The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 17, 2020, that it is accepting nominations for the 2021 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. EPA intends these awards to recognize innovation by American businesses and researchers that redesign chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and manufacture of hazardous substances. The 2021 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards nomination package is now available, and nominations are due December 4, 2020. EPA...
August 19, 2020
September Webinar Will Review How OECD Develops Test Guidelines
The European Union (EU)-funded projects NanoHarmony and NANOMET-Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have jointly organized a September 16, 2020, webinar on “The Pathway to Test Guidelines: from science to standards for nanomaterials.” Participants will learn how OECD develops Test Guidelines, using case studies from the Test Guidelines that are supported through the projects for expansion into nanomaterials. The webinar will explain how novel...
On August 17, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report entitled Lack of Planning Risks EPA’s Ability to Meet Toxic Substances Control Act Deadlines. OIG conducted the audit to determine whether EPA met the deadlines already imposed by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg Act) in 2016, which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and has the staff, resources, and...
August 17, 2020
EPA Extends Nomination and Public Comment Periods for Candidates for Membership on TSCA SACC
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the nomination and public comment periods for the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) to receive additional nominees and input on prospective candidates for membership. EPA states that it will use public comments to assist it in selecting multiple members of SACC over the next year. EPA anticipates appointing approximately 15 members to SACC by March 2021. EPA notes that current...
The European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Center (JRC) and the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (RTD) will jointly organize a virtual “Workshop on Safe and Sustainable Smart Nanomaterials” on September 9-10, 2020. The workshop is focused on smart (responsive, multi-functional) nanomaterials, as such or embedded in products, that are developed for application in industrial sectors such as agriculture, food, packaging, and cosmetics. The program is...
August 12, 2020
NanoExplore Recruiting Companies in Certain EU Member States to Participate in Study of Occupational Exposure to Nanomaterials
The NanoExplore project, which is supported by the European Union’s (EU) LIFE program, aims at an integrated approach for exposure and health effects monitoring of engineered and incidental nanomaterials in occupational settings. The project is currently in its pilot phase. According to NanoExplore, the pilot study will take place following a two-step procedure over two field campaigns separated by a six- or nine-month interval. Each field campaign will last for four...
August 12, 2020
EPA Finds 16 Conditions of Use of 1-BP Pose an Unreasonable Risk to Workers, ONUs, Consumers, and Bystanders
On August 12, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of the final risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane (1-BP). 85 Fed. Reg. 48687. After evaluating 25 conditions of use, EPA determined that 16 present an unreasonable risk to workers, occupational non-users (ONU), consumers, and bystanders. For those conditions of use for which EPA has found an unreasonable risk, EPA states that it must take regulatory action to address that...
August 11, 2020
Judge Suggests New TSCA Section 21 Petition Be Filed Regarding Fluoride in Drinking Water
On July 31, 2020, the plaintiffs and EPA filed a joint case management statement in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California case seeking a rulemaking under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to prohibit the addition of fluoridation chemicals to drinking water supplies. Food & Water Watch, Inc. v. EPA, Case No. 3:17-cv-02162-EMC. As reported in our June 12 and June 22, 2020, blog items, the court held a bench trial that...
August 10, 2020
FDA Publishes Report on Nanotechnology — Over a Decade of Progress and Innovation, Will Hold Webinar on August 13
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a report entitled Nanotechnology — Over a Decade of Progress and Innovation that highlights FDA’s advancements in the field of nanotechnology since it released its last report in 2007. The report also reviews FDA’s role in advancing the public health through its regulation of products within its jurisdiction that involve the application of nanotechnology. According to the report, FDA “will rely on a combination...
August 7, 2020
Australia Releases Extra Guidance on Categorizing Chemicals at the Nanoscale under AICIS
The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) took effect on July 1, 2020. Under AICIS, companies that import or manufacture (including introduce) industrial chemicals, or products that release industrial chemicals, into Australia for commercial purposes should first check whether the industrial chemical is listed on the Inventory. If the chemical is on the Inventory and the introduction meets the terms of Inventory listing, the introduction is automatically...