On March 28, 2014, Representatives Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy with targeted questions related to the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The four Members of Congress all believe the RFS is not working in its current form. Last fall, they introduced H.R. 1462, the "RFS Reform Act," which eliminates corn-based ethanol...
April 4, 2014
Senate EPW Committee Marks Up Chemical Safety Bill
On April 3, 2014, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW Committee) marked up S.1961, the "Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act." Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the EPW Committee, and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) introduced the bill following the January 9, 2014, chemical spill in West Virginia that left thousands without drinking water for days. The bill would amend the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) by adding "Part...
On March 31, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it issued an order to Pathway Investment Corp. of Englewood, New Jersey to stop the sale of plastic food storage containers that have not been tested or registered with EPA, in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). According to EPA’s press release, the company’s Kinetic Go Green Premium Food Storage Containers and Kinetic Smartwist Series Containers contain...
March 28, 2014
ECHA Report Includes Recommendations for Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterization of Nanomaterials under REACH
On March 26, 2014, SAFENANO announced that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published a report entitled Human health and environmental exposure assessment and risk characterisation of nanomaterials: Best practice for REACH registrants. The report summarizes the outcomes of the third (and last) meeting of the Group Assessing Already Registered Nanomaterials (GAARN). The September 30, 2013, meeting focused on discussing the approach and challenges faced by participant...
On March 24, 2014, Stepan announced the launch of STEPOSOL® MET-10U, a novel surfactant derived from natural oils that is targeted to displace solvents. This is the first commercial product launched by Stepan as part of its joint development agreement with Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. (Elevance) to develop and commercialize new surfactants and other products by combining Elevance's Inherent™ building blocks with Stepan's derivatization and application capabilities....
On March 24, 2014, Royal DSM announced that "its bio-based high performance EcoPaXX® polyamide 410 has been selected by Dytech-Dynamic Fluid Technologies for the fuel vapor separators it produces for Ferrari and Maserati sports cars. This solution, in halogen-free flame retardant EcoPaXX Q-KGS6, will increase the fire safety of the cars by combining flame retardancy with a high level of chemical resistance, essential for this application." A copy of the company's press release...
Advanced process technologies provider Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Ltd. (JM Davy) and renewable specialty chemical company Rennovia, Inc. have announced that they are teaming up to develop, demonstrate, and commercialize catalytic process technologies for the production of biobased glucaric acid and adipic acid. According to Rennovia's press release, "[u]nder the collaboration, Rennovia and JM Davy will work together to develop and demonstrate the processes based on Rennovia's...
March 28, 2014
EPA, Green Chemistry Challenge Awards, And Stepan Company Join BRAG Panel At BIO World Congress
We are very pleased to announce some of the speakers who are scheduled to participate in the session the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG™) is hosting May 13, 2014, at BIO World Congress, titled "Commercializing Renewable Chemicals and Biobased Products: The Importance of Successfully and Efficiently Navigating the Regulatory Process": * Tracy Williamson, Ph.D., Chief, Industrial Chemistry Branch, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, EPA; * David...
March 28, 2014
Industry Urges Review Of California Low Carbon Fuel Standard
On March 20, 2014, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), which represent the ethanol industry, and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), along with the American Trucking Association and the Consumer Energy Alliance, filed petitions for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court to make a final determination on the constitutionality of the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The groups are challenging the January 2014 decision of the U.S. Court...
On March 24, 2014, seven leading biofuel trade associations sent a letter to Senate Committee on Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) — as the Committee works to develop a tax extenders bill — urging the retroactive extension of the following biofuel incentives, which expired on December 31, 2013: the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, the Special Depreciation Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property, the Biodiesel and...
March 28, 2014
EPA To Review And Improve RFS Fuel Pathways Process
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it will take approximately the next six months to evaluate and improve the petition process for new fuel pathways under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Every producer that wants their renewable fuel to qualify under the RFS must have its fuel pathway, including feedstock and technology process, approved by EPA. EPA intends to make the process more efficient and transparent, and thereby reduce the amount...
March 26, 2014
NNI Publishes Supplement to President’s 2015 Budget
On March 25, 2014, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) published a supplement to President Obama’s 2015 budget request submitted to Congress on March 4, 2014. The supplement provides a description of the activities underway in 2013 and 2014 and planned for 2015 by the federal government agencies participating in the NNI, primarily from a programmatic and budgetary perspective. NNI states that it is based on the NNI Strategic Plan and reports actual investments...
NanoDiode is conducting a survey concerning Europeans’ preferences for nanotechnologies. According to NanoDiode, the results will be used “to inspire policy makers, researchers and companies across Europe.” NanoDiode states that stakeholder engagement and dialogue is essential to the responsible development of nanotechnologies in Europe, and invites lay consumers to participate in the survey. NanoDiode, which is funded by the European Union, establishes a coordinated program for...
On March 17, 2014, it was announced that British manufacturer Dyson is working with the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) on a project to analyze the high level economic and technical feasibility of using biopolymers in a closed loop process, which may ultimately improve the ability to recycle consumer products. A copy of CPI's press release is available online....
March 21, 2014
ADM And Hawkins Launch Biobased Heat Transfer Fluid
On March 14, 2014, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and Hawkins, Inc. introduced Chill-Pro, a U.S. Department of Agriculture certified heat transfer fluid. Chill-Pro is made with ADM Evolution Chemicals™ propylene glycol. According to ADM's press release on the announcement, "the benefits of Chill-Pro over petroleum-derived products include the fact that the majority component, propylene glycol, is 100% biobased and has lower cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions." A...
Tetra Pak, a company providing solutions in food processing and packaging headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, announced on March 13, 2014, the launch of the first biobased cap for "gable top" packages (cartons). According to the company's press release, this biobased version of TwistCap OSO 34 is manufactured using high density polyethylene (HDPE) derived from sugar cane. A copy of Tetra Pak's press release on the announcement is available online....
U.S. cellulosic biofuels producer, KiOR, filed its annual report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week. In the report, the company expresses concerns about sufficient funding to continue operations moving forward. Although KiOR has received a conditional funding commitment of up to $25 million from its founder Vinod Khosla, receipt of the funding depends on certain production milestones that may not be met. In December 2013, KiOR reported a $347.5 million net loss,...
On March 17, 2014, the Minnesota House of Representatives adopted the report of the Committee on Agriculture Policy as amended on H.F. No. 2456. The report has been re-referred to the Minnesota House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance. H.F. 2456 would create renewable chemical and advanced biofuel capital equipment loans for qualifying Minnesota renewable chemical and advanced biofuels producers. A copy of the report as amended is available...
On March 18, 2014, EPA issued a press release seeking nominations for EPA's Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Biobased chemical producers and stakeholders are urged to consider submitting a nomination, or at the least preparing to submit one for next year. The award is prestigious and well worth the time and effort it takes to submit a compelling nomination application. Nominations are due to the Agency by April 30, 2014. EPA's press release about the...
On March 12, 2014, Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), shared with his colleagues a vision plan that was developed to guide OCSPP's work over the next several years. The document, entitled Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Envisioning Accomplishments in 2017, outlines several actions that will be taken by OCSPP regarding pesticide registration, existing chemicals, the EDSP, creating a whole new Design for the...