Exposure, and Risk Assessment services.