March 7, 2024

TSCA Section 8(a)(7) PFAS Reporting Rule — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

This week I discuss with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the super-hot topic of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) reporting under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). PFAS, the class of so-called forever chemicals, are the talk of this town, and likely the talk of many jurisdictions given the intense global scrutiny all things PFAS endure. Rich and I focus our broad ranging...
February 23, 2024

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Standards — A Conversation with the Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr.

This week I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, the Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr., Of Counsel, at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Judge Strine and I discuss the intense focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards and the pressures on corporate directors and managers occasioned by the Caremark decision and its progeny, among other developments. These initiatives have particular relevance to businesses many of our...
February 8, 2024

TSCA Developments in 2024 — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

This week I discuss with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, what to expect in 2024 regarding TSCA developments. Rich is a leading voice on all things TSCA, especially new chemicals, and a widely sought after thought leader on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg), Congress’ 2016 amendments to the...
January 25, 2024

What to Expect on Capitol Hill in 2024 — A Conversation with Jim Aidala

This week, I sat down with Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. As many of our listeners know, Jim is a former Assistant Administrator of the Toxics office at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He has worked on Capitol Hill as a pesticide policy expert and a keen student of all things political. We discuss what to expect in 2024 from the Hill and EPA’s Office...
January 11, 2024

GRAS: Are Changes in Our Future? — A Conversation with Karin F. Baron

Download transcript. This week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss an old but evolving concept in FDA circles called GRAS — Generally Recognized as Safe. As listeners may know, “food additives” require pre-market approval by FDA. Substances “generally recognized” as safe under the conditions of a substance’s intended use...
December 14, 2023

EPA’s Proposed Registration of a Sprayable RNAi Biopesticide — A Conversation with Meibao Zhuang, Ph.D.

Download transcript. Download “Considerations for the Environmental Risk Assessment of the Application of Sprayed or Externally Applied dsRNA-Based Pesticides.” This week, listeners are in for a real treat as I sit down with Dr. Meibao Zhuang, Senior Scientist/Regulatory Consultant with B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group, to discuss double-stranded ribonucleic acid interference, better known as ds RNAi. Ds RNAi is a technology that allows scientists to silence (or...
November 30, 2023

Community Outreach and Environmental Justice — A Conversation with Rachel James of the SELC

Download transcript. This week, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with Rachel James, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). Rachel’s background and specialized training make her uniquely well suited to address some of the very interesting issues in which she engages at SELC on behalf of a diverse set of community groups. The Biden-Harris Administration has made environmental justice and accounting for susceptible subpopulations core components of its approach to...
November 16, 2023

Rev 10 GHS — A Conversation with Karin F. Baron

Download transcript. This week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss Revision 10 of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, commonly referred to as GHS. Release of any new GHS revision is a big deal, and Revision 10 is no exception. Karin highlights key elements of the revision, including...
November 2, 2023

TSCA Reform — Seven Years Later: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Session

On June 29, 2023, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington  University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Seven Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and over 700 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen...
October 26, 2023

TSCA Reform — Seven Years Later: New Chemicals Review Session

On June 29, 2023, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington  University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Seven Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and over 700 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen...